Help shape our sustainable future

Listening to our community on the new Sustainability Plan

The community consultation period is closed as of Monday 30 November.

We’re preparing to reaffirm the ambitious commitments of our Sustainability Charter, through the development of our Sustainability Plan 2021–2025, and need the whole University community to envision our sustainable future.

To help shape our new Plan, the University sought views and ideas from students, staff and alumni in the first stage of consultation. We are now analysing the feedback and consulting with internal stakeholders in the second stage. To learn about existing sustainable initiatives at the University, view the sustainability showcase.

Explore sustainability showcase

Three indigenous students smiling in embrace

Our commitment to sustainability

The Sustainability Plan delivers on the University’s commitment to lead and act on the critical challenges of global sustainability and a changing climate, and to model our campuses as sustainable and resilient communities.

In these extraordinary times, a sustainable future for our planet is more critical than ever. As a member of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) and signatory to the ‘University commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the University has an important role to play in the shaping a more sustainable, equitable and resilient world.

The development of our new Sustainability Plan is guided by the five intersecting themes of the University’s new institutional strategy to 2030, Advancing Melbourne.

Sign up to our mailing list to be notified of further information on the Plan’s development.

Sign up to stay informed

Developing our Sustainability Plan 2021-2025

Some frequently asked questions about the consultation and development process for the University's next Sustainability Plan.

  • What is the consultation process for the new Sustainability Plan?

    The consultation process will engage three broad University community groups in three progressive phases:

    1. Consultation with the whole University community. Participation and submissions are encouraged from all students, staff and alumni cohorts, as well as prospective students attending Open Days online.
    2. A separate engagement and consultation process with senior staff in University portfolios responsible for delivering and reporting on the Plan. These portfolio responsibilities span: campus operations; teaching and learning; research and development; strategy, engagement and partnerships; estate planning and development; commercial operations and finance.
    3. Consultation with a representative group of significant external University partners, drawn from research, project and engagement collaboration; peers in the higher education sector; state and local government departments and our donor community.

    Findings from the consultation process, together with international benchmarking and review of our current Plan, will provide a clearer understanding of expectations and aspirations of the higher education sector—and particularly the University of Melbourne’s role—in addressing complex climate and sustainability challenges.

  • How will input from the University community inform the Plan?

    The community consultation process aims to capture the concerns, aspirations, priorities and ideas that emerge from our University community during the consultation period. The outcomes will guide development of the Sustainability Plan, its priorities and targets. The voice of our community and close partners will help shape the University’s commitment to sustainability for the next five years and beyond.

    Once the consultation phase is complete, a community feedback report will be compiled and published online.

  • How will the new Sustainability Plan be developed?

    Once the consultation phase is complete, a Plan development and co-design process will commence. This process will involve the University’s Sustainability Executive, the Sustainability strategy team and key staff from University portfolios responsible for delivering on the University’s commitments to sustainability. The co-design process will be coordinated by the Sustainability strategy team, with portfolio staff leading the detailed development of priorities and targets for their respective areas of the Plan.

  • Who approves the final Sustainability Plan and when will it be released?

    The finalised Sustainability Plan 2021–2025 requires endorsement by the Sustainability Executive, and approval by University Executive and University Council. We are aiming to launch the new Plan in first semester 2021.

  • How can I stay informed about the Plan’s consultation and development?

    For updates on the development of our new Sustainability Plan join our Sustainability Mailing List.

  • Contact us

Explore the case studies below to find out how sustainability is being integrated across all aspects of the University.

These case studies showcase a sample of inspiring activities and programs underway during the current Sustainability Plan period, 2017 to 2020. To view highlights of the University’s achievements during this time, download the Highlights 2017–2020 document below.

Sustainability Plan Highlights 2017–2020

Clean energy on campus

In 2016 the University closed an agreement with the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) to secure a $9.1 million loan to deliver efficiency and renewable generation initiatives. With this loan, solar panels across 21 locations were installed between 2016 and 2018 and have a total capacity of 2090kW.

  • Learn more

    The panels have a lifespan of 20 years and require little maintenance in that period. The savings generated will be used to pay off the CEFC loan and invest in further carbon neutral initiatives.

    There are now rooftop solar PV panels generating renewable energy across 32 buildings  across multiple campuses. Energy generated will contribute to the University reaching its target of zero net emissions from electricity by 2021, as set in the Sustainability Plan 2017–2020.

Research for more sustainable cities

The University’s Green Infrastructure research group has driven the uptake of green roofs in Australia, and advanced knowledge of green roofs in hot and dry climates internationally.

  • Learn more

    Green roofs help to cool down cities, reduce building energy consumption and prevent stormwater runoff that contributes to flooding. Before the group’s research began in 2010, green roofs were untested in Australia and there were significant barriers to their implementation due to lack of knowledge of which plants and substrates would work. Over the last 10 years, the group’s research has helped to broaden appropriate plant selection and develop substrates for hot and dry climates in Australia and internationally. Thanks to their work, installations are now industry ready with scientifically assessed substrates and plants that can be used in Australian conditions. From this research, the University has been able to install five green roofs across two campuses including the Burnley Green roof (shown in video), the Western Edge Bioscience building (WEBs) terrace garden, two green roofs on the Glyn Davis building and the Arts West green roof. Installation of green roofs has extended beyond the University to Melbourne buildings including The Venny, the Council House 2 building, 131 Queen Street and Minifie Park.

    From the installation of green roofs at the University, students have been able to engage with environmental sustainability by learning directly about stormwater retention and plants for dry conditions. The group’s research outcomes have also been integrated in the City of Melbourne’s Green Our City Strategic Action Plan and will be used to inform future planning scheme amendments in Melbourne.

Integrating sustainability into the curriculum

Sustainable Development Goals and the Bachelor of Design

Watch the video to hear Dr Geoffrey Browne from the Connected Cities Lab explain how sustainability is being embedded in the curriculum of the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning. Dr Browne is researching how the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals are currently integrated into the Bachelor of Design.

Sustainability and the Business and Economics curriculum

Associate Professor Ben Neville discusses how sustainability is being integrated into Business and Economics through supporting professors to fit sustainability into their content, introducing sustainability early on in undergraduate degrees, and offering specific streams in postgraduate studies.

Supporting cyclists on Parkville campus

The Bike Collective is a space run by student volunteers that offers free bike repairs and advice at Union House. Launched and managed by the Student Union's Environment Department (UMSU Enviro), the initiative involves hosting bike maintenance workshops and relies on volunteers to share knowledge with the campus community. To find out more about cycling infrastructure on campus visit our cycling page.

Increasing urban biodiversity and pollination

Bees@Unimelb is an initiative that makes beehives available to staff and students on campus while raising awareness about the importance of bees in urban environments.

The initiative is run by a group of passionate staff and student volunteers and is self-funded through the sale of honey and wax. The beehives are used for research, teaching and learning purposes, as well as engagement within the University and the wider community.

Reusing furniture and equipment

The Furniture and Equipment Reuse Service launched in 2012 as a way to reduce the amount of hard waste from the University’s office spaces going to landfill. The service provides a range of workstations, chairs, storage solutions, and other used items to University faculties, departments and affiliate organisations.

At the end of 2019 over 27,000 items had been reused in total through the service, saving over 618 metric tonnes of waste going to landfill, and an estimated $15.25 million on retail replacement value.

Lowering the impact of our built environment

The Western Edge Biosciences building (WEBs) is one of the University's many six star Green Star Design and As Built rated buildings, representing world leadership in sustainable building design and construction. Its features a 50 kL rainwater tank that harvests water for reuse, a terrace housing rare succulents from the System Garden and PV solar panel system that generates 33% of the building's energy usage. You can learn more about the sustainability features of our built environment on our building page.

To watch more case studies of sustainability initiatives, services and infrastructure on our campuses, take the virtual Sustainability Tour.

Virtual Sustainability Tour

Feeling inspired?

During the community consultation period that ran from Friday 2 October to Monday 30 November, we shared these case studies to showcase sustainability initiatives currently underway at the University. The showcase provided inspiration for staff, students and alumni to submit feedback on what priorities should be reflected in the new Sustainability Plan.

We also shared the Sustainability Plan mind map which presents sustainability activities guided by the principles of the University’s current institutional strategy, Advancing Melbourne.

For more information on the development of the University’s next Sustainability Plan visit the Shape our future home page.

Shape our future

  • Contact us

Thank you to the 270+ people who have participated in multiple feedback sessions held since the start of September. We value your contribution and look forward to sharing the feedback with you in the coming months.

Zoom screenshot of 30 people attending a Sustainability Plan consultation event online
256 people participated in consultation events online in September.

Consulting our community

Consultation with the wider University community has been the first step in the new Sustainability Plan’s development, with the community consultation period running from Friday 21 August to Monday 30 November 2020.

This initial consultation stage has aimed to capture the concerns, aspirations, priorities and ideas from across our University community. Students, staff and alumni have had the opportunity to fill out a feedback form and participate in online consultation events in this period.

Nine online feedback sessions have been run so far, in which a total of 256 participants have participated. This includes three student-led sessions run by the Student Union Environment Department (UMSU Enviro), Postgraduate Environment Network (PEN) and Student Conservators. 54% of overall participants have been University staff, with 39% student, 3% prospective student and 3% alumni attendance.

A two-way forum

Online feedback sessions have provided the University community with the opportunity to raise issues and discuss their thoughts, ideas and concerns in a respectful and inclusive forum. Sessions run by the University’s Sustainability Strategy Team began with a short overview of the current sustainability framework, past and present programs, and achievements to stimulate discussion.

Both verbal and written feedback were captured. Small discussion groups within sessions ensured everyone had an opportunity to raise the issues of most importance to them, while participants could also write down their ideas directly onto collaborative brainstorming boards. This encouraged open discussion and the opportunity to support or comment on each other’s thoughts, with participants voting on the most important issues within their groups.

Events were organised and run by staff and students from across the University, including the Sustainability and Sustainability Strategy teams, Estate, Planning & Development, Sustainability Fellows, Business Services, Student Union Environment Collective (UMSU Enviro), Postgraduate Environment Network (PEN), Student Conservators group and more.

We thank these passionate University representatives for helping to reach and consult with our wider community.

Past events

The events have included general sessions open to the whole University community, sessions for dedicated sustainability networks, as well as student-specific events run by student clubs.

Tuesday 13 October 2020

General consultation session

Open to Alumni Council

Tuesday 29 September 2020

Student Union Environment Collective (UMSU Enviro) feedback session

Open to all students

Friday 25 September 2020

Student Conservators (student group for Master of Cultural Materials Conservation)

Open to Student Conservators members

Thursday 24 September 2020

General consultation session

Open to all staff, students and alumni

Tuesday 22 September 2020

General consultation session

Open to Sustainability Advocates network

Monday 21 September 2020

Postgraduate Environment Network (PEN) feedback session

Open to PEN members

Thursday 17 September 2020

General consultation session

Open to Green Impact program participants

Tuesday 15 September 2020

Sustainability in our curriculum session

Open to all staff, students and alumni

Tuesday 8 September 2020

General consultation session

Open to all staff, students and alumni

What’s next?

The community consultation period is now closed. We are now analysing the feedback and consulting with internal stakeholders as part of the second stage of consultation. A community feedback report will be compiled and published online shortly. To find out more about the development process of the new Plan, read the FAQs on the home page.

Developing our plan: FAQs

Sign up to our mailing list to be notified of further information on the Plan’s development.

Sign up to stay informed

  • Contact us