Find A Document:
The University of Adelaide operates four main campuses in South Australia – North Terrace, Thebarton, Waite and Roseworthy.
The university continues to be a leader in education and research into environmental sustainability.
In the field of research, the Environment Institute brings together world leaders in the fields of Climate and Ecology, Energy technology, Water, Biology, Ancient DNA and landscapes.
In teaching, the university produces undergraduates in fields such as Sustainable energy, Engineering, Environmental policy, Management and architecture, Landscape and urban design. Postgraduates are also produced in areas such as Environmental monitoring, Carbon management and Sustainability.
The University is acutely aware that its 25,000 students (EFTSL) and 3,000 staff (FTE) based at four major campuses create a significant environmental footprint. To understand and manage the extent of the University’s footprint, the Office of Sustainability was established in 2008 along with its environmental sustainability program called ECOVERSITY. They have also created a website to encourage the widespread adoption of sustainable practices by staff, students and the greater University community.
The ECOVERSITY program has achieved many significant milestones since 2008, including:
- the production of comprehensive carbon inventories since 2007-08 and the recent development of an online sustainability management and reporting tool
- multi-faceted awareness raising and educational resources, including a website, posters and other collateral, and a presence in social media
- the harnessing of student and staff sustainability advocates through an ECOleaders program.
The University is also proud to have built Australia’s first 6-star Green Star Education Building, INNOVA 21.
The University was awarded a sustainability licence on 9 June 2011, the fourth organisation in South Australia to receive one and the first from the education sector. Their sustainability licence (702.8 KB PDF) contains a series of voluntary actions to further advance the university’s sustainability plans including:
- review results of the student internship ‘water efficiency audit program’ conducted in amenities at the North Terrace campus.
- install a separate irrigation system on the lower campus to utilise water from the Glenelg to Adelaide pipeline.
- develop an energy management plan to assist in the achievement of their reduction targets and comply with legislative requirements.
- collect and recycle surplus electronic equipment at each major campus.
- conduct a review of the number and locations of bins with the aim of increasing source separation and recycling.
- pilot the introduction of two-bin recycling station systems to source separate waste to landfill and co-mingled recycling in major traffic areas of internal foyers and building spaces on North Terrace campus.
- collect and recycle organic waste at the National Wine Centre and Wirra Wirra café at the Waite.
- promote the efficient use of office paper and continue to investigate electronic processes to reduce paper use.
- produce a sustainability report to communicate our environmental performance to the university community.
Last modified: 17/12/2012 02:36 pm
