UNSW Wins 'Green' Energy Award

The University of New South Wales has won an Energy Smart Green Globe Award for the installation of co-generation to power the university swimming pool. The award recognises UNSW as a key player in the renewable energy industry.

"I believe that co-generation has the potential to make the single largest (immediate) contribution to our greenhouse targets, and further reduce our energy costs," said the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Wyatt R. Hume, who accepted the award from the New South Wales Minister for Energy, Kim Yeadon.

Co-generation at the swimming pool was a pilot project for larger scale installations on campus, according to Mr Simon Ruben, the Manager of UNSW Engineering Services. The co-generation plant is integrated into the existing solar heating system and operates as a hybrid co-generation/solar heating system.

Presently, the annual UNSW energy bill is $5 million and rising. Co-generation and photovoltaic cells will increasingly be installed, with participation from Photovoltaic and Solar Energy Engineering students, in a move to environmentally friendly energy. Other energy-saving activities on campus include solar water heating, unswitch promotions (which encourage the turning off of computers and monitors overnight) and upgrading the Library airconditioning system to become more efficient.

Mr Robert Grimmett, UNSW Energy Manager, said the co-generation system at the pool could save up to 710 tonnes of CO2 per year.

The University intends to use the co-generation system at the pool as an educational resource, displaying the net energy generated and CO2 abatements on the website. Information on UNSW energy projects can be found on the Web site.

CONTACT DETAILS: Louisa Wright, UNSW Public Affairs and Development, tel. 9385 3644.