FORMER Australian Davis Cup tennis captain and now Eco Community Ambassador, John Fitzgerald, visited Townsville on August 13 to launch the Townsville Catholic Education solar program – the first of its kind for a school system within Australia.
Townsville Catholic Education has partnered with Eco Community to roll out a solar PV and lighting program across all thirty schools in the Diocese.
This program will eventually deliver up to a 40 per cent reduction in energy consumption for each school.
Townsville Catholic Education executive director Dr Cathy Day said the organisation was the first education sector in Australia to initiate a large scale, multi-site solar energy install.
“This is a strategic action to reduce our carbon footprint as a school sector across multiple locations in North and North West Queensland,” Dr Day said.
“A commitment to environmental sustainability is one of the foundations of the Catholic Church.
“As a Catholic organisation we have been strongly committed to embedding eco sustainability in our school communities for many years.
“The solar program is a natural extension of this commitment.”
The solar roll out has already started and by the end of the year all thirty schools in the diocese will have at least up to 30 kilowatts, significantly decreasing energy consumption and power bills by using clean energy.
The Townsville Catholic Education Office is also part of this program and is now officially a “green” office.
“We have been working to improve energy efficiencies in our older schools and all new schools and buildings are engineered to ensure optimum sustainability,” Dr Day said.
Eco Community assists all non-profit organisations reduce energy consumption and has an exclusive contract with the procurement arm of the Catholic Church to oversee energy efficiency programs within Australia.
Mr Fitzgerald said this project was a game-changer.
“Great results are delivered by great partnerships, in both sport and in business,” Mr Fitzgerald said.
“This Townsville-driven project is an extraordinary example of leadership and relevance in Australia’s business community.
“This is a game changer. It’s a win for Townsville and for Australia.”
Other dioceses are now starting to follow the Townsville Catholic Education lead, recognising the long-term economic and environmental benefits of the investment.
