Monash University has announced plans to achieve zero carbon emission across its Australian campuses by 2030.

Monash University President and Vice-Chancellor Professor, Margaret Gardner, said Monash supports and promotes the principles of the Sustainable Development Goals through its world-leading research, innovation and education.

“We will strive to ensure our campuses and major programs are environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive, which will include reporting on our activities in support of the goals,” Ms Gardner said.

The Net Zero Initiative will begin with the construction of an on-site microgrid at the Clayton campus in Melbourne to enable the control of when and how power is used, making energy more reliable, efficient and affordable. By 2030 they plan to have turned every practical rooftop and car park into a solar power generator.

The aim by 2020 is:

Create an energy innovation ecosystem within the Clayton Innovation Precinct
Build Australia’s largest net zero energy building
40 per cent reduction in campus carbon emissions
10 per cent reduction in non-renewable energy consumption
55 per cent of electricity purchased from renewable sources
Develop more than 25 energy-relevant research programs through the Monash Energy Materials and Systems Institute (MEMSI)
Advancement of sustainable technology research with industry partners
Contribute energy (ancillary services) back to the Victorian energy grid to improve stability and resilience
Increase on-site solar energy generation capacity to seven per cent of overall energy usage

By 2030 Monash hopes to:

Replace all appliances so they only use electricity
Convert all light fittings across our campuses to LED
Purchase 100 per cent of energy from renewable sources
Achieve Passive House certification for all new buildings
Change all heating and hot water plants from gas to electric heat pumps
Increase on-site solar energy generation capacity to 5.5 million kilowatts (20 per cent of usage)
Control how and when we it uses energy to reduce demand and strain on the network
Build Australia’s largest urban solar farm, turning every practical rooftop and carpark on campuses into a solar power generator