Thanks to all those who wrote to me in response to my recent email about
Macquarie University’s support for the World Wildlife Federation’s Earth
Hour on Saturday 31 March from 7.30-8.30pm. I am grateful to those of you who
offered suggestions about additional ways the University can enhance its
environmental sustainability. So many of you wrote that I have decided to write
to everyone rather than to each of you individually.
First, I want to thank you for your support and encouragement and to assure you
that Earth Hour is just the beginning of our commitment to sustainability.
Second, you should know that the University is doing quite a lot towards
sustainability. Current activities include:
The irrigation of the University’s seven hectares of playing fields with
recycled water collected from the sewer main near Mars Creek, treated through a
biological reed bed filtering system and disinfected. This project also involves
harvesting stormwater from the surface and sub-surface drainage system and
storing it onsite to supplement the treated water. MUSR has received a $350,000
grant from the NSW Government to put towards this project. This project will
save up to 52 million litres of water a year;
The new Macquarie University Sports and Aquatic Centre will incorporate a number
of sustainability features including stormwater harvesting (grey water) to
service the toilet areas, and the use of the waste heat from the co-generation
plant to heat both pools;
The co-generation plant next to the Library uses gas to fuel two generators that
produce electrical energy. The heat recovered from the generators is used to run
an absorption chiller that produces chilled water and stores it in a 1.25
million litre tank for distribution around the University. This system reduces
greenhouse gas emissions by 44 per cent compared to a traditional system.
Macquarie has received the State Government Green Globe Award for Sustainability
for this project;
The geotechnical system that services Building E11A uses the natural constant
ground temperature at a depth of around 100 metres to chill water for the
building’s air conditioning;
Macquarie's new Commerce Building (E4A) – a mixed-mode building – won a
Bronze Medal in the Green Buildings Awards 2003 in recognition of the
environmental sustainability of the project. The building incorporates an
active façade, which allows the building to be naturally ventilated. The air
conditioning is not activated until the temperature exceeds 25 degrees;
A number of smaller initiatives, including the replacement of older light
fittings with low energy fittings, are incorporated into all refurbishment
projects.
Clearly there are more things that we can do. As suggested by many of you, the
University will employ a Sustainability Officer to coordinate current activities
and implement new initiatives. We will also establish a Sustainability Group
chaired by DVC and Chief Operating Officer Paul Bowler. They will look at waste
management, power use reduction, water savings and many other areas. In the
meantime, as many of you noted, we should shut down computers and switch off
lights not just on Earth Night, but every night. Please keep your suggestions
coming. Everyone’s input is needed if we are to make a difference.
