Rotorua District Council Focusing on Sustainability Kerry Starling - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Rotorua District Council Focusing on Sustainability

Kerry Starling Procurement & Sustainability Manager October 2010

Commitment

• Sustainability Policy adopted by Council in December 2008 - to

promote sustainable development as core to all RDC activities

• Sustainability ‘Champions’ established - staff with an enthusiasm

for sustainability outcomes

• Energy Manager – self funding role created to focus on reducing

RDC energy use - immediate impact on Council costs

• Procurement & Sustainability Manager – title change to reflect

the importance of sustainability management within the RDC.

• Ten Year Plan – Sustainability identified as one of 3 key themes of

the current Ten Year Plan, along with economic growth and affordability.

Energy management

• Energy Manager provides focus and dedicated expert resource
• energy audits have resulted in considerable cost savings
• water conservation and reducing infiltration to sewer system helps
• interruptible electricity load initiative at WWTP
• more proactive but sustainable use of geothermal resource -

geothermal electricity generation being researched

• greater use of geothermally heated water at Aquatic Centre
• sustainability accreditation – Qualmark Gold at Aquatic Centre
• street lighting efficiency assessment undertaken
• benefits of emerging technologies in energy efficient street lighting.

Waste management

• waste audits and assessments at various sites - recycling well

established within RDC operations

• community recycling review
• expansion of In-Town Recycling Centre - new facility at Ngongotaha
• integrated solid waste management at the landfill – reduce, reuse,

recycle and compost – focus on waste diversion

• methane gas flaring will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and

provide revenue through carbon credits

• Cleaner Production programme
• Keep Rotorua Beautiful.

Improving water quality

• strict consent conditions for WWTP, storm water drainage & landfill
• effluent liquid is treated then sprayed on the forest, passing through

wetlands and mother earth before entering waterways again

• any phosphorus still in the treated effluent is held in volcanic soils
• trade waste education and enforcement
• primary school ‘Water & Us’ education programme
• promoting P-free household cleaners
• reducing inflow and infiltration during rain events
• testing advanced household septic systems
• reticulation of lakeside settlements.

Improving air quality

• Rotorua has the worst air quality in the North Island - bad for health,

particularly in very young and elderly people

• 60% of Rotorua’s air pollution comes from home fires
• Focus on healthy home initiatives - dry wood, insulation and a change

to a cleaner home heating appliance

• working with BOP Regional Council on community awareness
• draft bylaw will require that non-compliant solid fuel burners must be

removed or replaced when a property is sold

• government subsidies available to help pay for insulation and clean

heating via the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA).

Fleet management

• reduced vehicle numbers
• safer vehicles, lower emissions and reduced fuel use
• improved car pooling system
• total cost of ownership approach to procurement
• vehicle policy focuses on fuel efficiency
• biodiesel consortium being investigated
• sustainable transport initiatives within RDC - workplace travel

planning - cycling and walking is also encouraged by council

• Transport Demand Management strategy.

Waste 2 Gold

• 30 tonnes of effluent sludge is produced in Rotorua each day
• currently 20% is composted and 80% is landfilled
• accounts for 14% of all landfill volume
• partnership with Scion to convert effluent sludge into useable

carbon products or energy

• pilot plant (about 10% scale) designed and being constructed
• has potential to save significant cost to ratepayers
• has potential for commercialisation.