Page 3994 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 12 December 2006
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The ACT is also active in the development of a national carbon trading market that will draw on the success of the existing ACT-New South Wales scheme and will place a realistic price on carbon emissions. The ACT government is also a foundation member of GreenPower, the only accredited green energy product in Australia, and has recently agreed with other members to increase the promotion and marketing of this product. Twenty-three per cent of the government’s own electricity supplies is drawn from renewable sources.
The government has been active in promoting sustainability in the wider community. In the energy field, the Home Energy Advisory Team and ACT energy wise programs provide free householder advice and subsidised energy audits and rebates to encourage energy efficiency and emissions reductions. The government has long supported the principles of sustainable development and this is reflected in our planning guidelines, which require water-sensitive urban design and minimum energy ratings for buildings.
The design of the Alexander Maconochie Centre reflects the ACT government’s commitment to sustainable design and responsible management of key resources such as water, electricity and natural gas. As part of the design process, a modified form of the green star rating tool was used to manage energy and water use, construction processes, emissions from the site, internal environmental quality, material selection, the site’s ecological integrity and the provision of public transport.
A four-star modified green star rating was achieved for the site through the implementation of several ESD features, including use of internal thermal mass to stabilise internal temperatures; high levels of roof, wall and floor insulation; a combination of double glazing and high-performing laminated glass; building materials that have low embodied energy and are easily recycled; a comprehensive waste minimisation and recycling system; grey water recycled for use in toilet flushing and irrigation; low water-consuming landscaping used throughout the site; natural grassland maximised across the site and natural water courses maintained to provide flows to Jerrabomberra Creek.
The design process also involved benchmarking the AMC design of the Maconochie centre against comparable facilities. This was conducted to give a measure for the likely energy and water reductions that could be achieved. The benchmarking revealed a 30 per cent reduction in electricity and natural gas use could be achieved and a 40 per cent reduction in mains water consumption could be achieved.
The government’s commitment to ecologically sustainable development has also recently been highlighted in our education system with the development of the new Harrison school. The ACT government has provided over $21 million in funding to build the new school, with a green building approach in which emphasis is given to making the building energy efficient, improving air quality, capturing and storing rainwater for recycling, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Beyond just the school buildings, the ACT government has a goal to provide a more holistic approach to sustainability in ACT schools. The sustainable schools initiative is another example of the ACT government working, in conjunction with the
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