Boroondara Sustainability Network meeting - Our Low Carbon Future Strategy

Boroondara Sustainability Network meeting - Our Low Carbon Future Strategy

• Date: 7pm Tue 15 November 2011.
• Venue: Boroondara Room, Council Offices,  8 Inglesby Road, Camberwell (Melway 59 J1)
• Purpose of meeting: An opportunity to provide input to the Our Low Carbon Future strategy for 2012-2015

Attendance

Carolyn Ingvarson, Heinz Kreutz, Mick Nolan, Peter Campbell (minutes), Robert Brown, Mathew Dixon (Council), Nicola Hoey (Council), Michaela Skett (Council), Jenny Henty.

Apologies

Liz Burton, David Coote, Garry McDonald

Presentation

Briefing notes for discussion at the meeting (PDF)

Our Low Carbon Future Community Consultation Nov 2011 draft

Lighter Footprints submission

LIghter Footprints proposals for Our Low Carbon Future 15 Nov 2011

General discussion points

• T5 street lighting is progressing and will provide siginficant emission reductions.
• The Asburton Pool Cogenergation plant is operational.  A template is being developed for further similar installations within Boroondara and elseware.
• The Boroondara community has much higher emissions than Council buildings and operations, so the strategy could extend to influence emission reductions within the community.  
• Transport sector provides opportunities for reducing emissions - shifting car trips to bicycle, walking and public transport.  Opportunity to set targets for modal shifts.  Carbon emission reductions associated with modal shifts not currently estimated or measured. A meeting the Council's transport department could flesh this out further.
• Improved cycling network.  Council has been making good improvements on existing paths such as the Anniversary Trail and Gardiners Creek bike path.  However, a more comprehensive network of safe cycling paths - separated from other vehicles and suitable for local and family use - is needed across Boroondara
• Waste. Opportunities for Council to promote use of worm farms and other waste minimisation strategies.  Methane production and associated energy generation from landfill is not currently accounted for in Boroondara as waste is transport to Western suburbs landfill rather than to the Clayton landfill (part owned by Council)
• In home display meters show energy usage and can strongly influence efficiencies and behaviours in homes.  There is an opportunity for Council to identify and promote a cheap and effective In Home Display for residents.
• Reducing traffic near schools promotes walking and cycling as low emission alternatives.  The impetus for this needs to come from School communities rather than Council.
• A Revolving Energy Fund could be established to fund energy efficiency initiatives, the benefits of which can accrue back to the fund for re-investiment.  For example, this could be used to replace all remaining electric hotwater systems and bar radiators in Council buildings.
• Rate savings could be achieved by reducing Council expenditure on energy, or increases in rates could be avoided.  This needs to be quantified.
• Transport of recycled water to ovals and reserves has siginficant carbon emissions.  These could be avoided by installation of local stormwater capture and usage.
• Backyard food swaps, Sharehood and Sustainabilty Street are Local community initiatives such as can provide means for people to share information and local resources.
• Independant assessments (e.g. 20%) or random audits of compliance with the Sustainable Building Policy could improve adherence to it.
• Council is interesting in supporting community-initiated projects associated with emission reductions and sustainability.

Further feedback and input to the Our Low Carbon Future Strategy can be sent to Michaela Skett via Michaela.Skett@boroondara.vic.gov.au

Visit to Ashburton Cogeneration Facility

The formal opening of the Ashburton Cogeneration facility is scheduled for 15 December, but this be a very limited opportunity for viewing the generator.

Action: Peter Campbell to liaise with Mathew Dixon to schedule a evening tour of the Ashburton Cogeneration facility with BSN members.

Next meeting

• Eco Living Centre consultation, 7pm Wed 30 November 2011.

Preserving Delta Street, a unique unsealed road in Boroondara with heritage values

Friends of Delta Street, a group formed recently to protect and preserve Delta Street in Surrey Hills, have advised that Boroondara Council plans to pave and widen the street.

For those that haven't visited Delta Street, it is one of the very few remaining "dirt roads" in the City of Boroondara.  The street runs adjacent to a portion of South Surrey Park.  It is narrow and unsealed and has a country lane ambience.    

Delta Street is living history. It is the LAST significant unsealed road in Boroondara.

Many local residents use the street as a walkway to access South Surrey Park.  It is pedestrian-friendly as there is very little vehicle traffic due to the street's narrow width and unsealed surface.

Some locals even take international visitors to see "the dirt road in Boroondara".

Council Officers have advised that are recommending that Delta Street be paved to solve drainage issues and reduce maintenance.

The limited community consultation, conducted with residents directly adjacent to Delta Street, resulted in a large majority of them indicating they want the unsealed surface retained.  

Friends of Delta Street have commissioned an engineer who has prepared an alternate plan that retains the country lane surface without widening the street. This plan also addresses Council and resident concerns about drainage and maintenance.

This flyer from Friends of Delta Street provides more information [link]

You might like to visit Delta Street and a have a look at what we all have to lose.

Boroondara Council will be voting on this matter on Monday June 20th 2011. 

You can also:

• Complete the petition in the flyer and drop it into 34 Arundel Cres, Surrey Hills, 3127.
• Let your concerns be known to ALL City of Boroondara Councillors.  Their email addresses are here.
• Attend the meeting at the Council Chambers, 8 Inglesby Rd, Camberwell at 6PM on June 20th 2011.
• To be kept up to date, email friendsofdelta@gmail.com

Map

Update 20 June 2011

Council voted to retain the unsealed surface and undertake works to fix drainage issues, with the situation to be reviewed in 12 months.  For: Cr Kevin Chow, Cr Dick Menting, Cr Phil Meggs, Cr Coral Ross.  Against: Cr Phillip Healey, Cr Brad Miles, Cr Jack Wegman.  Absent: Cr Nicholas Tragas, Cr Heinz Kreutz, Cr David Bloom.

Ride to Work Day's Camberwell Community Breakfast Wednesday 13 Oct 2010

Boroondara Council is providing another community breakfast with all sorts of attractions, including lots of yummy free food and drinks.  Have a massage, get your bike engraved by the police and collect your free ravelSmart map.  It's also a great opportunity to chat to other cyclists, including members of the Boroondara Bicycle Users Group (BBUG).  

If you have any issues with cycling through Boroondara this is your chance to put them on record.  Mark them on the TravelSmart map, write them up and put them in the suggestion box, or just tell the BBUG about them.  

• When: 7.00 to 8.30am on Wednesday, 13 October
• Where: Camberwell Civic Centre, 340 Camberwell Rd. Mel.y 59 J1
• Contact: Julia Blunden: jblunden@bigpond.com

Response to the Boroondara Low Carbon Strategy document

This Response to the Boroondara Low Carbon Strategy document was written and submitted by David Coote, from the Eastern Suburbs Permaculture Group.

a/ Nothing in the strategy detailing what is best practice in this area for local government in Australia and overseas and how the Boroondara strategy compares to best practice. A number of councils in Australia are aiming for cuts of 60% in emissions and some even aiming for zero carbon.

b/ Strategy to list all available grant, rebate etc schemes Council could tap into to defray costs of any proposed measures and if these funding sources are not being used why not.

c/ Strategy to list how gas and electricity are used across each council property and what potential exists at each site for:

• i/ energy efficiency: proposed measures; reduction in required energy; reduction in emissions; indicative cost. This should cover as a minimum energy efficient appliances and IT, energy efficient office and street lighting, natural lighting where possible, insulation, weather-proofing, double glazing in some situations etc
• ii/ Hot water: Potential to use solar hot-water and/or combined heat and power to supply the hot-water (used for process heat, if any, heating, washing, showers etc) ; reduction in gas and electricity; reduction in emissions; indicative cost.
• iii/ Heating. Potential to displace gas or electricity heating required from CHP and/or solar.
• iv/ Residual electricity required after above measures: Potential to use PV's and/or combined heat and power to supply the electricity needed; reduction in emissions; indicative cost.

d/ The current proposals within the strategy are worthy but nowhere near pushing the envelope. Some appraisal of a few more adventurous ideas would be worthwhile. As a suggestion:

• i/ Solar-powered street lighting. As well as saving energy this promotes local resilience through decoupling from the grid. After a number of the hurricanes in America over the last decade or so solar-powered lighting has provided residents with very useful night-time lighting. After Hurricane Andrew many residents used solar-powered lighting to illuminate cooking on barbecues etc
• ii/ Production of ethanol/methanol by fermenting and distilling food waste from local supermarkets and use of the ethanol/methanol in alcohol fuel-cells. The price of alcohol fuel cells has come down dramatically in the last few years. No reason why Council shouldn't have a few kW of alcohol fuel cells on a demonstration site. Perhaps the Eco-Centre?
• iii/ Converting a number of council vehicles to run on 85% ethanol or purchasing new E85 vehicles as vehicles reach end of service life. E85 is available commercially or use ethanol to be produced by Council as discussed above.
• iv/ Council to purchase hybrid vehicles and perhaps a few electric vehicles. If council is producing its own power from cogen plants, PV's etc this drastically reduces the net emissions of running EV's.
• v/ Wind-turbines along the south-eastern freeway. I should say that I don't know how good the wind regime is along the freeway.
• vi/ Biomass powered thermal heating and cogeneration using waste biomass from within Boroondara.
• vii/ Possibility of joint cogeneration in the Camberwell junction area with the electricity and heat powering and heating council properties, commercial premises, police station, residences etc

Suggestions from Julia Thornton

Tighten up on the target emissions. 2006 is not a very aspirational baseline year.

Council to investigate how to set up local area energy grids including looking at legislative impediments.

Allow residents to divert stormwater to water gardens or nature strips.

Develop policy that makes tree retention on private property a net benefit.

Suggestions from Fiona Armstrong

An excellent overview – this would make a great framework for a submission to the strategy.  It is clearly another huge missed opportunity.

Many of these issues could be better addressed if the Boroondara Council would commit, as Moreland and Yarra have done, to establishing a Boroondara Energy Foundation which could help the Council and the community reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

This could this also be included in a submission as a key “ask”.

Boroondara Sustainability Network Meeting Minutes 12 Oct 2010

Time and Date: 7pm Tuesday 12 October

Where:  Blackwood Room, 8 Inglesby Road, Camberwell (Melway 59 J1).

Attendance

Ken Coghill, Carolyn Ingvarson, Heinz Kreutz, Mick Nolan, Liz Burton, Julia Thornton, Paul Fritz, Michael Staindl, Peter Campbell (minutes), David Coote, Richard Webb, Fred Garrecht

Apologies

Svenja Keele 

Member updates on their group projects, activities and upcoming events

Lighter Footprints.  Education and energy measurement in the home project underway (funded by Council).  Kits and video will be available.  Also organising and "Innovation Panel" community meeting with local politicians.

Transition Towns Boroondara food cooperative is now up and running.

More details: http://www.farmgateway.org/transition-kew-food-coop.html

Recycling and waste reduction (Heinz Kreutz) - funding is available for projects. Government revenue has increased by $50m per year from the landfill levy.  $40m to EPA, $40m to Sustainability Victoria, $5m to Melbourne Waste Management Group.

BSN members can send project ideas Heinz.

Eastern Suburbs Permaculture Group (ESPG).  Monthly meetings being held.  Tracking

Eco Living Centre Update

Site selection and design phase in progress

Energy efficiency of new Council buildings and redevelopments

Draft policy document is still being prepared; timeline is for it to be finalised this year.  Community consultation process on the document is uncertain.

Proposals to reduce the energy savings gap

Action: PC to publish previous proposals/suggestions from David Coote on BSN website.

Hays paddock pavilion redevelopment

Community consultation in progress on this project.  Member groups are contributing to get sustainable outcomes, 17 people are on the steering committee.  Redevelopment of the pavilion is favoured.

Sustainability awards

Member groups are advised that nominations are open for Council Sustrainability Awards.  Nomination packs provided by Svenja Keele were distributed at the meeting.

Council budget and priorities for 2010-11

Budgets are currently being drafted within Council, so member groups are advised to make submissions prior to the end of 2010.

East West cycle route

Boroondara Bicycle User Group is requesting that Council prioritise this route and request State Government to undertake study of route alignment along the railway easement.

General business

Incorporation of BSN.  Heinz Kreutz stated that this would be revisited in 2011.

 Action: Peter Campbell to put draft constitution on website.

Next meeting

Tuesday 7 December 2010

CLIMATE FORUM - meet your Kooyong and Senate candidates 28 Jul 2010

You are invited to attend this public forum hosted by Lighter Footprints, a BSN member.  Age journalist Liz Minchin, a Walkely award winner and co-author of a book on climate change Screw Light Bulbs, will run a Q&A session that will put climate change policies of the major parties under the microscope and allow the public and candidates to quiz one another. This should prove both entertaining and illuminating and we are very pleased to have her services..

• What: “Meet the candidates” Community Climate Forum for the Federal election 2010 
• When: Wednesday 28 July @ 7.00pm
• Where: Chandelier room, Hawthorn town hall, 360 Burwood Rd, Hawthorn
• Who: Candidates for Kooyong and a senator from each major party
• Entry: $5 donation. 

The battle for the senate is crucial for passing climate change legislation so we are particularly pleased to have the senate candidates who will be fighting it out for Victorian senate positions in attendance.

Please put this date in your diary and come with friends and neighbours to demonstrate that this electorate does care strongly about climate change and that we want real action.

The Kooyong candidates attending are:

• Josh Frydenberg (Liberal)
• Steve Hurd (ALP)
• Des Benson (Greens)

The three senate candidates attending are: 

• Richard Di Natale (Greens).
• Antony Thow (ALP)
• Scott Ryan (Liberal) 

Boroondara Sustainability Network Meeting 8 June 2010

Meeting Agenda

• Date & time: 7pm Tuesday 8 June 2010
• Venue: Council Offices,  8 Inglesby Road, Camberwell (Melway 59 J1)

Attendance

Apologies

 Ken Coghill, Carolyn Ingvarson, Liz Burton, Fiona Armstrong, Mal Boyd, Razia Ross, Heinz Kreutz

Agenda review

Previous minutes - acceptance

Action items - previous

• Development of proposals to reduce the energy savings gap.
• Promotion of sustainability awards

Member updates on their group projects, activities and upcoming events
 

Invitation to co host forum with Lighter Footprints

Community gardens

Cycling

Council budget and priorities for 2010-11

Hays paddock pavilion redevelopment

Website

General business

Meeting dates for 2010

•    Tuesday 10 August 2010
•    Tuesday 12 October 2010
•    Tuesday 7 December 2010