Energy
What you can do
We encourage everyone to assist us in achieving our energy reduction targets by turning off lights and equipment when not required.
- Make sure you are following the Sustainable Office Checklist or Sustainable Laboratory Checklist
- Report energy efficiency opportunities using the Report a Sustainability Improvement Opportunity form
- Audit your building's energy use through the Energy Consumption Monthly Reports
- Switch-off reminder stickers - refer to General Posters and Stickers.
In November 2007, University Council agreed to undertake measures to reduce the University’s carbon emissions by 50% from a 2006 baseline. This commitment included a 20% saving through energy reduction projects at the Parkville Campus.
- Projects completed during 2008-2010 as part of this ambitious initiative will deliver an estimated 25,200 tonnes of ongoing annual carbon savings, consistent with this 20% target.
- Energy reduction projects have focussed on upgrades of building automation systems and improvements to lighting, heating, ventilation and air conditioning.
- Staff Awareness Programs have also contributed to energy reduction, through an Energy Management program for switching off lights, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning (HVAC), computers and other appliances when not in use.
- Total energy consumption has decreased from our 2006 baseline despite University expansion, largely due to this range of projects being undertaken. The full benefits of many of these projects will not be evident until late 2011.
- Earth Hour 2010 demonstrated a 5.5% reduction in electricity use compared to a 2010 ‘business as usual’ weekend. As important however is the cultural change where the ‘business as usual’ weekend measure for 2010 is now 8% lower than 2009. This equates to an average saving of 37MWh (or 45 tonnes CO2) per weekend.
- Earth Hour 2011 Results: electricity consumption dropped by 4.1% compared with 'business as usual' weekend. Although the 'business as usual' weekend is slightly higher compared to 2010 it is still 6% lower than a ‘business as usual’ weekend in 2009. This is equivalent to 426MWh compared to 454MWh, meaning we are saving on average 28MWH (or 34 tonnes CO2) each and every weekend in 2011. This is a great achievement as major infrastructure has been added to the University, such as the new Data Centre at 258 Queensberry Street, a new Chemistry substation and a new medical centre substation.
Energy Consumption Monthly Reports
Temperature Settings for HVAC in Buildings
Carbon Reduction
The University of Melbourne is the first mainland University to have three campuses declared 100% Green Energy certified: these are Dookie, Creswick and Burnley as of January 2008.
The University of Melbourne Council has adopted targets for 2008-2010 and 2030 to reduce carbon emissions on its campuses. A program has been developed to achieve major reductions in our carbon footprint by 2030 to decrease the environmental impact of our operations.
Measures to reduce carbon footprint |
||||
|
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2030 |
Reduction in Energy Use |
10% |
15% |
20% |
>20% |
Certified Green Energy |
10% |
15% |
20% |
>20% |
Abatement Measures (carbon offsets) |
5% |
10% |
10% |
|
Total Impact |
25% |
40% |
50% |
100% |
|
|
|
|
|
- The University’s nett emissions (emissions from electricity, mains gas, LPG and steam less the offsets of Green Power and abatements) have reduced from 141,031 tonnes in 2006 to 92,512 tonnes in 2009 – a 34% decrease. This great result illustrates the combined effect of on-site energy reduction projects, the purchase of Green Power and abatement measures.
- This achievement is even more significant when you consider that the University space increased by over 12% in that time. Nett energy-related emissions by floor area have reduced from 212 kg/m2 GFA in 2006 to 124 kg/m2 in 2009 – a 42% reduction. This result illustrates the full significance of the University’s carbon reduction efforts.
- Since the purchase of Green Power first commenced in 2007, and abatements in 2008, Green Power and abatement purchases have reduced the University’s carbon emissions by a cumulative total of nearly 50,000 tonnes. That is roughly the amount of carbon that would be generated by coal-fired power stations supplying the entire university for six months.
- Since July 2010, we have been purchasing 20% Certified Green Power sourced from the Cathedral Rocks windfarm in South Australia and 15% abatement measures through the Victorian Energy Efficiency Target (VEET) scheme.
C0zero Green Power Purchase Certificate
C0zero VEEC Certificate
In 2010, the University is purchasing 100% Green Power for its three campuses at Dookie, Creswick
and Burnley and 20% Green Power (up from 15% in 2009) for remaining campuses. A further 10%
of electricity emissions are being offset through the Victorian Energy Efficiency Target (VEET)
scheme in 2010.
The University’s energy efficiency program has run since 2008 and projects to date are estimated to save over 22,000 tonnes of CO2 per annum.
Future targets
Our Energy Targets 2011 - 2015:
- Reduce energy consumption by 33% from 2006 levels by 2015 (0.9 to 0.6 GJ/m2 GFA)
- Reduce nett carbon emissions by 50% from 2006 levels by 2015 (212 to 106 kg C02e/m2 GFA)
Achieve carbon reduction targets:
- Reduce energy consumption to 0.6 GJ/m2 GFA by 2015
- Reduce carbon emissions to 106 kg C02e/m2 GFA by 2015
Reporting targets:
- Tonnes of carbon saved though projects such as BAS upgrades, lighting efficiencies and changes to HVAC.
- Report on Energy usage – GJ/m2 GFA and;
- Nett Energy-related Carbon Emissions – kg/m2 GFA