In 2020 Macquarie University signed a seven-year contract with Red Energy to provide 100 percent renewable electricity for the Wallumattagal Campus, sourced from the Snowy Hydro.
In the two years to 30 June 2022, the University saved over 72,500 tonnes of CO2 emissions, equivalent to:
- 14,189 petrol-powered cars driven for one year
- 12,813 homes’ electricity use for one year
- charging over eight billion smartphones
“We reduced our emissions from total electricity usage by 97 per cent during this period and we are well on the way towards net zero for our scope 1 and 2 emissions,” explains Nicole Marchhart, Head of Sustainability. She is one of the newest members of the Property Services team, led by Executive Director Juliette Churchill.
Macquarie was among the first Australian universities to commit to 100 percent renewable electricity, driven by our dedication to developing a vibrant and sustainable campus. Progress towards our energy efficiency goal was also boosted by the installation of solar energy panels on campus rooftops, with a combined generating capacity of 746kW.
Major campus development projects are being built to ambitious sustainability standards, with the Central Courtyard, Lincoln Building and Student Accommodation Buildings all individually awarded 5-Star Green Star ratings in design and construction by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA).
The University’s 2021 Sustainability Tracking Report is available to view now, with the 2022 report to be published soon.
“Having just started at Macquarie, I have been impressed with the number of sustainable initiatives that are embedded into business as usual across the University,” Marchhart says. “We should be proud of what we have achieved to date on our sustainability journey, and we will be consulting the University community in the new year to seek input into our goals and initiatives as we develop our new Sustainability Strategy.”
There are some simple ways Macquarie staff can conserve energy, particularly as we approach the holiday period:
- Turn monitors and laptops off. Do not leave them on standby.
- In kitchens, turn off appliances such as the kettle and toaster at the power point, especially over Christmas.
- Turn off lights and air conditioning when you are leaving an office space.
Learn more about Macquarie’s commitment to sustainability.
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