Education

Climate Change
The department’s long-term vision is for all Tasmanian
schools to be sustainable with students having the
opportunity to learn as part of a whole school approach
to sustainability.
Under the Tasmanian Framework for Action on Climate Change
the department produced an Emissions Reduction Plan in
2009 which works in conjunction with the department’s
Strategic Asset Management Plan (SAMP) to develop energy
efficiency improvements in existing facilities.
These documents provide the framework for achieving
the department’s broader goals of contributing to
the reduction of global greenhouse gas emissions by
also encouraging innovation in areas such as recycling,
transportation, green building initiatives and moving
towards carbon-neutral facilities. The department
intends to:
• use less energy
• reduce transport/travel related emissions while
maintaining continuity of business operations
• reduce levels of office waste
• develop and lead an education program aimed at
engaging staff, students and the broader community.
Since 2012, sustainability has been a cross-curriculum
priority in the Australian Curriculum and therefore a focus
in all Tasmanian schools. This provides the opportunity
for schools to build on the sustainability initiatives that
they already have in place or to develop a sustainability
focus. The department is supporting schools in their
sustainability work initiatives through the establishment
of the Sustainability Learning Centre (SLC) at Mt Nelson,
identification of sustainability lead schools and the
implementation of the $1 million Sustainability Initiatives
Program.
The department runs an incentive-based energy funding
model which provides improved opportunities for schools
to make long-term commitments to energy savings and
utilise incentives.
Key elements of the department’s initiatives are:
• 5-Star Green Star new schools – the new Kingston
High, Austins Ferry Primary, Romaine Primary,
Windermere Primary and Port Sorell Primary
Schools were designed as 5-Star Green Star facilities
as well as new buildings at the Jordan River Learning
Federation in Bridgewater. The new primary school to
be constructed at Dunalley will also meet the 5-Star
Green Star rating.
• Actively implementing a stringent and ongoing review
of the vehicle fleet requirements to include more fuel
efficient vehicles and the use of hybrid cars where
feasible. All of the department’s light vehicle fleet
meets the minimum greenhouse ratings. Overall,
the size of the fleet has reduced by 32, from 310 in
2010–11 to 278 in 2012–13.
• The introduction of the Energy Saving Guide, an
incentive-based energy funding model and an
increased focus on climate change, has resulted in
a significant reduction in electricity consumption
since 2010.
• Construction of the innovative Sustainability
Learning Centre on the site of the Hobart College
at Mount Nelson is now complete and opened in
November 2012. The $2.8 million centre, funded by
the Australian Government, was built through a
partnership between Greening Australia, CSIRO, the
Department of Education, the Tasmanian Catholic
Education Office and the Association of Independent
Schools and now:
º º delivers specialist science, ecology and
sustainability education
º º provides a new home for Greening Australia
(Tasmania) which contributed $300,000 to the
project and CSIRO Education Centre
º º is the first educational 6-Star Green Star rated
building in Tasmania and used recycled building
materials, and the building demonstrates
sustainability principles as an educational tool
º º encourages ‘hands-on’ education using the
building itself as a tool, nurseries, field activities,
interpretive trails and bush classrooms
º º maximises use of solar energy resulting in
zero net external energy for teaching areas and
feature recycled stormwater and sewerage
º º is a carbon-neutral building in initial construction
and ongoing use and exhibits plant cultivation
and biodiversity
º º utilised materials from a large warehouse and
cottage in Hobart that have been recycled and
make up 70–80% of the new centre’s materials.
• LED emergency exit lights – the department has
implemented a program of replacing conventional
emergency exit lights with energy efficient LED exit
lights. This conversion project is being rolled out in
stages as funds permit. The program has provided
1,780 energy efficient exit lights to 78 schools and
libraries around the state. The new LED lights are
estimated to consume 44kWh of energy per annum –
which is 87% less energy than the traditional exit lights
that consume approximately 350kWh per annum.
• National Solar Schools Program (NSSP) – the objectives
of this Commonwealth-funded scheme are to allow
schools to:
º º generate their own electricity from renewable
sources
º º improve their energy efficiency and reduce their
energy consumption
º º adapt to climate change by making use of
rainwater collected from school roofs
º º provide educational benefits for school students
and their communities.
This program has now wound up, but since its
inception in 2008, a total of 109 Tasmanian schools
have participated with the following outcomes:
º º solar panels have been installed in 103 schools with
a maximum generating capacity of 675.5 kWh
º º two schools have installed wind-powered
generating systems
º º 29 schools have replaced 11,795 lights with high
efficiency units
º º 13 schools have installed rainwater tanks for
irrigation purposes with a capacity of 302,584 litres
º º other energy-efficiency measures including
the installation of heat pumps, solar hot water
units, sensors, timers, thermostats, ceiling fans,
door closers and draught seals.
Required Reporting » Climate Change
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