The City of Mandurah’s location along an ecologically sensitive waterway has meant the council has long recognised the pressures on our natural environment along with compounding social and economic pressures.
It was one of the first local governments in Western Australia to commit to ecologically sustainable development and create a State of the Environment Report.
Most recently the City has developed a Biodiversity Strategy with an Action Plan and received the 2014 Biodiversity Milestone Award from the WA Local Government Association (WALGA).
The strategy has been developed to ensure that Mandurah remains sustainable with future development and seeks to protect and retain 2800ha or 75 percent of remaining local natural areas.
Environmental sustainability is one of the City’s key strategic drivers over the next 20 years.
In 1999, Council joined the Cities for Climate Protection Program and in 2011 adopted the Corporate Emissions Reduction Strategy (CERS) as part of an ongoing commitment to providing leadership within the community and driving
and sustaining action on climate change.
The City is currently in the process of rolling out initiatives to become a carbon neutral organisation.
To meet this requirement, photovoltaic solar panels are being installed on major Council buildings to reduce power consumption, operating costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
Geothermal Heating is also being installed at the redeveloped Mandurah Aquatic & Recreation Centre.
Geothermal heating has been identified as the most cost effective and long-term sustainable heating method for the redeveloped facility.
This project will be the largest energy efficient project that the City has ever undertaken.
Modeling has indicated that around 2,300 tonnes of CO2 emissions will be avoided compared to using natural gas as an energy source.
The Utilities Reporting Platform was launched in 2014 and provides staff with the ability to monitor and report on utility consumption, greenhouse gas and cost data at the click of a mouse.
Services monitored includes electricity, gas, water, waste, paper, fleet fuel, green power purchased, streetlights and renewable energy production.
This information will enable the city to automate the calculation of associated emissions, model and cost the effect of strategic carbon reduction interventions identify efficiency projects and data anomalies and keep track of energy use goals.
