Melaleuca Award winners announced
17 June 2009 - Media Release
The winners of the Power and Water 2009 Melaleuca Awards for environmental excellence were announced this evening at Burnett House, Darwin. The Awards have been presented since 2003 recognising the environmental initiatives and efforts of the community across Territory schools, businesses, community groups and individuals.
The judging panel was again impressed with the quality and diversity of the submissions this year. The winners are:
Commercial/Industry Category: Crowne Plaza Alice Springs
Crowne Plaza Alice Springs has installed the largest building mounted, solar photovoltaic panel solar system in the southern hemisphere at a cost of $3.3million and implemented a $50,000 in-house energy efficiency program. The panel was particularly impressed that the hotel is reducing its whole business footprint with initiatives such as water efficient shower heads, energy efficient light bulbs and an ‘energy eye’ to monitor and regulate temperature control.
Small Business Category: Brolga Homes
Established in 2005, Brolga Homes’ new display home the ‘Port Douglas’ has achieved a 7.1 Star rating under the National House Energy Rating Scheme while retaining all the best of tropical design features. Energy efficiencies in its ground level home included louvers, insulation, passive solar design, energy efficient lighting and a range of water efficient fixtures and fittings throughout.
Schools Category: Millner Primary
Millner Primary replaced its 1968 assembly hall with a sustainable community hall providing 505sq. metres of space. Known as the Green Hall, the design features include no air conditioning, a transpiration garden to aid the cooling properties of the building, water tanks, insulation and a 4.7kw solar energy system to run industrial sized fans. It is estimated the Green Hall will save more than $10,000 in operating costs and 46 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions a year.
Community Category: Climate Action Group, Arid Lands Environment Centre
The Climate Action Group has produced a short film ‘Water in Alice Springs’. Produced on a shoestring budget and in a documentary style, it shows where water comes from and the water cycle from the Roe Creek bore field, town storage tanks, waste-water treatment plant and the water reuse project. It is a key tool in educating the community in water efficiency and has raised renewed interest in water efficiency across the community.
Chairman's Prize: Papunya School
The Papunya School has been selected for the Chairman's Prize for demonstrating how recycling in the community can save landfill space. Papunya School has initiated a waste management program to reduce rubbish going to landfill. As transport distances are a challenge to take away recyclable materials, the school is composting all its paper and food waste. The students then use the compost to plant more trees around the school to provide shade and to help Aged Care with its garden. This project is a great example of what can be achieved in remote locations.
Environment Grants
Arid Lands Environment Centre - CoolMOB - Alice Springs Sustainability Fair.
The Sustainability Fair will be held in September at the Olive Pink Botanic Gardens. The overall goal of the fair is to promote desert smart sustainable living lifestyles that can be adopted by the Alice Springs public.
YMCA Katherine - Reducing water waste at Henry Scott Recreation Centre
The YMCA of Katherine is seeking to upgrade taps, toilet cisterns and shower heads in the Henry Scott Recreation Centre to save thousands of litres from the town water supply each year. The centre is used by more than 1700 members.
Alice Springs Landcare - Dixon Park National Tree Day
The Landcare Group plans to hold a community tree planting for National Tree Day 2009. More than 240 local native tree seedlings will be planted in Dixon Park by students of Braitling Primary School on Schools National Tree Day and members of the public, in July.
All category winners were presented with a unique glass sculpture created by Territory glass artist Jon Firth.
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