Sustainability

Climate change is a critical and ongoing issue for the global community and is of great significance to local councils who are responsible for providing key services to communities including the management of natural and man-made resources. 

Council is focused on reducing its own greenhouse gas emissions as well as planning for adaptation to climate change. See link to Council's Climate Change Adaptation Plan 2017-27. 

We have conducted energy audits of major facilities in order to make energy efficiency improvements and we have introduced a Sustainable Vehicles policy, which ensures our transport fleet is fuel efficient. 

We monitor our Carbon Footprint with detailed analysis of our major sources of greenhouse gas emissions, including waste disposal, electricity, street lighting, transport and stationary fuels. 

Recent actions to reduce our emissions: 

• Introduction of an organic waste service for households to significantly reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions associated with landfill. 

• Installation of electric vehicle chargers in the Hamilton CBD. 

• Extensive energy efficiency retrofits in Council buildings and facilities. 

• Installation of a solar PV system and energy efficiency lights at the Hamilton Visitor Information Centre 

• Inclusion of environmental criteria in the purchase of fleet vehicles, the procurement policy, business cases and tenders 

• Establishment of an effective network across the region of Councils’ Sustainability officers who work together on projects that have a regional focus 

• Improved monitoring of gas and electricity use