Home › Programs and events › savewater! awards® › Past Winners & Finalists › 2008 winners › Built Environment & Gardens
Smaller fontStandard fontLarger font

Built Environment & Gardens

Acknowledges the role of design and construction in achieving a long-term sustainable water system. This category focuses on completed building developments and gardens (either residential or commercial) that have incorporated water saving features and are achieving water savings.

Congratulations to our winner, Melbourne Zoo

BuiltEnvironmentGardens

WINNER


Melbourne Zoo

Since 1995, Melbourne Zoo has worked diligently to implement an integrated water management plan that has halved the Zoo’s annual water usage. This plan details a range of conservation measures that include infrastructure upgrades, changes to work practices and utilizing new products and technologies.

The Zoo has gone above and beyond to preserve this precious resource. Exhibits have been modified, water-wise work practices introduced and data-loggers installed to allow constant monitoring of water use around the 20ha site.

In 2006, Melbourne Zoo’s Water Treatment Plant was commissioned to treat and reuse storm and grey water to use for irrigation, exhibit cleaning and pool filling.

The Zoo's irrigation management now has a greater emphasis on optimizing water use. A soon to be completed Central Irrigation Control System will further enhance the efficient use of irrigation water. It will provide a greater opportunity to monitor use, will have fault alarms and will operate in conjunction with an onsite weather station.

Maintaining high levels of cleanliness in animal exhibits requires large amounts of water. To manage this, high pressure cleaners have replaced many hoses and this alone has considerably reduced water use. For example, the use of high pressure cleaners in the baboons exhibit saves approximately 1,800 litres per day or 650,000 litres over a year.

These initiatives have resulted in a major reduction in Melbourne Zoo’s water usage. In 1995 potable water usage at the Zoo was 373.4ML. In 2006 that figure was 197.1ML and in 2007 approximately 142.3ML.

Working closely with City West Water and Melbourne Water the Zoo has made significant water savings over the awards period and beyond.

Judges’ comment: Melbourne Zoo’s wholistic approach to water saving has enormous public education value. It not only has substantial water savings benefits, but also significant environmental benefits.




FINALISTS


Mansfield Propagation Nursery

Mansfield’s Propagation Nursery is one of Australia’s leading propagators; growing and supplying close to three million plants annually.

The nursery has designed a state-of-the-art purpose-built propagation facility with water reclamation and re-use in mind. The new facility has various water-saving measures such as the installation of thousands of metres of drains beneath the 9,000 sq metre growing area and the entire nursery being fitted with low volume sprinkler heads to minimize irrigation water usage. The eight toilet cubicles are also connected to a reuse water supply system.

This facility is reaping enormous water savings. For the 2007/2008 period, Mansfield Propagation Nursery recorded a saving of 16.6ML of potable water, compared with the 2005/2006 period. This equates to a saving of approximately six Olympic-size swimming pools. It is anticipated that this saving will increase over the coming years, with a minimum saving of 29.1ML expected in the 2008/2009 period.

Judges’ comment: Both finalists are leaders in their respective sectors. In addition to showcasing great water savings, they illustrated highly sustainable initiatives.



Iona College

Located in the Brisbane suburbs, Iona College is saving 44.5ML of water per year – the equivalent of approximately 18 Olympic-size swimming pools. The College has undertaken a plan to reduce its overall water use by implementing a wide range of water saving practices.

These practices include the installation of 450,000 litres of water tank storage with another 248,000 litre tank about to be installed, two bores for oval maintenance and water restrictors and spring-loaded taps on all drinking fountains. The College has also replaced 70 toilets and cisterns with smaller capacity models and has upgraded all its urinals to waterless systems.

In addition the College has a water management plan to further conserve water and has set up an environmental class during which students take on the responsibility of planting trees, learning about the environment and water conservation.

Judges’ comment: Both finalists are leaders in their respective sectors. In addition to showcasing great water savings, they illustrated highly sustainable initiatives.