Environmental sustainability
In our own backyard and globally,
we're committed to reducing the carbon footprint.
Curtin's campuses are used by over 30,000 staff and students. With a population greater than many small towns and with the infrastructure to match, it's no secret that Curtin has a significant impact on the environment. Ensuring environmental sustainability, therefore, presents an enormous challenge but it's one that we've already begun to tackle through a number of initiatives and one that we will remain dedicated to.
This dedication to sustainability doesn't stop at the boundaries of our campuses either - we are actively involved in conservation efforts both here in Western Australia and as far away as South America. Our world-class research initiatives and commitment to solving community problems sees us well-placed to make a real difference to a global problem.
Green initiatives on campus
Environmental sustainability really has to begin in your own backyard. Accordingly, we've developed several ways to reduce the environmental impact of our activities. Some initiatives, like the thermal storage tank (see below), are examples of Curtin's ethos of innovation. Others, like replacing introduced plant species with water-wise natives, are just common sense.
Water conservation
The pine trees around the Bentley campus are no longer replaced when they die, due to their need for large amounts of water. They are replaced with native plants instead which, of course, are ideal for Perth's hot climate and require far less water.
The garden beds around Bentley campus once featured plant species predominantly from the northern hemisphere. Not surprisingly they also required large amounts of water to cope with Perth's climate and are now being replaced with natives.
Travelling irrigators have been replaced with permanent reticulation, which is far more water wise. This allows watering in the evening too, resulting in less evaporation.
Electricity
The thermal storage system (the big silver tank) at the Bentley campus is filled with chilled water for air conditioning. It helps with energy efficiency, because water for a whole day's air conditioning can be chilled the night before, when the ambient temperature is much lower. In the past, we cooled the water throughout the day when the air temperature was much higher, requiring much more energy to cool it.
When existing electrical components like light bulbs reach the end of their lifespan, they are replaced with more energy efficient components. This has a flow-on effect, as more efficient lighting is cooler, requiring less air-conditioning.
Where practicable, our regional campuses are supplied with 'green energy', that is, electricity from sources that don't rely on fossil fuels.
Recycling
All clippings and pruned material from the University grounds are stored at a large green waste site at Bentley campus and composted for use on the campus garden beds. This makes Curtin completely self-sufficient in this regard.
Beyond the campus
Sustaining Gondwana
In 2005, the Alcoa Foundation's Conservation and Sustainability Fellowship Program provided a grant of $US 8.7m to three non-government organisations and five universities throughout the world to fund a series of lay- and post-doctoral fellows, each of whom will examine various issues relating to conservation and sustainability in their institution's sphere of interest. The program's aim is to support sustainability research and development, with a focus on improving education in conservation sustainability issues.
Curtin's part of the global program, Sustaining Gondwana, focuses on the south coast region of Western Australia and offers a rare opportunity for sustainability research within an environment that is facing challenges. The region has been chosen because of its existing pro-active stance on these issues, and it is proposed that the many activities currently under way can be applied globally.
The Brazilian Rainforest
In early 2006, Head of Environmental Biology at Curtin and Sustaining Gondwana cabinet member Professor Jonathan Majer was invited to assist with a canopy ecology course in south-eastern Brazil. The activities that took place are highly relevant to conservation and sustainability of this ecosystem, which is rapidly diminishing due to agricultural and mineral exploitation.
John Curtin Weekend
John Curtin Weekend is Curtin Volunteers! largest and longest running community project. Now in its eighth year, John Curtin Weekend provides the opportunity for 400 volunteers to travel to 30 regional towns and 3 metropolitan sites to work on projects chosen by the towns and sites, many of which are environmentally-focused.
The 2007 John Curtin Weekend saw volunteers clean up the Harvey River, 140km south of Perth, and work with a conservation team at the wheatbelt town Mukinbudin, 295km east of Perth, on flora reserves. Several other activities were carried out across the state, and can be viewed at the John Curtin Weekend site.
John Curtin Weekend activities honour Australia's wartime Prime Minister John Curtin by celebrating his qualities of vision, leadership and community service.
Centre of Excellence in Cleaner Production
The Centre of Excellence in Cleaner Production was established at Curtin in 1999 to promote the uptake of cleaner production and waste minimisation activities in Western Australia. Cleaner production is about making more efficient use of the materials and energy we employ when we conduct our business while minimising the generation of wastes and emissions.
The Centre provides applied research and teaching in eco-efficiency, innovation and sustainability management.
