Responsible footprint
Targets
- Achieve net zero emissions from Scope 1 and 2 sources by 2030.
- Have no more than 10% of staff and 5% of students travel to work by private motor vehicle transport by 2025.
- View the University’s existing investment portfolio principles and strategy, and present a recommendation to the University’s Senate (completed 2021).
See the Sustainability Strategy 2020 (pdf, 3.1MB) Pillar 2: Strategies 8, 13 and 14 for the complete list of targets.
Recent highlights
- Solar capacity of 1.2MW across our campuses and student accommodation buildings, representing over a third of our 3MW target.
- Generated 1,435 MWh solar electricity in the 2023 financial year across our campuses.
- 15 buildings on main campus upgraded with energy-efficient LED lighting.
- Partnered with e-bike company Sparque to enable staff to salary package an e-bike under a lease scheme.
- Our Investment Portfolio’s carbon footprint continues to decline on both a relative and absolute basis when measured per $1m invested.
See our full Sustainability Annual Report 2023 (pdf, 8.1MB) here.
Case study
All of the University's activities are now powered by renewable energy, achieving our target to source 100% of electricity from renewable sources.
The move brings the University a step closer to it's target of net zero emissions from Scope 1 and Scope 2 sources by 2030.
Initiatives
The University has a total rooftop solar capacity of 1.2MW across our campuses and student accommodation buildings, representing over a third of our 3MW target.
An additional 1MW of solar generation capacity is scheduled for installation across Camden and Camperdown/Darlington campuses, with an assessment completed across 26 buildings.
In the 2023 financial year, we generated 1,435 MWh of solar electricity across our campuses.
In 2022, a multi-year Business Case was developed and approved, which outlines and funds specific initiatives to achieve Sustainability Strategy targets, including a 10% reduction in energy intensity per Usable Floor Area/Gross Floor Area (UFA/GFA) by 2025.
One of these initiatives is a significant lighting efficiency and LED upgrade.
In 2023, this project audited 17 buildings for capacity to upgrade to LED fittings, which will facilitate a phased installation from 2023-2024. Fifteen buildings have been upgraded to date.
The installation of six Gelion Technology smart solar benches at the University’s Camperdown and Darlington campus is a living lab initiative designed to extend lighting zones without mains infrastructure.
We are proud to announce that the University of Sydney is undertaking divestment of both direct and indirect holdings in fossil fuel companies, in line with the Sustainability Strategy’s target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2030.
Our new Investment Policy (2022) will see the University’s investment portfolio align with the Transition Pathway Initiative (TPI), requiring companies to reduce their greenhouse emissions consistent with limiting warming to 2°C.
The policy will see the University of Sydney align investments with the United Nations’ Sustainability Development Goals.