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USC sets standard for green development
It’s official … the University of the Sunshine Coast is in a class of its own when it comes to environmental practices.
USC has become the first university in Australia to gain full EnviroDevelopment accreditation from the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) for achieving elements of sustainability across six categories - ecosystems, waste, energy, materials, water and community.
USC’s Pro Vice-Chancellor for Engagement Professor Mike Hefferan said he was thrilled the University had been recognised for meeting the strict accreditation standards.
“When planning for the University began in 1994, our aim was to build to a very high environmental standard and to rehabilitate the old cane paddock land site that the University was built on,” he said.
“It’s one thing to say we’ve built efficient buildings but you’ve got to be able to measure and prove it – and that’s the difficult part.”
National EnviroDevelopment Manager Kirsty Chessher said the university’s accreditation in all six areas of sustainability was an exceptional achievement, which has set the bar for green practices in university campuses.
“This is a terrific achievement for the University of the Sunshine Coast and establishes the university as a real leader in the field of creating environmentally sustainable centres for higher learning,” she said.
Professor Hefferan said USC had taken many steps to reduce environmental impacts including the use of stormwater runoff for irrigation, and designing buildings which take advantage of natural ventilation.
He said it was important that USC, whose research strengths include sustainability, practised what it preached.
“It’s extremely important for our students that they are studying in a place which not only talks about sustainability, but does something about it,” he said.
“We do more than just theorise here.
“We have actually created an environment which has now been recognised as an extremely high industry standard.”
EnviroDevelopment is a national accreditation program launched in 2006 by the UDIA.
It is a scientifically-based branding and certification system which rewards exemplary sustainable development projects, and allows them to display environmental compliance marketing symbols to reflect the level of achievement.
— Michelle Widdicombe