Waste, energy and water

Lighting our city spaces over darker days

We’ve upgraded our pools and community centres to make them even more energy efficient.

Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre

At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, when many of our facilities were forced to temporarily close, we used the opportunity to finish off some very important work.

We replaced old inefficient lighting with sustainable LED lighting across many of our facilities to make them more energy efficient.

The upgrades will slash carbon emissions by an estimated 540 tonnes. This is close to the electricity used by 90 average Australian households over a year.

The Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre and Wilcox Mofflin Building received full lighting upgrades with every light replaced. LED lighting was also installed at Cook + Phillip Park Pool, Victoria Park Pool, Ultimo Community Centre and Redfern Community Centre.

After lighting was upgraded at Ultimo Community Centre and Library. Photo: Paul Patterson / City of Sydney
After lighting was upgraded at Ultimo Community Centre and Library. Photo: Paul Patterson / City of Sydney

The work is helping to keep local electricians and their apprentices at work during the pandemic.

Last year, the City struck an agreement with innovative renewable energy company Flow Power to ensure all of our operations, including pools, sports fields, depots and buildings, including the historic Sydney Town Hall, are powered by 100% renewable energy.

The largest standalone renewables deal for an Australian council to date will see three-quarters of the City’s power sourced from wind generation and one-quarter from solar.

Through going 100% renewable we will cut our emissions by around 20,000 tonnes a year – equivalent to the power consumption of 8,000 households.

It’s also projected to save up to half a million dollars a year over the next 10 years.

Published 28 September 2020