Australian Cleantech Competition semifinalists announced
26 June, 2013The Australian Cleantech Competition has whittled down this year’s 150 entrants to 30 semifinalists, ranging from start-ups through to listed companies that have raised tens of millions of dollars.
High-speed rail profits underestimated by $190 billion, reveals BZE
26 June, 2013Researchers at independent think tank Beyond Zero Emissions (BZE) have found that the government has underestimated the profits of its Melbourne-Brisbane high-speed rail (HSR) plan by $190 billion - enough to repay the capital cost of the network.
Obama announces US Climate Action Plan
26 June, 2013 by Lauren DavisUS President Barack Obama today announced a Climate Action Plan to reduce carbon pollution. According to Obama, the plan intends to give the United States - the world’s largest economy and second largest emitter - a leadership role “in a coordinated assault on a changing climate”.
Australia’s most liveable retirement village
26 June, 2013Lend Lease’s Isabella Gardens in Canberra has become the first retirement living village in Australia to achieve the Gold Livable Housing Design Quality Mark from Livable Housing Australia (LHA).
Brisbane’s sustainable airport set to take off
25 June, 2013Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) has registered its Property Development Master Plan to achieve a Green Star - Communities PILOT rating: an independent sustainability certification of a community-level project. If it succeeds, the airport will be considered the most sustainable in Australia.
Seabed survey marks next step in wave-energy project
25 June, 2013Wave-energy technology company Ocean Power Technologies Australasia (OPTA) and its subsidiary, Victorian Wave Partners (VWP), have engaged Victorian company Professional Diving Services (PDS) to conduct a detailed seabed survey for the location of VWP’s proposed wave power station off the coast of Portland, Victoria.
Koala knows best when it comes to landscape restoration
24 June, 2013 by Lauren DavisNew research suggests that in some parts of Australia, koalas and other native animals may be best placed to adjudicate whether or not rehabilitation has been successful.
How can broadband help farmers?
24 June, 2013Farming and the digital world may seem like strange bedfellows, but a new CSIRO report has shown that Australian farmers can increase their productivity by taking advantage of smart farming technologies enabled by next-generation broadband networks.
Nano research to advance optical IT
21 June, 2013A research team at Swinburne University of Technology has overcome a fundamental law of optical science that could lead to faster and more energy-efficient optical computing.
WorldGBC Government Leadership Awards open for nominations
21 June, 2013The World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) is accepting nominations for the global Government Leadership Awards - a biennial event which was first held in 2011.
White paper to build Australia’s resilience to natural disasters
21 June, 2013The Australian Business Roundtable for Disaster Resilience & Safer Communities has released a white paper that details a sustainable and comprehensive approach to managing natural disasters.
Extension of Energy Efficiency Opportunities program
19 June, 2013The Australian Government’s Energy Efficiency Opportunities (EEO) program, which encourages large energy-using businesses to increase their efficiency, is being broadened to incorporate new developments and major expansions, saving business millions of dollars in energy costs across the lifetime of new projects.
China launches its first emissions trading scheme
19 June, 2013China launched its first carbon emissions trading scheme yesterday in Shenzhen. By 2015, the scheme aims to reduce the city’s carbon emissions per unit of GDP by 21% compared to 2010 levels.
University and Unitywater foster future engineers and scientists
17 June, 2013Unitywater and the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC) today signed an agreement to work together to benefit USC’s students by supporting their tertiary education and providing local opportunities to kickstart their careers.
Green Star library is smart and sustainable
17 June, 2013Victoria’s Melton Library and Learning Hub - officially opened on 15 June - has been awarded a 5 Star Green Star - Public Building Design PILOT rating from the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA). This makes it Australia’s first completed Green Star library.