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Environmental
Sustainability
Loreto Kirribilli is committed to environmental sustainability, inspiring our community to care for our common home by being mindful and informed agents for change. Loreto Kirribilli Environmental Sustainability Vision Statement
A Message from the Environment Council and School Executive
In his second encyclical Laudato Si’ - On care for our common home, Pope Francis calls for urgent action to protect our beautiful planet. He critiques consumerism and irresponsible development, laments environmental degradation and global warming, and calls all people of the world to take "swift and unified global action".
With the development of our award-winning Environmental Sustainability framework, we have an environmental strategy to take us into a cleaner, more efficient, more biodiverse, and more responsible 2030. The framework addresses the material topics of biodiversity, energy efficiency, carbon management, climate risk, food, transport and refurbishment. The Environmental subcommittee of the School Board includes student representatives as well as parent and staff members.
Loreto Kirribilli continues to implement sustainability initiatives, focusing on energy generation and consumption, waste and plastics reduction, and local environment improvement. In every corner of our campus we are finding ways to reduce, regenerate, reuse, and recycle.
At the same time, our Student Leaders have made a commitment to inspire our school community towards effective, realistic and meaningful targets for environmental sustainability. We look forward to supporting our students with these ambitious goals with the school community in 2024, our Year of Freedom of Sincerity, and beyond.
Loreto Kirribilli Environmental Sustainability Framework
We worked with KPMG to develop an environmental strategic framework informed by broad consultation and surveys of key internal and external stakeholders to determine the material environmental topics of greatest importance to the school. These topics were validated and prioritised by the school leadership and resulted in 4 key focus areas being:
- Emissions reduction
- Sustainable consumption
- Natural abundance and
- Environmental literacy
Sustainability Initiatives
Emission Reduction
- Solar panels on roof of Junior School.
- Solar panels in design and DA approval stage for across Senior School. Green Fund set up for donations to fund this.
- Energy-efficient LED lighting throughout school buildings.
- Smart metering for air-conditioning.
- Window upgrade program to improve airflow and reduce air conditioning consumption.
- Energy-efficient electrical appliance replacement scheme.
- Rooftop planting to assist with cooling.
- All Senior School students strongly encouraged to travel to and from school via public transport.
- Staff carpooling and alternate transport encouraged.
- Bicycle racks installed.
- Open letter from students to parents and school community on travelling to school.
- Electric vehicle charge unit installed in school car park.
Sustainable Consumption
- Rainwater tanks in Junior School for water recycling
- Water fountains installed throughout Junior and Senior School campus
- Recycling bins in use throughout the school
- ‘Return and Earn’ recycling program implemented
- Sale of single-use plastic water bottles ceased in Canteen
- Second-hand uniforms available for purchase online
- Annual Parents & Friends’ sale of second-hand uniforms
- Second-hand textbooks sales
- Junior School furniture shipped to East Timor to be reused
- Computers and other hardware sold for reuse
- Wooden bamboo forks & recyclable containers used in Canteen
- Keep cup Challenge competition across House Groups
- Collection of disposable cups into repository for recycle
- Digital Transformation and Sustainable Workflows & Practices
- Online textbooks
- Consent, permission and registration forms completed online through parent portal, Kirri
- Ongoing migration to paperless workflows across all areas
- School weekly newsletters and quarterly magazine distributed digitally
- Centralised resource purchasing to reduce waste
- Recycled Clothing Store fundraiser day held at school
- Purchasing Policy informed by environmental sustainability e.g. eco-friendly toilet paper, limited use of damaging chemicals
Natural Abundance
- On-site vegetable and herb garden
- Garden Master Plan includes design principles around sustainability: less water use, more shade, better cooling, more insect life and incorporating indigenous species suited to microclimate
- We recently re-homed a swarming colony of bees
- Campus trial of native bee hives
Environmental Literacy
- Year 5 Solar Buddies Program in partnership with Origin Energy.
- Thinking & Advocacy elective offered in Year 9 where students learn about global issues and develop skills in advocating for change.
- Sustainability-themed project work integrated throughout elements of the curriculum.
- Design & Technology Faculty design and create sustainable products e.g. recycled clothing, plastic-free packaging.
- Geography curriculum and excursions focused on our environment.
- English, Studies of Religion, Technical & Applied Studies Sustainability Stewardship Project in Year 9.
- Ongoing student-led initiatives and campaigns throughout the school year e.g. Laudato Si, Earth Week, Earth Hour, National Recycling Week.
- Student learning opportunities through Taronga Conservation Society including monthly webinar available to all schools.
- UNSW Solar Industrial Research Facility gives students exposure to world-class solar energy research and development.
- NRMA Future of Transport Competition - STEM unit of work addresses real-world transport issues in Sydney.
- Communications through surveys and discussion groups on perceptions and attitudes to Climate Change and the Environment.
- Established an interschool debating competition with our brother school St Aloysius' College on the topic of Environment.
- Ex-Students’ Union, Parents & Friends and LK Connect involved in promoting and supporting sustainable initiatives.
Student Agency
- Student-led JPICD Environment Council promotes responsible and accountable stewardship of the planet, and raises awareness of local and global environmental injustices.
- Students have lobbied Federal Members of Parliament regarding environmental stewardship.
- Student letter writing to large lorporations and Governments, advocating change e.g. plastics recycling.
- Student representation on Environmental Subcommittee of the School Board.
- Environmental Sustainability Framework completed and communicated to the community.
Spiritus Project
- Design and construction of Spiritus informed by green principles
- Water Conservation: rainwater collection and reuse facility incorporated in the design; landscaping with endemic native species; fire control systems include recirculation and storage to minimise water wastage for testing; highly water-efficient fixtures and fittings
- Flexibility - Services: flat slabs designed to maximise future reconfigurations of services; reticulation of power and data uses flexible systems to enable multiple usage modes
- Flexibility - Structure: structural columns have maximum spans and are located to the perimeter of each learning space to enable maximum flexibility
- Energy Efficiency: fans contribute to air movement and improve air-conditioning efficiency by promoting airflow; next-generation LED lighting with automatic dimming
- Circulation: design encourages the use of stairs over lifts
- Façade Design: façade with integral sun shading provides 50% shading across its surface while allowing a high level of daylight penetration
- Mechanical Design - Fresh Air: mechanical design maximises outdoor air supply to ensure CO2 levels are kept below 800ppm
- Mechanically Assisted Natural Ventilation: innovative economy cycle within air-conditioning fan coil units to ensure the most efficient system operation
- Wellbeing: filtration and monitoring of drinking water quality; lighting design produces light that matches the daylight spectrum; reduction in sources of indoor air pollution through materials selections and highly filtered air
- Learn more about the environmental sustainability features of the new Spiritus building
- These green principles now incorporated into the school’s Master Plan for future projects
Environmental sustainability is important to all those who are part of the Loreto Kirribilli community. Our Environmental Sustainability Framework will address the material topics of biodiversity, energy efficiency, carbon management, climate risk, food, transport, waste management, construction and refurbishment as we consult with the school community to develop a holistic strategy.
Robert Magner, Loreto Kirribilli Sustainability Champion
My Nori eco-packaging line is designed to combat the alarming issue of plastic pollution in society by providing a sustainable alternative. Made from my algae-derived bioplastic and embedded seeded paper, my design is 100% biodegradable, compostable and recyclable.
Year 12 2022 TAS student Alex
