Sustainability in Sydney over 2015
House hunters may be pleased to know that Sydney is making good progress in its sustainability goals.
Cleaner, greener environments help make a city more enjoyable to live in. Whether you’re a property investor looking to draw in tenants or simply finding a place to settle in the Harbour City, this is something that should give you a reason to smile.
The local government is entirely aware of the need for a more sustainable Sydney, which has resulted in the creation of its 2030 sustainability targets. In the Community Strategic Plan 2014, the council’s vision is to have the city globally recognised as a leader in environmental preservation by significantly reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and creating new infrastructure networks that will cut down on wastage around water, energy and sewage demands.
Let’s take a look at a few of the many ways these ambitious goals have transformed into positive action:
Better Buildings Partnership
In 2010, several of Sydney’s most influential commercial property owners and managers have put their support behind the city’s 2030 sustainability objectives by creating the Better Buildings Partnership (BBP). This group collaborated with industry professionals to put together best practice guidelines in the areas of water usage, refurbishment wastage, operational waste, solar system installations and leasing. So what results have we observed?
According to the City of Sydney, members of the BBP cut their emissions by a whopping 45 per cent between 2006 to 2015. This means this group is well ahead of schedule in regards to hitting its 70 per cent reduction target for 2030.
Considering that BBP represents more than half of all commercial space in Sydney, it’s an astounding result. If this continues, Sydneysiders will have a greener cityscape to look forward to.
Getting a new ride
The Department of Industry and Science reveals that transportation is the industry that uses the most energy, accountable for 27.3 per cent of the country’s total consumption in 2013-2014. For any environment to become greener, tackling this area should be of utmost priority. Thankfully, Sydney has made leaps and bounds in this area.
For instance, the city rolled out a program called the Sydney Rides Business Challenge, which pushed local organisations to compete and see how many employees could ride a bike to work instead of drive or take public transport. There was even a mobile app developed, offering a social media platform as well as the opportunity to win prizes.
It was a resounding success, with a record 4,800 people from over 290 organisations grabbing a bike and heading on to the streets. If more people get into the habit of cycling, we should see a drop in greenhouse gas emissions, and a more enjoyable city to live in. As a property investor, this could help draw in potential tenants from beyond our borders who are on the hunt for a more environmentally friendly landscape.
Charged for battery
In 2014, 10 recycling stations were created across the city, aimed at collecting electronic waste. A February 17 release by the City of Sydney shows that since then, 143,000 batteries, 10,000 light bulbs and almost 3,000 cellular phones have been deposited and picked up.
“This fantastic result is a credit to our local communities who are collecting their unwanted bulbs, batteries and phones at home and disposing them responsibly,” said Lord Mayor Clover Moore, as she indicates that toxic chemicals that leak from these items can cause immense damage to the environment.
Getting rid of these electronics and batteries safely will help to keep Sydney green, which is obviously something that property hunters and other residents of the city will want to see.
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