Date Published: 10/2015

Leichhardt Municipal Council (now part of the Inner West Council) served a population of approximately 58,000 people across Sydney's inner west, including the suburbs of Leichhardt, Lilyfield, Balmain, Birchgrove, Rozelle and Annandale. Leichhardt focused on maintaining a liveable and connected community, in which environmental sustainability played a significant role. Residents consistently identified the environment as one of the community's highest priorities.

Climate Active Carbon Neutral Certification

In 2012, Leichhardt won the prestigious Local Sustainability category at the NSW Local Government Excellence in the Environment Awards.

That same year, the Council became certified carbon neutral through the Australian Government's Climate Active program (formerly the National Carbon Offset Standard (NCOS)). This certification has rigorous requirements and represented a significant achievement for the organisation. At the time, Leichhardt was one of only two councils in New South Wales to achieve certification.

Mitigating Climate Change

Leichhardt Council recognised the potential impacts of climate change on the community and the importance of taking timely action. The Council's Climate Change Plan outlined several key priorities:

• Reducing the long-term costs associated with rising energy prices, carbon pricing, infrastructure disruption and legal liability.
• Decoupling service delivery from increasing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
• Supporting the community to improve living standards while reducing emissions.
• Adapting to a changing climate and increasing frequency of climate-related hazards.

Starting the Climate Active Process

In 2009, Leichhardt established a Climate Change Taskforce with a goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2012. The Council successfully met both its target and timeline. Leichhardt engaged Pangolin Associates for its technical expertise and experience supporting organisations through the Climate Active (then NCOS) certification process. Pangolin provided the documentation, reporting and evidence required to support the Council's Climate Change Plan, develop a pathway to net zero emissions and meet Climate Active requirements.

Greenhouse Gas Inventories and Documentation

Pangolin calculated and documented greenhouse gas emissions for Leichhardt Council across three separate financial years. Pangolin's auditors were registered under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (NGER) framework, a Climate Active-recognised qualification.

Pangolin also identified and documented emissions reduction initiatives already underway, including:

• Energy-efficient lighting upgrades.
• HVAC upgrades.
• Solar photovoltaic systems.
• IT efficiency improvements.
• Heat pumps.
• Pool covers.
• Cogeneration at Leichhardt Park Aquatic Centre (subsequently implemented).
• Bike sharing for staff travel between facilities.
• Participation in the Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (SSROC) street lighting upgrade program.

Energy and Emissions Management Plan

Developing an Energy and Emissions Management Plan was a critical part of the carbon neutral certification process. The plan provided evidence of emissions reductions and helped the Council prioritise future initiatives.

Staff Travel Survey

Pangolin's Staff Travel Survey assessed employee commuting patterns and associated emissions. The survey supported Climate Active Scope 3 reporting requirements, covering emissions generated as a consequence of Council activities but not directly produced by Council facilities.

Project Timeline

• August 2012: Engagement commenced.
• November 2012: First Climate Active (then NCOS) greenhouse gas inventory completed.
• November 2012: Energy and Emissions Management Plan commissioned.
• May 2013: Energy and Emissions Management Plan completed.
• November 2013: Second Climate Active (then NCOS) greenhouse gas inventory commissioned.
• April 2014: Second greenhouse gas inventory completed.
• June 2014: Third Climate Active (then NCOS) greenhouse gas inventory commenced.
• May 2015: Third greenhouse gas inventory completed.
• June 2014: Staff Travel Survey commenced.
• June 2015: Staff Travel Survey completed.

Results

Energy Efficiency

As a result of energy efficiency and emissions reduction initiatives, electricity consumption across Council facilities fell by approximately 16% compared with the 2011-12 baseline year.

Lighting Upgrades

Leichhardt installed motion sensors to reduce unnecessary lighting use. The Council also replaced inefficient T8 lighting with energy-efficient T5 fittings and upgraded 50W halogen lighting in Leichhardt Library to low-wattage LED downlights.

Hot Water Upgrades

• Leichhardt Town Hall: installation of a heat pump and solar hot water system.
• Leichhardt Children's Centre: installation of solar hot water.
• Annandale Child Care Centre: installation of a heat pump.

Future Initiatives

Leichhardt Municipal Council adopted its Environmental Sustainability Plan 2015-2025, which included consideration of a transition to 100% renewable energy.

Other planned initiatives included:

• Connecting the cogeneration plant to the refurbished program pool.
• Additional sub-metering to improve energy management.
• Further solar photovoltaic installations at Leichhardt Park Aquatic Centre.