Environmental sustainability at UWA
The University of Western Australia is planning to be an energy neutral campus by 2025
One of the University’s defining characteristics in its UWA 2030 vision is to ‘embed sustainability and fair-trade principles into the developmental and operational activities of the campus’; with a key pillar of the strategy being the creation of a more clean, green and sustainable campus.
UWA aims to reduce our environmental footprint by preserving the biodiversity of our grounds, preventing environmental impacts from our resource use, and preparing for climate change risks. These principles are guided by the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Preserve
Biodiversity
Our goal is to develop a Biodiversity Management Plan by 2021.
Strategies:
- Mitigate biodiversity risks
- Reduce hard landscapes, tree removal and soil contamination
- Enhance the landscape
- Become a recognised Urban Forest
- No net loss of biodiversity on campus beyond 2030
Community engagement:
- The UWA Friends of the Grounds were established in 2000 to encourage the University community and also the wider Western Australian community to take an active interest in the grounds of the University as an important part of the heritage of this State.
Prevent
Energy
Our goal is to be an energy carbon neutral campus by 2025 – which translates to net zero emissions from energy use by 2025.
Strategies:
- Increase on-site and off-site renewables
- Reduce Natural Gas usage
- Reduce electricity usage
- Focus on load balance through increased thermal storage, battery storage, and increased electric vehicle use
Priorities and Initiatives:
Waste
Our vision is to produce net zero waste from 2030 and beyond.
Goals:
- Reduce waste generation by 10% by 2025
- Increase diversion from landfill to 70% by 2025
- Develop baseline measures and target for circularity
Priorities and Initiatives:
Water
Our vision is to have a net water balance beyond 2030
Goals:
- 10% reduction in water use from all water sources by 2025
- 20% reduction in scheme water use by 2025
Priorities and Initiatives:
Prepare
Climate resilience
Our goal is to develop a climate resilience implementation plan by 2022. UWA has completed a Climate Change Risk Review identifying likely climate change scenarios, and now is working to embed a climate response into operations.
Strategies
- Workshop key risks with relevant sections of the University to inform the implementation plan
- Mitigation strategies for climate change risks including floods, extreme temperature events, extreme rainfall, storms/cyclones, droughts, and bush fires
People and operations
Sustainable memberships
Australian Campuses Towards Sustainability
Sustainable Development Solutions Network
Sustainability on campus
Green Impact
Green Impact is a sustainability engagement program for staff, encouraging them to take sustainable actions in the workplace.
- For more information, check out the Green Impact website.
Student Guild Environment Department
Promotes sustainable change by providing a larger platform for students to engage with and advocate for environmental action.
- Visit the Environment Department website.
Sustainable transport
- Head to our transport webpage for more information on sustainable ways to travel to UWA; including catching public transport, walking and cycling.
- We’ve partnered with RAC to launch Whoosh at UWA in 2020, with six mobility hubs where you can hire e-bikes, bikes and car share vehicles to get where you need to go.
- The University is trialling a new carpooling initiative, Liftango, for staff and students.
