Partners

Australian Technologies Network

As a member of the Australian Technology Network (ATN), QUT signed a declaration in 2008 striving for best university-wide sustainability practice. The ATN commits to applying a sustainable approach in the way we do all things, from university infrastructure to recycling behaviours, and research in a local to global context. Read the ATN Sustainability Declaration (PDF file, 510.43 KB)

Subsequently a specific pledge was made by the universities to collectively reducing carbon emissions to 25% less than 2007 levels, by 2021. ATN universities will collectively invest more than $20 million by 2013 to achieve these reduction targets.

This was the first collaborative approach of its kind for the university sector in Australia. Reducing carbon emissions demonstrates commitment to a community which increasingly demands accountability in environmental matters and addresses escalating governmental regulation designed to ensure our ecological future.

Tertiary Education Facilities Management Association

Facilities management, in simple terms, involves the design, procurement, and furnishing of buildings combined with the management and operation of assets and infrastructure. In recent years, the field has evolved into managing facilities in response to the demands of ecological sustainability. QUT has made valuable contribution through the leadership of past TEFMA presidents, Facilities Management Director, Andrew Frowd, and Facilities Management Operations Director, Brian Fenn, who is spearheading benchmarking activities in the sector.

The Tertiary Education Facilities Management Association (TEFMA) is producing a global reporting framework that can be applied to public and private sector organisations. These principles and indicators will measure and report economic, environmental, and social performance regardless of organisation size, sector, or location.

Packaging Stewardship Forum, Australian Food and Grocery Council

In partnership with the Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM), QUT is contributing to the beverage container recovery targets set by the Packaging Stewardship Forum of the Australian Food and Grocery Council. The joint program aims to retrieve 1000 tonnes of plastic (PET - polyethylene terephthalate) bottles and 300 tonnes of aluminium cans from tertiary institutions throughout the country annually.

By providing education and infrastructure, the program aims to reduce the 1,500 tonnes of landfill waste generated by QUT students and staff annually. Far fewer plastics bottles are recycled away from home, such as at stadiums, festivals and public transit stations (17 % versus 75% residential recovery rate Australia-wide).

Plastic bottles can be recycled into polar fleece, carpet, blankets, belts, shoes, insulation and car parts. The material does not break down in a landfill and while newer plastic bags can photo-degrade, they are not exposed to the required sunlight when in landfill.

Aluminium and glass can be cost effectively recycled indefinitely as reprocessing does not damage their structure.

Council of Australian University Directors of Information Technology

QUT is an active participant on the Council of Australian University Directors of Information Technology (CAUDIT), an industry wide group of the IT Directors and Communication Information Officers of all universities in Australia and New Zealand together with universities in Papua New Guinea, the South Pacific, and major Commonwealth Research Organisations. The University Sector within Australia and New Zealand is a significant consumer of information technology products and services. The annual IT turnover in excess of $1 billion affects the environment through the generation of waste materials ("e-Waste") destined for landfill with a potential for contamination or by contributing to greenhouse gases through the use of power.

CAUDIT has already supported an investigation into e-Waste and plans to continue to build a set of resources, strategies, and best practice examples to enable members to address IT in a timely and responsible manner. Further, in conjunction with the Standing Committee on Benchmarking, it will develop a benchmarking framework to enable members to measure their current state and track their progress over time.

The Australian Green Development Forum

The Australian Green Development Forum (AGDF) accelerates the integration of sustainable practices in the Australian building and development industry. QUT has made valuable contribution through current President Mark Thompson, Adjunct Professor of the QUT School of Design. The group represents the non-profit coalition endorsed by industry, environmental bodies, and community groups.

Projects and case studies include Oxley Creek revitalisation, the showcasing of sustainable home living and design, building a water supply network for South East Queensland to deliver up to 232 megalitres per day of purified recycled water, eco-tourism and creating eco-villages.

Government, industry and associations

• Environmental Education for Sustainability
• Qld Department of Environment and Resource Management
• Queensland Government - Environmental Management
• Australasian Campuses Towards Sustainability (ACTS)
• Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) provides a framework that allows computer software tools to rate the potential energy efficiency of Australian homes.
• Australian Bureau of Statistics - Environment and Energy