The Minister for Industry and Innovation, Greg Combet, has welcomed the announcement by GE, in collaboration with its venture capital partners, to provide $10 million to find, fund and bring to market the best ideas from Australia and New Zealand that will improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon pollution. [ + ]

The California Institute of Techology’s (Caltech’s) solar-powered toilet has won the Reinventing the Toilet Challenge issued by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Caltech engineer Michael Hoffmann and his colleagues were awarded $100,000 for their design, which they demonstrated at the Reinvent the Toilet Fair, a two-day event held 14-15 August in Seattle. [ + ]

How to create an energy-efficient transport sector is a question about to be tackled by University of Otago researchers in a multimillion-dollar, multiyear project. The university’s Centre for Sustainability has won a bid to run a national project looking at energy uses in New Zealand’s homes, small businesses and transport sector. [ + ]

CO2 Group has announced that it has signed a joint venture agreement with Asia Energy Development Partners (AEDP), a Singapore-based carbon and renewable energy specialist, to establish CO2 Asia. This new company will specialise in the development and commercialisation of projects under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol. [ + ]

The Gillard government will provide more than $42 million to deliver nine innovative and sustainable stormwater harvesting and re-use projects to help secure water supplies in urban areas across Australia. [ + ]

EMSc, manufacturer of the Star range of energy-saving solutions, is expanding its international footprint with the opening of a dedicated Powerstar office in Melbourne. [ + ]

New Zealand’s first Sustainable City Showcase will feature the latest designs, products and technology that are making Kiwi companies world leaders in environmentally aware and sustainable business practice. [ + ]

Queensland Government Environment Minister Andrew Powell has announced that the state has rejected the proposed national drink container deposit tax. [ + ]

The Sydney Opera House Trust has been recognised by the Australian Government for committing to recycle fluorescent lights from its iconic building. [ + ]

Some of the country’s leading green building experts are launching a new organisation dedicated to setting higher sustainability standards for the built environment - the Living Future Institute Australia. [ + ]

The Melbourne Water Data Centre has been awarded the Victorian iAward for Sustainability and Green IT at the recent 2012 iAwards. [ + ]

European countries are testing out different strategies to boost their citizen’s adoption of clean transport technologies, states a new report by GlobalData. The report claims that the race is on for the title of electric vehicle (EV) giant. [ + ]

A University of Canterbury academic has produced a world first recycled plastic and sawdust composite building material. [ + ]

Two new research projects will improve understanding of the costs, benefits and risks that impact on investment in recycling options in Australia. [ + ]

A review prepared by the University of Melbourne looks at new methods of water conservation and the need to transform policies and attitudes. [ + ]