Fawkner Leisure Centre saving energy, reducing carbon footprint

A new video by the Climate Commission features Moreland Council taking action on energy consumption and climate change resulting in reduced carbon emissions and substantial dollar savings for ratepayers.



In the video produced by the Climate Commission Stuart Nesbitt, the Climate Change Technical officer with Moreland council, explains in particular how putting in place energy efficiencies and optimisation has resulted in a better managed aquatic centre that reduces it's energy consumption and carbon footprint while saving taxpayers money.



"Our focus mainly is on the buildings that consume the most energy. So we focus a lot of attention on reducing the energy consumption of those buildings. At Fawkner Leisure centre, being an aquatic centre, there is an enormous amount of energy being used to heat the pool so the key thing we have done here at Fawkner is to introduce thermal pool covers which contain the heat of the water and stop evaporation overnight when the patrons are not using the pool and that combined with some optimisation of the air ventilation heating and airconditioning system here has produced a 40 per cent reduction in energy consumption. The savings in this facility alone equates to tens of thousands of dollars every year."

The video also highlights that simple measures such as even changing public lighting to use energy efficient bulbs can add up to a substantial impact in reducing carbon emissions and electricity usage. These same principles can be applied in our homes through using energy efficiencies, better insulation, energy efficient bulbs, installing solar hot water systems and solar PV panel systems.

The Climate Commission has just released it's latest report on Victorian climate impacts and opportunities which highlights that climate related extreme events are expected to increase in frequency and intensity. Heatwaves, doughts, bushfires will all be intensified by the changing climate. The coastal regions are likely to feel the impact of rising sea levels, with global sea level rise currently tracking near the high end of scientific projections.

But the report also identifies that Victoria has enormous capacity to grow solar energy production in the north of the state, and also has excellent wind resources which are largely under-utilised, and in fact are being hindered by the Baillieu Government planning regulations allowing any resident within 2km radius to veto planned wind farm developments.

You can read more on Climate change and Moreland on the Moreland Council website. The Council have set a goal for the Moreland community to become Zero carbon neutral by 2030, with zero net greenhouse gas emissions by that year.