![](/-/media/feature/micrositesnewsandevents/staffnews/suzanne-chambers-460px.jpg)
Innovation in practice
News 24 JulyA message from Executive Dean of Health Sciences Professor Suzanne Chambers: Winter has so far been a season of future-thinking and action for the Faculty of Health Sciences.
22 August 2017
Share
A message from Chief Operating Officer Dr Stephen Weller:
In July, ACU became the first Australian organisation and the first University in the world to issue a sustainability bond, attracting $200 million from investors. The move reflects ACU’s strong commitment to the environment and to the common good, as funds from the bond sales must be spent on projects that deliver positive social and environmental outcomes over the next ten years. To further our social impact, ACU will fund teaching and research activities in areas including education and healthcare, which will benefit Australians and people around the world.
The University will also move to reduce its environmental impacts through funding projects such as green buildings. Green buildings also improve the staff and student experience by creating a better working and learning environment. For example, an American study found that green buildings in schools delivered a 15% rise in learning and a 25% rise in test scores because of good lighting and ventilation. Green buildings are also required to use furnishing and fittings that contains less toxins and this creates a healthier environment for everyone. Along with supporting wellbeing, research also suggests that green buildings improve productivity and may even make us work smarter.
Reducing our environmental footprint
ACU’s environmental impacts arise from our consumption of energy and water, our waste generation and the transport we use, including flights. The University is building sustainable campuses through energy efficient buildings, large capacity water tanks, and more video and teleconferencing facilities to offer a real alternative to some domestic travel.
Our recent improvements mean that ACU has one of the lightest environmental footprints of any Australian university. Recent data from the Tertiary Education Facilities Management Association shows that ACU is one of the most efficient consumers of water and energy, a low emitter of greenhouse gas and in the mid-range for waste generation. In 2012, ACU’s Daniel Mannix Building in Melbourne was recognised as world-class in sustainable design and received the highest sustainability rating of six Green Stars. Our sustainability initiatives and achievements are the result of a team effort which includes collaboration between business units such as Properties and Facilities and Finance, as well as the efforts of a large number of our staff and students who carry out environmentally-friendly practices during their day.
Our green targets for the future
By 2020, ACU aims to achieve a 7% increase in energy efficiency and water conservation. We’re also aiming for a target of 70% minimum rate of re-use and recycling of our total waste by 2019. Achieving these targets would place ACU in the top five Australian universities for waste management.
These are ambitious targets for a growing University, but they will ensure that we remain a green leader. Some challenges lie ahead in our growing student numbers, changes to energy pricing and reduced water availability, which is why a team effort is essential to achieving these targets.
How you can help us to get there
I encourage you to read these tips for how you can take action. Caring for the environment is not only a business imperative, it is aligned with living the ACU Mission in considering the impact and contribution we make to our community and to our planet. The small actions we each take can add up to make a big difference.
Regards,
Stephen
A message from Executive Dean of Health Sciences Professor Suzanne Chambers: Winter has so far been a season of future-thinking and action for the Faculty of Health Sciences.
From Monday 22 July to Friday 9 August, Service Central will be available for extended hours to support staff.
A message from Vice President Father Anthony Casamento csma: From 5 – 9 August we will celebrate Mission Week across our campuses. This is an opportunity for us to come together as a community to cele...
Are you going to be a grandparent soon? Did you know ACU offers personal leave for staff to care for their child or grandchild after birth or adoption?
Discover the learning and career development opportunities that are available online, including the brand-new leadership development program, 'The Edge Series'.
Join ASCILITE and become a member of one of Australasia’s most vibrant professional technology enhanced learning communities, with more than 2200 members from tertiary institutions across Australia an...
Phones will be removed from all classrooms over the mid-semester break, from 23 September to 27 September.
Include an additional survey item in the Student Evaluation of Learning and Teaching (SELT) survey for units that are offered in Professional Term 5 (202455).
Australia’s first five-time diving Olympian, a Kiwi gymnast and the woman who taught actor Chris Hemsworth to row will be among 15 ACU students and alumni to compete at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Para...
A message from acting Executive Dean of Theology and Philosophy Associate Professor Richard Colledge: Recently, the faculty has hosted opportunities for reflection on the possibilities for reconcilia...
Are you on your parenthood journey? A practical guide is now available to support staff, and their supervisors, through the stages of becoming a parent and transitioning back to work.
Embark on an exhilarating journey into the mysterious world of enrolments. Register to attend an enrolment information session for Semester 2, 2024.
Join upcoming online workshops in preparation for Semester 2. Secure your spot today to learn how you can utilise Canvas and its features to enhance your teaching practices.
A limitless professional horizon awaits ACU students after its three IT programs were awarded certification by the nation’s most trustworthy player in the tech sector, the Australian Computer Society.
Following evaluation and voting by a panel of ACU judges, Co-Lab is delighted to announce Thomas Clark and Xavier Chalkley as the winners of the $1000 prize for the ACU Co-Lab Social Enterprise Pitch ...
ACU Library staff will participate in professional development activities on Thursday 18 July. While away from their usual posts, they'll be working together across three locations to plan our future ...
Applications for 2024 Teaching Development Grants, Citations and Awards are open. Explore guidelines and resources to enhance your teaching project’s impact or gain recognition for your contributions.
As we sit in this small window of the winter break gearing up for Semester 2, it's important to recognise that not everyone experiences this period as downtime. For many, workloads and busy lifestyles...
This week is NAIDOC Week, an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
ACU staff who are also members with UniSuper can now access free expert medical advice and services to support their health and wellbeing through MetLife 360Health.
Visit Service Central to access Corporate Services.