Since November 2010, construction has been underway at AUT University for the city campus’s new sustainable learning complex, the WG Precinct. It has been a long wait, with planning having begun in 2006, but the project is nearing completion and will officially open in February 2013. [ + ]

The rotten egg gas leaking from sewer pipes and costing billions of dollars worldwide in odour control may soon be far less of a problem, thanks to new research discussed at the 2012 International Water Association (IWA) conference last week. [ + ]

ABB has delivered four IRB 660 palletising robots to the Datong Coal Mine Group, China, to be used in the Tashan coal mine. Supported by brick machinery components from Shandong GONGLI, the ABB robots will play a key role in producing bricks primarily for adobe palletising. [ + ]

Since 1752, the Wenning family in Germany has run a successful agricultural business and distillery. Thirty years ago, they took the first pioneering steps towards on-site biogas production. Together with the help of Atlas Copco, they now have evolved into an award-winning energy producer, using 50% less power than other, comparable plants. [ + ]

The Australasian Waste & Recycling Expo (AWRE) is supported by the Waste Management Association of Australia (WMAA), plus several other key waste and recycling industry bodies. The trade show will be held from 21-22 November 2012 at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour. [ + ]

Autonomous Energy has designed, installed and commissioned a 60 kW Solar PV system at Pymble Ladies’ College. The system was installed in two phases, the first phase (16 kW) was commissioned in July 2011 and the second phase (60 kW) went live in February 2012. [ + ]

Albury City Council has adopted a non-conventional approach to the provision of water and sewer infrastructure for Nexus, the city’s new 187 hectare precinct for large and heavy industry. [ + ]

Taking place at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre from 8-9 November 2012, Australian Sustainability combines a diverse exhibition with an interactive multistreamed conference and seminar program. [ + ]

Xylem, a global water technology company focused on addressing the world’s most challenging water issues, has been placed on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index in its first year as a standalone company. [ + ]

The labour-intensive process of dismantling e-waste places economic limits on how much material can be recycled. To help solve this problem, Buyequip has partnered with prison industries at the Southern Queensland Correctional Centre near Gatton. This partnership is boosting material recovery rates while providing important employment opportunities for prisoners. [ + ]

Footprint is an online monitoring tool developed by Melbourne-based iota. Using the tool, organisations can monitor and quickly review every aspect of their environmental footprint.The City of Greater Dandenong uses Footprint to monitor water and electricity usage across meters in 18 locations. [ + ]

Now in its third year, World Green Building Week (17-21 September) showcases green buildings and communities and the role they play in reducing the global carbon footprint and saving money, while also creating jobs, boosting productivity, health and learning, and improving lives. This year, green building councils in 92 countries, representing more than 30,000 organisations, will participate - hosting events, running campaigns and more. [ + ]

Vodafone is introducing an Eco Rating scheme for mobile phones to provide its customers with information on the environmental impact and ethical performance involved in the manufacture and life cycle of many mobile phones. The ratings will be displayed alongside the phones participating in the ratings in its stores from 12 September. The scheme was also launched in New Zealand by Vodafone. [ + ]

While extreme weather events will inevitably impact water quality, the biggest risk to public health is not the intensity of these events but their increasingly close proximity to one another, UNSW researchers warn. [ + ]

An advanced processing technology being pioneered at UNSW to improve the efficiency of first-generation silicon solar cells has turned two solar manufacturers into unlikely collaborators. The School of Photovoltaics and Renewable Energy Engineering has signed a collaborative research agreement with Suntech Power and Hanwha Solar, the first such agreement between the school and two competing companies. [ + ]