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Resilient places
Managing the built and natural environment on our campuses to support people, plants, animals and the planet
We aim to employ innovative approaches for building and landscape infrastructure to minimise negative impacts and prepare us for the consequences of climate change. We are committed to protecting and improving our biodiversity.
Targets
- Ensure a minimum 5 Star Green Star rating for all new buildings and 4 Star Green Star for major refurbishment projects in current buildings by 2025.
- Assess 100% of eligible buildings and core infrastructure for climate resilience by 2025, including climate resilience and sustainability standards in the University’s asset management planning across all campuses.
- Establish a Biodiversity Management Plan (pdf, 4.6MB) and baselines to set biodiversity targets and approved indicators for all campuses and farms by 2025.
See the Sustainability Strategy 2020 (pdf, 3.1MB) Pillar 2: Strategy 9.
Recent highlights
- Planning commenced for the construction of three new Green Star buildings on Camperdown and Darlington campuses, with the landmark Sydney Biomedical Accelerator set to be the first building on campus to achieve a 5 Green Star rating.
- Installed artificial nest boxes on our Camperdown Campus to increase habitat complexity and encourage the return of native species.
- Became members of the the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) Forum, and early adopters of the recommended disclosures for 2025.
See our full Sustainability Annual Report 2023 (pdf, 8.1MB) here.
Case study
In 2023, we collaborated with the NSW Koala Strategy to place acoustic monitors on our Arthursleigh and Nowley Farms (near Marulan and Gunnedah, respectively) to locate koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) populations in these areas.
This collaboration is part of an ongoing project to survey for, and ultimately catch, koalas to determine their health and state priority conservation actions for these populations.
Additionally, we won a grant to install four ‘Tree Troffs’ (designed by University of Sydney researchers and WIRES) at Arthursleigh Farm, and a further two at Nowley Farm, to support koalas and other native wildlife for coming climate security.
In 2023 we applied for a Local Land Services grant for Arthursleigh Farm to exclude livestock from a section of significant remnant vegetation that supports koalas. If successful, this area will be fenced to keep livestock from gaining access and heavily grazing the area, allowing the restoration of historic vegetation.
An additional application has been submitted for management of blackberries (Rubus fruticosus species aggregate). Blackberry is an invasive species and 'Weed of National Significance' that can grow Into dense impenetrable thickets that prevent wildlife and stock from accessing essential water sources, including farm dams. On Arthurslelgh farm it is preventing access to the Wollondllly River. The outcome of our grant applications will be announced mid-year 2024.
Funding: NSW Koala Strategy, WIRES
Project partners: NSW Koala Strategy, WIRES
Initiatives
The garden was created to mark National Tree Day in 2021, with staff and students partnering with IndigiGrow, a local Aboriginal-owned social enterprise, to plant and create the garden. The University’s first curriculum based Living Lab project, the garden has since won the prestigious Green Gown Award Australasia 2022 ‘Creating Impact’ and is currently a finalist in the Green Gown International Awards.
This new garden provides an opportunity to activate the synergies between the Sustainability Strategy, which is underpinned by a foundation of Caring for Country, and the pillars of the One Sydney, Many People (OSMP) Strategy (pdf, 4.61MB): Nguragaingun, Ngara, Pemulian – Sydney basin language representing Culture and community, Education and research, and Environment.
The University has worked with Greening Australia for a number of years to plant more that 140,000 trees at the University’s Arthursleigh Farm in the NSW Southern Highlands, which is used for teaching and research in pasture agronomy and animal science.
In 2021 alone, the University Infrastructure and Arthursleigh Farm teams have planted 20,000 new trees covering 75 hectares as part of this project.
This effort was supported by AstraZeneca’s pledge to plant 25 million trees globally as part of a carbon-sequestering project.
Over the last 10 years, the University has built a number of new buildings across our campuses as part of our Campus Improvement Program.
The program aims to ensure a minimum 5 Star, Green Star rating for all new buildings and 4 Star, Green Star for major refurbishment projects in existing buildings by 2025.
The new Engineering and Technology Precinct (ETP) has been designed to include energy efficient lighting, improved indoor air quality features, a solar photovoltaic system on the roof, promotion of sustainable transport, and surface heat reduction landscape design.
It has currently been awarded a 4 Star Green Star Design Review & As Built certified rating, which represents best practice in sustainable design. The ETP building will apply for a 4 Star Green Star As Built certification rating following completion.