City of Sydney Council has awarded grants to support the introduction of innovative recycling and energy-efficiency measures in Sydney’s buildings.
The City has awarded 19 grants to commercial property owners, hotel operators and apartment block managers to introduce efficiency measures through water, waste, recycling and solar energy programs.
“Through our environmental grants program, we support building owners to undertake energy efficiency ratings and assessments so that they can better understand their environmental performance,” says Lord Mayor Clover Moore.
“Without measuring and understanding how a building is performing, it is almost impossible to identify – and critically, act on – opportunities to improve. These energy audits help us to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and develop more sustainable resources across our city.”
The buildings will undergo sustainability performance ratings and assessments and efficiency recommendations adopted as part of the grant agreements.
Funding has also been provided for a UTS feasibility study looking at recycling and reusing polystyrene. The pilot project will use digital technology to recycle and reuse expanded polystyrene collected at the campus.
“Expanded polystyrene is a problem waste stream in the local area with few local solutions,” says Dr Nick Florin of UTS.
“This project will test a closed-loop recycling system to transform it into reusable, durable products that benefit the community. The proposed system will reduce polystyrene waste through recycling, reducing the need for products made from ‘virgin plastics’ and develop an education campaign about problem waste recycling.
“As well as sharing these skills with the broader UTS community, we will look at ways to adapt and transfer the system with existing buildings within the City of Sydney area.”
