Sustainability at the NLAWorld Environment Day, 5th June 2014

Jennifer Lloyd

What is sustainability?Not being harmful to the environment or depleting natural resources, and thereby supporting long-term ecological balance.

Sustainability creates and maintains the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic and other requirement of present and future generations.

• Use less energy (electricity and gas)• Use less water• Use less paper• Reduce consumption of goods• Recycle and re-use

What does this really mean?

Use less energy

The electricity saved by the Library so far in 2013/14 is enough to power

the MCG lights for 117 football matches

The amount of electricity saved over

the past two years was enough to run an average house with four people in it for

90 years

– Turned off equipment when not used– Replaced inefficient equipment– Serviced equipment regularly– Measured energy used for building works

Recycling plastic saves twice as much energy as burning it in an incinerator.

– Insulated windows in stack areas

How did we do this?

Window insulation…..in stack areas

– Turned off equipment when not used– Replaced inefficient equipment– Serviced equipment regularly– Measured energy used for building works

Recycling plastic saves twice as much energy as burning it in an incinerator.

– Insulated windows in stack areas– Used new technologies (LED lights)

and installed motion sensor lighting

How did we do this?

Lighting projects• New LED/motion sensor lights

in fire tunnels and stack areas• Replacement of main reading

room and foyer lights with LED light fittings

• Motion sensor lights in office areas

– Turned off equipment when not used– Replaced inefficient equipment– Serviced equipment regularly– Measured energy used for building works

Recycling plastic saves twice as much energy as burning it in an incinerator.

– Insulated windows in stack areas– Used new technologies (LED lights)

and install motion sensor lighting– Actively managed the timing

schedules for the air conditioning

How did we do this?

Air conditioning trials• Controlling temperature and humidity uses a

lot of energy• The climate in Canberra is quite stable • Using passive storage – insulated building• Using thermal mass of paper in storage areas• Storage spaces generally kept at 19 - 21°C

and 40 – 50% RH

Temperature

HumidityInside book

Not inside book

Data loggers were placed inside hollowed out books.

Temperature and humidity at the Hume Repository with no energy being used on air conditioning in stack areas

Air conditioning trials• Controlling temperature and humidity uses a lot of

energy• The climate in Canberra is quite stable • Using passive storage – insulated building• Using thermal mass of paper in storage areas• Storage spaces generally kept at 19 - 21°C and 40 –

50% RH• Hume Repository and Annexe stack areas are now

turned off (except for some heating in winter for staff)

Use less water

Water meters replaced twice in 2012

Use less paperSaved 187 trees

• Print double sided• Only print what you need• Use recycled paper• Reduce colour printing

Recycle• Paper (secure and other) • Cardboard - skip in service yard• Co-mingle (plastic/paper/foil)• Batteries – purple bins• Food/oil – compost for worms• Metal – skip in service yard• Microfilm• Fluorescent tubes/halogen lights

This year, the Library has recycled 25% more

material (by weight) than last year – the

equivalent of four elephants

Earthworms consume, in just one day,

up to one third of their own body weight.

Waste to landfill

32%

25%15%

15%

2%11%

Percentage of recycling and waste2012/13 (Total of 144,140Kg)

Waste to landfill

Paper

Cardboard

Comingle

Secure paper

Organics

Metal

25%

30%11%

14%

1%

11%8%

Percentage of recycling and waste2013/14 (Predicted to be 182,000Kg) Waste to landfill

Paper

Cardboard

Comingle

Secure paper

Organics

Metal

Congratulations!

What else can you do?• Use reusable food containers• Print double sided, and only print what you

need• Compost your food leftovers• Use the recycling bins – ask for help• Get rid of your under desk rubbish bin• Turn off lights and appliances• Catch public transport/ride bike/walk

Recycling plastic saves twice as much energy as

burning it in an incinerator.

Environmental Management System

• Implement a systematic approach to setting environmental objectives and targets

• Set out roles, responsibility and authority of Library staff, contractors and consultants in relation to environmental management.

• Environmental Management Committee• Check MyNLA for further information

Questions?