Hobsons Bay Named the 2009 Victorian Sustainable City

Hobsons Bay City Council was named as Victoria’s 2009 Sustainable City at the Keep Australia Beautiful Victoria (KABV) Sustainable Cities awards on 29th May 2009.

 

The Council submitted 14 nominations in the KABV Sustainable Cities and Clean Beaches awards for a selection of Council and community projects. Seven of these projects were finalists and three projects won in their respective categories, as below.

 

In 2007, Hobsons Bay City Council committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions to zero net emissions by 2020.

In 2008, the Council adopted the Greenhouse Action Plan 2008-2013, which sets out priorities for energy conservation and efficiency. The plan sets targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent in public lighting, by an average of 25 per cent in buildings and by 25 per cent in fleet vehicles.

A major action in the Greenhouse Action Plan is to develop and implement a four year energy efficiency plan to reduce energy use in large Council buildings, starting with its biggest energy user - the Hobsons Bay Civic Centre.  

The Council enlisted the help of energy efficiency experts Carbonetix to assist in devising and implementing the Greenhouse Action Plan. A Carbonetix energy efficiency engineer is based at the civic centre to implement the program, as well as looking for further opportunities for energy savings.

In its first year, it is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 200 tonnes - the equivalent of approximately 50 cars being taken off the road permanently - with further savings to be made as the program continues.  

 

For more information please see Hobson Bay