Green thumbs up

Framed by lake and mountain, ANU is a place where it is hard to forget the need to safeguard the natural environment. Radical environmental programs underway on campus are leading the nation towards a more sustainable future.

Rick Kuhn is one of about 15,000 people who come to the ANU campus each weekday during teaching terms.

Taking his seat in a modest office on the second floor of the Copland Building, Dr Kuhn spends much of his day teaching and researching political issues, but in the odd quiet moment, gets to glance out the window at a large deciduous tree — one of 10,000 trees on the campus.

“I regularly see a possum going up into the tree outside the window. It’s going up as late as midday on some days at the moment and has a very large baby in its pouch,” Dr Kuhn says.

“I also see crimson and eastern rosellas and red wattle birds fairly frequently. The many trees and shrubs on campus certainly make it a more relaxing place to work.”

A website established by Dr Kuhn — Birds of The Australian National University — enables staff to record bird sightings on campus — one of many initiatives which indicate the enthusiasm of ANU staff for the quality of their environment.

The green force responsible for constantly pricking the conscience and consciousness of staff on matters environmental, is marshalled by Warren Overton, Manager of ANU Energy and Sustainability.

In a campus spanning 145 hectares, containing remnants of native bushland, parks, sports facilities and a significant waterway, Sullivan’s Creek, safeguarding the environment means a lot more than collecting litter — although Mr Overton is quick to point out that every lolly wrapper diverted to the bin helps.

In a performance that most companies and organisations across Australia would be envious of, ANU slashed electricity use by 7.5 per cent per person and gas usage by 10 per cent in 2002. Water usage is also being curbed — adding up to a significant improvement in the University’s utilities bills.

“ANU is acutely aware of its role in leading the community and the nation by example — not just through research, but also through environmental practice,” Mr Overton said.

“We have a responsibility to try to keep our energy consumption to a minimum, and it makes sense — a more energy efficient campus saves money as well as helping the environment.”

Achieving this significant greenhouse gas reduction earned ANU national recognition. The University was named in the top two of Australia’s 800 signatories to the Australian Greenhouse Challenge last year  — just one of several awards recognising the innovation of the ANUgreen environment team, which has resulted in a wide range of environmental improvements across campus.

Building the future

While most Australian offices are hermetically sealed from the blazing summer heat, aerated by powerful but expensive airconditioners, innovative building design at ANU is delivering comfortable summer working environments through passive cooling systems.

A new campus-wide building code is setting design standards, where walls, roofs and sometimes floors are required to be insulated, windows are shaded and ventilation is carefully managed to keep air flowing and heat loads from electrical equipment down.

Although highly specialised research facilities cannot always conform to these principles, the ANUgreen team and University architects are endlessly pursuing new opportunities to conserve energy.

The new $20 million Australian Phenomics Facility will not only carry out pioneering work in genetics, it will recover some of its heat from waste hot air and hot water and be lit by high-efficiency lighting.

These changes place ANU at the forefront of sustainable building design, as well as saving the University considerable sums of money and further reducing greenhouse emissions. The University is continuing to improve its performance, with a range of research projects underway to further revolutionise environmental efficiency — not just on campus, but beyond. An ANU-designed solar air heater is being trialled, opportunities to co-generate electricity and hot water heating are being investigated and flora and fauna are being assessed on campus so that a biodiversity plan can be developed.

To find out more about the latest solar technology and other campus efficiency gains, click here

Through research and disciplined application of environmental solutions, the ANU campus is set to provide a tranquil backdrop for the labours of researchers like Rick Kuhn for many years to come. At the same time, the ANU is playing an important national leadership role in its environmental stewardship.

Birds of The Australian National University: www.anu.edu.au/polsci/birds/
ANUgreen: www.anu.edu.au/facilities/anugreen/index.html
ANU Centre for Sustainable Energy Systems: http://solar.anu.edu.au