Companies, groups and individuals join Carbon Neutral Adelaide to embrace smart climate opportunities in city
Partners in the Carbon Neutral Adelaide campaign.
The drive to make the City of Adelaide the world’s first carbon-neutral city, started by the state government and Adelaide City Council, became a community effort, involving businesses, organisations and individuals, through the Carbon Neutral Adelaide campaign.
In 2020, the Carbon Neutral Adelaide partners had grown to 175 including Microsoft, the Property Council of Australia, Anvil Capital, Knight Frank, Mott MacDonald, Fulton Hogan, Schneider Electric, Siemens, the universities of Adelaide and South Australia, Adelaide Convention Centre and Uniting Communities. The vision was for the City of Adelaide to showcase the embrace of the economic, social and environmental opportunities from responding to climate change, including the uptake of renewable energy and clean smart technologies.
The Carbon Neutral Adelaide Action Plan 2016-21 set out 104 actions for the city council and state government under five key emissions reduction paths, to advance carbon neutrality for the city. Those five paths were energy-efficient buildings, zero emissions transport, towards 100% renewable energy, cutting emissions from waste and water, and offsetting carbon emissions.
Adelaide University, \ a founding partner of Carbon Neutral Adelaide, in 2017 announced an investment of $14.4 million including $12.8 million to cut carbon emission reductions across Waite, Roseworthy and North Terrace, Adelaide, campuses.
A progress report in 2019 showed 4,389 Gigajoules of energy savings, $295,000 of electricity savings, and avoiding 597 tonnes of carbon-equivalent emissions yearly. This was achieved with measures and results including:
• 3,000-plus LED lights retrofitted.
• 1,672 rooftop solar panels installed.
• 114 low-flow taps in high-use bathrooms at North Terrace.
• More than 172 megalitres of recycled water used annually to irrigate campus grounds.
• 423,500+ people reached by @EcoversityUoA social media.
• 16,000+ views of the ‘Sustainability on Campus’ video, created in 2018 with 25 staff and students.
• 100,000+ disposable coffee cups avoided at North Terrace via coffee cup waste campaigns and the Hub Mug Wall.
• 95% of copy paper bought certified carbon neutral in 2018.
• Gave 4,487 kilograms of excess food from campus eateries to OzHarvest – equial to providing disadvantaged South Australians with 13,462 meals.
• Sponsored 24 students in career development through the Ecoversity Award.
• Three building management systems upgraded to improve space heating/cooling efficiency and reduce energy wastage.
•An anaerobic digestion system (BioBin) at Roseworthy campus recycled compostable packaging and food waste.
The university, winning three national prizes and shortlisted for two others at the Australasian green gown awards in 2011,had a goal of net zero emissions by 2050, putting it among leading institutions and businesses nationally.
