From net zero carbon emissions and electric vehicle charging stations to waste management and solar energy, Waverley Council is working closely with the community to help create a healthier and more sustainable planet in 2022 and beyond.
We are working with the community to help us to deliver the ambitious targets that our Council has for:
- Reducing our carbon footprint
- Increasing the use of walking, cycling and public transport
- Recycling and reuse of waste resources
- Reducing water use
- Keeping our waterways and beaches clean
- Urban greening and conserving biodiversity
Council’s Environmental Action Plan details these targets and aims for Council to lead by example and assist the community to reach our goals.
“The Plan includes a mix of infrastructure solutions, behaviour change and engagement programs, plus operational changes,” Waverley Mayor, Paula Masselos said.
We are making several changes in-house at Council and in our neighbourhood to help meet these goals. For example:
- To promote cycling and public transport options. Click here to find out more.
“Waverley Council was one of the first local governments nationally to formally articulate a strategic environmental vision for its organisation and community which included a detailed and funded cost-effective 10-year roadmap of actions to realise its goals,” Mayor Masselos said.
“This Environmental Action Plan includes ambitious medium and long-term targets in the areas of waste, water use, greenhouse gas reductions, biodiversity, and transport.
“Our targets and strategies are based on detailed quantitative and qualitative data analyses and research in each area. In July last year, Waverley Council became one of the first organisations in Australia to declare a target of net zero carbon emissions by 2030.
“Council will be able to meet the new target by purchasing 100% renewable energy, phasing out gas and switching to electric vehicles, whilst ensuring ongoing energy efficiencies.
“Our previous net zero carbon emissions target was 2050 but Council recognised that’s too long in the future and that urgent action was required now to help keep increases in global temperatures to a minimum.
“It is essential that our carbon footprint is reduced as quickly as possible, and I am proud that Council is showing leadership by setting this target for our organisation. I sincerely trust that our community will be inspired by our actions and seek to follow our lead by reducing carbon emissions.”
When it comes to electric vehicle charging, in 2019 Waverley, Woollahra and Randwick became the first councils in NSW to provide public on-street charging stations via the Eastern Suburbs Public Electric Vehicle Charging Station Network.
Stations are currently installed at Bondi Beach, Bondi Junction, Double Bay, Coogee Beach and Randwick (x2), Rose Bay and Maroubra, and there are plans for more.
Since their installation, the number of users has increased from 45 per month in the first months to over 400 by October 2021. The stations have produced more than 45 mega watts per hour of electricity from 100% renewable energy and used by more than 3900 individual motorists.
Council recently exhibited a draft Electric Vehicle Transportation Policy which supports increasing EV charging availability across Waverley both on street and in new developments.
“The idea for the Eastern Suburbs Public Electric Vehicle Charging Station Network came from our Low Carbon Future Plan which we did across the three councils and looked at how as a community we were going to reduce emissions across the whole of the eastern suburbs of Sydney,” Mayor Masselos said.
“Transport is the second highest sector for emissions, so we thought we would take the plunge and work together to develop a public EV charging network to support motorists without off-street parking to have the confidence to buy and own an EV.”
Waverley Council is also helping selected larger strata buildings (35+ units) save money on their energy and water bills and to improve environmental performance through our free
Building Futures program.
We work hand-in-hand with participating buildings to easily identify and implement cost-effective solutions that:
- Reduce operating costs
- Reduce common area energy use
- Assist in the installation of solar
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- Reduce water use
- Improve waste management
Participating buildings receive free:
- Expert energy assessments of common areas
- Costed upgrade recommendations
- Solar power screening to identify buildings with good potential for rooftop solar power
- Project management and implementation support
- Access to Sydney Water’s WaterFIX program for high-water users
- Access to Waverley Council’s Apartment Recycling Improvement Program
- Recognition and promotion of participation in the program
- Learning & knowledge-sharing opportunities
“Our award-winning program has helped selected strata buildings in the local area reduce their energy consumption by a higher than expected 24%,” Mayor Masselos said.
“We launched the program in 2018 to help Council deliver its ambitious emissions reduction targets by working with apartment buildings to identify and implement cost and energy-saving solutions in common property.
“The program has won a slew of awards to date, most recently including the Local Government Federation Award for Environmental and Sustainability Leadership.
“Round one of the free program has already helped 10 residential strata buildings reduce their annual carbon emissions by 651 tonnes as well as reduce running costs in each building by an average of $13,000 each year”.
Read our Penkivil St, Bondi, Building Future success story here.
Our other sustainability measures include:
Solar my Suburb
In July 2021, North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club in Sydney’s east has become the first registered club in Waverley to go solar through the new Solar my Suburb program jointly created by Waverley, Woollahra and Randwick City Councils.
Currently, more than 20 organisations, including sporting clubs, synagogues, surf life saving clubs and others are participating. This follows the success of the Solar My School program where the majority of Eastern Suburbs schools have now installed significant photovoltaic systems and continue to expand on this.
“Solar my Suburb is a great example of how local organisations are investing in renewable energy solutions that make sense for their bottom line and for the environment.
North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club does so much for the community in terms of its volunteer lifesavers helping keep our beachgoers safe, and by supporting our Access Bondi program for beachgoers of all abilities, so to be able to support the club’s sustainability efforts is just fantastic”.
Bondi Junction Cycleway & Streetscape Upgrade
The Bondi Junction Cycleway and Streetscape Upgrade is a priority project from Complete Streets
