Engineering and Environmental Services

In light of the environmental and sustainability issues confronting our world today, Mater has made a commitment to reducing our ecological footprint, and we are doing as much as we possibly can to be environmentally friendly.

Engineering and Environmental Services (EES) have played a large part in the development of initiatives, particularly in water management, to help Mater reach its sustainability goals.

In May, with heavy water restrictions set in place for all residents and businesses in south east Queensland, Mater was watching every drop and progressing a number of water-saving initiatives.

Water tanks were installed across campus, including a 120,000 L tank in the new Mothers’ Hospitals. Mater also modified a number of systems that traditionally used water in a more wasteful manner, saving hundreds of thousands of litres of water per annum.

EES replaced shower heads and flow restrictors on all taps, estimated to save about 16 ML and 28 ML per year respectively. Work also began on fitting water efficiency devices to urinals to save a total of 1 ML per year, and dual flush cisterns to replace the old single flush systems, with expected savings of around 34 ML a year.

The EES team have also organised a program to recover plastic bottles from across campus, allowing the recycling of a valuable resource that would otherwise go to waste. Last year the plastic bottles were innovatively recycled to make a bench seat.

EES continues to search for new and innovative ways to reduce Mater’s impact on the environment, including the introduction of a Complexwide Sustainability Committee.