Our journey
What council has achieved in the past in energy efficiency, renewable energy, sustainable transport or broader sustainability
In 2020, we completed a long-term renewable energy and water strategy. This strategy was adopted to help prioritise projects that would improve our efficiency (energy and water) and expand our use of renewable energy across our sites. The strategy contains site specific business cases for installing renewable energy and general recommendations on how Council can improve our operations with regard to efficiency.
In 2022, our Sustainability and Resilience Strategy was adopted which provides actions focusing on 3 key areas – leadership, environment and the community. The strategy focuses on environmental sustainability and the actions address internal processes, efficient Council facilities, climate change, renewable energy, water efficiency, community education and net zero planning for our whole community
Since the development of these strategies, we have already implemented an energy data management and monitoring system, installed 2 x 99kW solar PV systems at 2 sites, committed to a 7-year power purchase agreement, prepared an EV readiness plan for our fleet and completed an energy tariff assessment across all of our sites.
What council hopes to achieve in the future in energy efficiency, renewable energy, sustainable transport or broader sustainability
Looking to the future, Council hopes to continue to install renewable energy across its existing sites and incorporate renewables into the development of any new sites. We also hope to reduce emissions by installing efficient streetlights and LED lighting at sporting facilities. We want to focus on building the capacity of our community by providing relevant and up to date information to residents that will help them save money and also act in a more sustainable manner and be prepared for climate change. As we continue to implement projects and reduce emissions, Council will continue to demonstrate leadership in environmental sustainability.
What council hopes to gain from being a member of the Cities Power Partnership
We hope that by being a member of the Cities Power Partnership, we will expand our network and learn from other Councils who are also on track to reducing emissions and tackling climate change. We would like to participate in any available training and have access to information that can help our staff evolve within their respective roles to achieve better outcomes that consider sustainable processes and outcomes.