Environmental Initiatives

Current CW&F environmental initiatives

Expanding our use of reclaimed stormwater

For the past 30 years, UWS has been using recycled water and stormwater to irrigate agricultural and horticultural areas of Hawkesbury campus. In 2009, we extended our use of stormwater to include historical areas of the campus. In 2010, we installed new irrigation lines around the student accommodation villas and lodges to facilitate irrigation of the lawns and gardens in that area with stormwater. Since then we have also installed new irrigation systems around Fairy Circle and the Quad.

To further extend our use of stormwater and, hence, reduce our reliance on potable water, we are currently designing extensions to the existing irrigation system on the Hawkesbury campus. The extension will consist of a combination of pop-up sprinklers and sub-surface irrigation, which will allow us to enhance the lawns and gardens in historical areas of the campus and reduce the risk of damage to those areas caused by dry conditions and drought.

The new system is scheduled for installation in mid-to-late 2012.
Note: When work is carried out in the historical areas of the Hawkesbury campus, the sensitivities of those areas are taken into consideration and special work practices are put in place to ensure the areas are not disturbed unnecessarily.

Scheduled completion date: late 2012

Installation of new bicycle parking facilities

In 2011, new bicycle parking facilities were installed and trialed in the G precinct on Hawkesbury campus to provide students, staff and visitors of the campus with additional, standards-compliant bicycle parking facilities and encourage the use of bicycles as a sustainable mode of transport. Following positive feedback from bicycle riders on the Hawkesbury campus, this initiative is now being rolled-out across the other UWS campuses, commencing with Penrith campus, Kingswood.

The new standard-compliant bicycle parking facilities are being installed in convenient, easily accessible and visible locations in which bikes are likely to be left (i.e. adjacent to the entrances/exits of high-use buildings). The facilities have been designed to support the entire bike frame, reducing the risk of damage to bikes, and can be used with any bike lock. They have also been designed to be aesthetically appealing whilst being highly visible. 

The installation of bicycle parking facilities has also been included in the new student accommodation projects on the Bankstown, Hawkesbury and Penrith campuses.

Scheduled completion date: Ongoing

Implementation of recycling bins

We are continuing to roll-out indoor and outdoor waste recycling bins to further reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill and increase our recycling. Since 2010 we have reduced the amount of waste sent to landfill by 35%. 

The new bins are being installed across the six UWS campuses, particularly in areas adjacent to uwsconnect food outlets and throughout break-out areas, and landscaped precincts.

Scheduled completion date: Ongoing

Cumberland Plain Remnant Bushland Management Plan

On Hawkesbury campus we are working in collaboration with the Hawkesbury Nepean Catchment Management Authority and leading providers of environmental management and bush restoration services to eradicate noxious weeds (e.g. blackberry), control environmental weeds and eradicate feral pests.

We are also working with bush regeneration contractors to remove noxious weeds from the Remnant Cumberland Plain bushland on the Campbelltown campus.

Scheduled completion date: Ongoing