Our journey
What Council has achieved in the past in energy efficiency, renewable energy, sustainable transport or broader sustainability
Nillumbik Shire Council has been proactively implementing climate response actions for many years to help make Council operations more sustainable and to assist the community in living more sustainably.
For example, we regularly host and support sustainability workshops, events and celebrations for our community; have invested in hybrid fleet vehicles and EV charge stations; and helped to establish the community energy group Clean Energy Nillumbik.
Every Council building has received some form of retrofit energy efficiency upgrade to help reduce our grid-sourced energy consumption.
There is more to be done, but we have already installed 45 rooftop solar systems totalling about 500kW as well as LED lighting, draught sealing, insulation, double glazing, airlock installation, heat-pump hot water systems, split-system air conditioners to replace gas-fired heating systems, energy audits and de-lamping across our buildings.
What Council hopes to achieve in the future in energy efficiency, renewable energy, sustainable transport or broader sustainability
Council is developing a new Climate Action Plan to extend the work of the current Climate Change Action Plan 2016 – 2020. We hope to encourage, upskill and celebrate sustainable living across the Shire, continue to reduce Council’s own grid sourced energy consumption, and be proactive in understanding and responding to climate change risks.
For example we’ll be investigating developing the 8 hectare former Plenty Landfill site into a solar farm; and will invest in additional rooftop solar systems, further LED lighting upgrades, and the electrification of our fleet to help reduce our carbon emissions. We’ll also be looking for ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through enhanced sustainable transport infrastructure such as the extension of the Diamond Creek Trail and advocacy around upgrades to the Hurstbridge rail line; carbon sequestration; and our Council operations.
What Council hopes to gain from being a member of the CPP
By being a member of the Cities Power Partnership, Nillumbik Shire Council is excited to be part of a collaborative platform which enables us to share our success stories and learnings, to broaden our perspectives, to learn from others, and to proactively collaborate with other local governments.