From the (Acting) Vice-Chancellor

Great universities continue to innovate, and one area of innovation that - now more than ever - is required by universities is the area of environmental sustainability.

Some of the impetus for this innovation is coming from legislative changes, but it is also being driven by a growing awareness of the need to act as good citizens, to demonstrate what can be done and to lead by example. Many of our own academic staff involved in climate change research have been calling for this kind of innovation in the wider community for many years.

The University of Adelaide is working on multiple fronts to create environmentally sustainable practices that will hold the University in good stead for the next 130 years and more, while enabling us to achieve our strategic aims and continue to grow our core operations of teaching and research.

In South Australia, as well as in many other parts of Australia and across the western world, some of the most pressing environmental issues facing us include the need for better waste and water management, improved urban design and use of energy, and more sustainable business practices. While these are major issues that are much broader than any one organisation, the University of Adelaide will attempt to address all of these issues and adopt a sustainable, carbon friendly, 'green' approach in the way it operates.

Sound easy? It isn't. But the University is serious about sustainability. To that end, our Sustainability Working Party is investigating many areas in which we can make a real difference, including what goals we can set ourselves and how we can achieve them.

Examples of areas being worked on include: new staff appointments to assist in developing and implementing a University-wide environmental management plan; determining the water needs of each campus, and the limitations and benefits of our water infrastructure; gaining a better understanding of the size of the carbon footprint a large organisation like ours actually produces, and what we can do to shrink, stop or offset it; identifying opportunities for replacing paper-based processes with automated electronic ones, and so on.

It's no coincidence that our new $100 million building being constructed on the lower level of our North Terrace Campus has significant green credential aspirations. What else can we do to develop 'green' building standards and designs specific to the university sector? How can we refurbish our existing facilities to enable them to introduce energy-saving features? Can we establish a research funding target that enables us to increase spending on research aimed at reducing carbon pollution? Can we improve the availability, speed and simplicity of video conferencing to reduce travel needs between campuses? These and many other questions are all being asked.

It's important to recognise that we are not alone in trying to deal with these issues; the State and Federal Governments will assist the University in our endeavours to become more environmentally sustainable, and there is also great scope for collaboration across the various universities in South Australia.

Being able to make change towards sustainability requires vision and commitment, and it can only be achieved with the support and involvement of the whole University community. This joint effort will not only have significant environmental benefits, it will also strengthen the University's reputation in the eyes of Australia and the world.

PAUL DULDIG
Acting Vice-Chancellor and President