Monash Council has reported a 70% emissions reduction by July 2022, surpassing its target of at least 60% by 2022 and slashing energy costs.
Monash Council established the ambitious target of becoming carbon neutral by 2025 in August 2020. This includes a two-year interim goal of reducing Council greenhouse gas emissions by at least 60% in the first two years.
According to the Council, the accomplishment was made possible by a number of activities listed in its Zero Net Carbon Action Plan, which identifies the top five sources of Council greenhouse gas emissions and recommends ways to decrease or prevent them.
A crucial action was the Victorian Energy Collaboration’s (VECO) promise to purchase 100% renewable electricity in collaboration with 51 other Victorian councils.
The Council said the collaboration had avoided 172,000 tonnes of pollution, equivalent to removing 66,000 automobiles from the road or the emissions produced by 35,000 households.
In addition to its commitment to 100% renewable electricity, the Council reported it saved $611,000 in the contract’s first year.
Monash Council added it would continue to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the coming months as it upgrades its major roads street lighting to more energy-efficient LED and replaces almost 500 streetlights with approximately 80% more energy-efficient lighting. Approximately 2,800 residential streetlights will be upgraded across our reserves, open spaces, and roads.
Four new public electric vehicle (EV) charging bays have been set up in Monash (Mount Waverley Library, Mount Waverley Community Centre, Euneva Car Park, and Glen Waverley Library), which are also powered entirely by renewable energy thanks to the VECO partnership.
According to the Council, the Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Action (DEECA) provided a $25,000 Destination Charging Victoria Grant to assist this effort.
A new Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) Policy has also been implemented for all new Council buildings and infrastructure, which coincides with the Monash Planning Scheme mandate to incorporate ESD into new constructions.
ESD incorporates passive design elements such as external shading, orientation, cross ventilation, good thermal mass, reduced gas use, and improved building insulation.
“We know how important the environment and living sustainably are to Monash residents, which is why we are working hard to meet our ambitious goal to become carbon neutral by 2025,” Monash Mayor Cr Tina Samardzija said.
Mayor Samardzija stated that the work reduces Monash’s carbon emissions and saves the Council money, allowing the Council to invest it elsewhere in the community.
