Council’s Initiatives

Parramatta City Council has achieved Milestone 5 of the global Cities for Climate Protection Program (CCP) and has committed to CCP Plus – which aims to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To achieve reductions Council has developed a new 5 year Climate Action Plan, along with a variety of programmes designed to assist residents and industry to reduce their environmental impact.

Most recently Council adopted the Parramatta Climate Action Plan 2006-2001, a guide to climate change management specifying climate action targets and defining 29 specific community actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions Parramatta.

Community Initiatives

Council continues to run numerous education programmes for schools, community groups and business on ways to reduce greenhouse gas emmisions, energy use and other resource consumption and waste issues. Specific projects include:

• Ecosmart community programme: Joint Western Sydney project involving both sustainability audit and environmental awareness for residential properties from across the Local Government Area.
• 3 CBD's programme: Joint project with North Sydney, City of Sydney and Department of Energy, Utilities and Sustainability (DEUS) to undertake a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Project with commercial office tenants in the 3 largest cities.
• Energy Smart Homes: Education kits and awareness campaign developed for residential sector.
• CBD Building Greenhouse Pilot Project: a scheme targeted at reducing greenhouse emissions in commercial office buildings in Parramatta’s CBD.

Travel Initiatives

• Residential Development Strategy: Review of future devleopment zoning around major transport nodes
• Free shuttle bus: introduction of City free bus to promote people to utilise public transport
• Cycleways: Extensive roll out of a network of on and of road bikeways
• Access: travel access guide to promote integrated use of public transport

Corporate Initiatives

Council is implementing an Environmental Management System across the organisation which looks at reducing its environmental footprint. Specific projects include:

• Retrofit of all major buildings with new energy efficient lighting.
• New fleet policy with focus on 4 cylinder cars and LPG and the introduction of greenfleet to offset remaining greenhouse gas emmisions. This includes running of 2 prius in the fleet.
• Conversion of a 9-tonne garbage truck from diesel to compressed natural gas, in partnership with the Australian Greenhouse Office Green Energy.
• Purchase of 25 per cent greenpower for our main buildings.

Future greenhouse abatement actions:

• Civic Place: Development of ABGR rating of minimum 4.5 Star for the new Civic Place redevelopment incorporating both Council’s building as well as commercial and residential space.
• Car Parks: Review of Council car parks and energy use, in particular lighting, in collaboration with Integral Energy
• Public Lighting: Canvassing options for energy efficient public lighting as part of Council Public domain improvements
• Learning Site: Retrofitting a childcare centre to demonstrate various sustainable practices and assets such as solar panels, rainwater tanks etc.