Free Bus Is Finalist In Energy Efficiency Awards
massey-university
Thu Oct 11 2007 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)
Free Bus Is Finalist In Energy Efficiency Awards
Thursday, 11 October 2007, 4:43 pm
Press Release: Massey University
Massey free bus service chosen as finalist in national energy efficiency awards
The Palmerston North campus unlimited access free bus service is a finalist in this year's Energywise Awards run by the Government's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority.
The service, which carries about half a million passengers a year, began in 2005 as a way of cutting back car use, reducing congestion on campus and to provide cost-saving benefit to students and staff as well as an environmental benefit to the community.
It was so successful it halved the numbers who used cars to get to the campus sites at Turitea and Hokowhitu and trebled the numbers of bus users. More than one in four students now use it and it is calculated to save each of them an average $1050 a year in avoided vehicle running costs and parking charges.
After the millionth passenger was carried in less than two years, the University decided to extend what had been a two-year trial until 2012. It was hailed last year by the then Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Dr Morgan Williams as an example that other university cities should follow.
Campus transport plan co-ordinator Ken McEwen says the service has attracted national and international recognition. "I gave a presentation in Canberra earlier this month about it and already we've got people from a university in Queensland coming out to see how it works.
"It's exceeded all expectations. It achieves total fuel savings of $25,000 a week, a 10,000kg reduction in weekly carbon dioxide emissions and has cut the University's carbon footprint by more than 500 tonnes a year."
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The service is funded by the University, the Horizons (Manawatu-Wanganui) Regional Council and Land Transport New Zealand. It costs about $750,000 a year.
The service is one of six finalists in the public sector category of the Energywise Awards. Others are the Palmerston North City Council's renewable energy self sufficiency project, Christchurch's landfill gas heating QEII pool project and energy efficiency projects run by Waitakere City, Hutt Valley health board and Auckland's Watercare Services.
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority chief executive Mike Underhill says there were 150 entries this year - almost double last year's - and 27 were selected as finalists.
"Smart energy management is something successful businesses and organisations now see as part of their everyday planning," says Mr Underhill. "All the successful finalists have saved money and resources by factoring efficiency or renewable energy principles into what they do."
The winners will be announced at a function in Auckland on 1 November.
For further information about the awards www.eeca.govt.nz
ENDS
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