FMD NEWSLETTER

EARLY START FACILITY

The Early Start Facility is a strategic teaching, research and community engagement initiative which, in a world first collaborative scheme, will deliver a new generation of graduates to work with young children aged from 0-12. It will include specialist teaching and research spaces, a Children’s Discovery Centre and the hub for Early Start Engagement Centres (ESECs).

The Children’s Discovery Centre will provide more than 2,000 square metres of activity/exhibit space, outdoor exploration courtyards and discovery galleries supported by administrative and technical facilities.

The Facility will connect an initial 38 ESECs across NSW. Located primarily in areas of disadvantage, the 38 childcare and community centres are active participants that have significantly contributed to the Facility design and provided the critical geographical reach.

The Early Start Facility’s funding comprises $31 million through the Federal Government’s Education Investment Fund (EIF), $7 million from a philanthropic gift from a private donor, representing the biggest single donation ever made to UOW, and the University providing the balance.

Three storeys and 9,300m² the building was designed during 2012, with construction intended to start early 2013. Preparation works have also commenced, including relocation of affected user groups, relocation of Building 21 ITS Hub and existing artworks in the proposed construction site.

The overall facility is due to open in 2015.

STUDENT ACCOMMODATION

In 2012, construction of the new Kooloobong Village 360 bed student accommodation building continued. The $42 million project will significantly increase the number of students able to be housed on the Wollongong campus, and will include a mix of single and four bedroom units over five levels. The first stage of construction will include the release of 240 units, and will be completed early in 2013.

Features of the residence will include barbeque facilities, landscaped outdoor communal areas, a volleyball court and half basketball court, recreation areas and meeting facilities. Secure undercover parking for cars, motorcycles and bicycles will also be provided for the use of residents.

The project includes a number of green initiatives including rainwater harvesting, energy and water efficient fittings and sustainable construction techniques.

Stage 2 is scheduled for completion in mid-2013.

HEALTH AND WELLBEING SPACE UOW Wellbeing is a Student Amenities Fee (SAF) funded initiative which aims to build the capacity of students to be proactive in managing their health and wellbeing during their degree and beyond as alumni. The service will provide students with valuable resources, tools and connections to new and existing services, both on campus and in the community.

The project was undertaken by FMD, to design and construct a ‘wellbeing’ space, with the general concept of the space feeling open, playful, bringing nature indoors and to definitely not be like a 'corporate office'.

The project was completed on schedule and under budget.

Note: The Wellbeing Centre is located on the lower ground floor, of Building 11 (UniCentre). For more information on UOW Wellbeing and its initiatives visit the Student Wellbeing website .

RELOCATION OF EXISTING CAMPUS ARTWORKS To make way for the ‘Early Start Project’, FMD is engaged to relocate two artworks on Campus.

(Below left) May Barrie, Viva Solaris c. 1976, Angaston marble, 180 x 38 x 38 cm. Purchased 1977. Reference: Amanda Lawson (2012), A Place for Art: The University of Wollongong Art Collection, University of Wollongong Press. This Artwork has moved to the McKinnon Lawn in Early 2013.

(Below right) Burt Flugelman, Gateway to Mount Keira c. 1973, stainless steel, 4m x 8m. 'Gateway to Mount Keira' or as it is also known 'Wave' is the culmination to date of Flugelman's use of the wave shape in his art since 1973. 'Gateway to Mount Keira' is the last work to date using the wave form and is a more than an adequate summation of what Flugelman was trying to achieve with it in his painting. Even the rough polish on the surface is a substitute for the brush marks on a canvas. It is both a framing device, its monumental scale frames the landscape through its negative space and it is a part of the landscape itself, resolving the disparity between figure and ground. This Artwork has moved to the front of Building 9.

SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS RESEARCH CENTRE (SBRC)

Construction has commenced on the latest iC Building – the Sustainable Buildings Research Centre. This building will push the boundaries of sustainability with targets of zero net energy and water, the design benchmark.

The building was completed late 2012.

WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING.... ? ENVIRONMENT UNIT ENERGY UPDATE

During 2012 the Environment Manager and Energy Manager jointly developed and submitted a new Energy Savings Action Plan for the next 5 years. The external lollipop lighting upgrade was tendered and replacement samples have been installed for review. Throughout 2012 the Energy Manager was working on upgrades and additions to the metering system, including the addition of the accommodation services' sites. Additionally there were a number of de-lamping projects undertaken including Building 8 where fifty percent of the corridor lights were de-lamped and similar work in Building 19 has begun. LED lighting has been trialled in the Library and this may continue into a retrofitting project in 2013. UOW participated in Earth Hour and promoted the ‘I will, if you will’ message across campus using a vox pop video featuring the Vice-Chancellor.

WATER UPDATE

UOW installed a new water tank near Oval 1 during 2012. This tank provides an additional 367 kilolitres of rainwater storage to the University’s capacity, which now totals over 2 million litres.

WASTE UPDATE

Mobile phone and toner cartridge recycling facilities continue to be provided at designated locations across campus. The electronic waste recycling collection was held in April and September and resulted in 1,090 items being diverted from landfill; that is a total of 11,491.31 kilograms of waste. ESI staff continue to educate staff about correct recycling bins and procedures.

CAMPUS ENGAGEMENT

2012 saw the start of a new group of Environmental Advisory Committee representatives. The representatives meet on a bi-monthly basis to discuss and progress sustainability research, teaching and engagement on campus. A Bushcare Club was started in 2012 in coordination with the Wollongong City Council Bushcare program. The group work on sites on Wollongong Campus and near the Innovation Campus. In August, Leon Fuller conducted an engaging campus tree tour as part of UOW’s celebration of National Tree Day. Leon was one of the early landscape employees at UOW, and imparted his great knowledge about the history of the trees on the site. SustainAbility, UOW’s Green Office Program, was launched and implemented in 2012 (this is detailed separately).

Education students and Lisa Miller were involved with educating primary school students about marine life as they showcased the Marine Touch Pond at several primary schools and In2Uni events. UOW supported the NSW Nature Conservation Foundation’s 100% Ready Clean Energy Forum by providing a venue for this community engagement activity.

TRANSPORT UPDATE

2012 saw a continued push for staff and students to adopt sustainable modes of transportation. Both UOW-supported shuttle services were revised and changes were well-received with continued high patronage. Additional services were added to the Gwynneville-Keiraville shuttle route, while the North Gong shuttle timetable was modified such that two-thirds of the trips travel directly between North Wollongong station and Northfields Avenue bus terminal, enabling more trips and

faster journey times. An additional six services per day were added to Busways’ Campbelltown-UOW service, taking the total number of trips to 14 per day; a great win for our Macarthur area commuters.

Sustainable transport options and a reduced reliance on cars were promoted through a range of campaigns, including ‘You can’t do this while driving’, ‘We carpool because’, ‘Dude, where’s my bus?’ (promoting the UOW Shuttle App), ‘Ditch the car and boost your step count’ (promoting active transport during the Global Corporate Challenge); and the Transport Ninja campaign during O-Week. A new online carpool-matching service, Jayride, was adopted to further promote the ‘3 for free’ carpool parking. Events held throughout the year, including the Sustainable Transport Brekky, Ride to Uni Day and ‘3 for free’ carpooling relaunch, were successful in increasing the visibility of sustainable transport options on campus.

The secure Bike Base facilities were well-utilised and we continue to work with local government to improve cycling facilities throughout Wollongong. Master planning of the Northfields Avenue precinct to provide improved access for pedestrians and cyclists, is ongoing.

SUSTAINABILITY, UOW’S GREEN OFFICE PROGRAM

On World Environment Day, 5 June, the Vice-Chancellor launched ‘sustainAbility, UOW’s Green Office Program’ on behalf of the ESI Unit. The celebration included a powerful artistic performance and audiovisual installation by UOW Creative Arts

graduate, David Jackson. A different topic of environmental impact was focussed upon every two months. The Environment Champions on campus were involved in communicating the key messages about that issue to staff in their areas and conducting activities such as energy audits to reduce our environmental footprint. Additionally, Lisa Miller, UOW’s Environment Manager, presented at numerous staff meetings about the program and UOW’s energy profile in an effort to communicate the importance of switching off and reducing our energy consumption.

During September, the ESI unit hosted a water tour and water stall. The tour aimed to educate staff about the water storage on campus and how that water is used. Did you know that the toilets on the ground and first floor of the McKinnon building are flushed using the rainwater from the 500 kilolitre tank under the McKinnon lawn? The stall involved a water taste test and promoted the use of reusable water bottles to students. iPads were used to demonstrate how staff and students can locate the 43 bubblers and refill points on campus and water tanks using the beta map. Students who guessed the tap water correctly were given a free aluminium water bottle donated by Sydney Water. The event was covered by the Illawarra Mercury.

In October and November the focus shifted to waste and recycling. Several popular events were held including a composting workshop and a tour of Flagstaff’s paper recycling facility to celebrate National Recycling Week. Staff were invited to participate by holding a 'Friday File Fling' in their office. This Planet Ark initiative aims to increase office paper recycling rates and raise awareness of recycling issues. Throughout November, ESI staff and EAC representatives also ran the ‘Spotted’ campaign, a competition promoting use of reusable coffee cups on campus.

During December we returned to energy and encouraged staff to think and act to reduce energy use while on holidays. The Unit also ran a popular lunchtime seminar about energy savings in the home. The December toolkit included two guides encouraging people to consider sustainability when organising their work Christmas party and how to have a 'green Christmas'.

The messages for each month were communicated across campus using the digital signage network, emails and posters. The first seven months of the program were conducted as a pilot and in January 2013, the ESI unit will review the program, the outcomes and feedback from the staff involved, in an effort to improve it for the coming year.

Overall it was a jam-packed, activity-filled program and the Unit look forward to further developing it in 2013!

Staff attended the water tour during September as part of SustainAbility, UOW’s green office program.

Flagstaff recycling showcased their paper recycling facility in Unanderra for staff during November.

UniCentre’s Centre for Student Engagement staff had fun at their 'File Fling' event.

This staff member was spotted using a Keep Cup.

GARDEN GIVES GREEN THUMBS GROWING ROOM

August 2012 marked the start of the patio garden at Building 25 (Faculty of Creative Arts) which was officially launched in October when it was blooming with delicious delights. The garden is made up of six individual raised corrugated iron beds and two wine barrel beds filled with limes, oranges, strawberries, blueberries, leafy greens, tomatoes, beans and herbs. The garden was created by a group of students from the Happy Bellies Food Co-op, the Enviro Collective, as well as staff from the Faculty of Creative Arts, Faculty of Education and Environmental and Sustainability Initiatives (ESI) Unit. The benefits of the garden have not only been food production; the community garden has reinvigorated what was previously an under-utilised space.

The group has also created a second garden space which contains three no-dig garden beds planted out with pumpkins, cucumbers, tomatoes, herbs, artichokes, beetroot, mint and chives. The resources to set up the gardens were provided by the ESI Unit and Faculty of Creative Arts. Gardeners meet every Friday from 1.00 - 2.00pm for an hour of planting, weeding, watering and harvesting. All interested staff and students are welcome. In 2013 there will also be regular food swaps using harvest from people’s home gardens and the communal gardens.

MAINTENANCE UNIT

Successful planning and delivery of preventative and corrective maintenance requirements for essential building services across UOW campus.

Delivery of approximately $2 million worth of major maintenance including HVAC, electrical, and civil works projects.

Maintenance staff Mark Aikman, Pino Genua, Mark Stephenson and Peter Sparkowski were presented with a Workplace Health and Safety Award in 2012 for a 'Best Solution for a Workplace Hazard'. They developed a safe work system for working on University roofs, designed to minimise the risk of falls from heights.

UOW SECURITY

During 2012, UOW Security developed SafeZone and it ran as a pilot on campus during the Spring 2012 session.

SafeZone is a FREE app for iOS and Android that connects you directly to UOW Security when you need help.

HELP Call: If you need assistance from UOW Security, tap the HELP button. You will be connected directly to speak with Security, and they will know your location.

FIRST AID Call: If you need medical assistance, tap the FIRST AID button. UOW Security will know your location and will direct a qualified First Aider to assist you.

DURESS Alarm: If you feel threatened or need urgent assistance, tap the DURESS button. UOW Security will know your location, try to contact you and come to your location.

Campus Notifications: If there is an incident on campus that requires you to take action, UOW Security may send you a message, together with advice and instructions about what you should do.

Privacy: SafeZone does not track your location until you send an alarm or make a call. All information you provide as a SafeZone user is protected by Privacy Laws.

SafeZone covers the area bounded by the red border on the map below. If you are registered with the UOW Wollongong Campus SafeZone and make a call or send an alarm from within this area, it will be received by UOW Security. If you are out of the area your app will direct you to a 000 call and connect you to the appropriate Australian 000 emergency call centre.