Hunter New England Local Health District has ambitious targets for reaching net zero and as part of their program, engaged NSW Public Works to manage the delivery of several sustainability initiatives across their regional footprint, including their solar and Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program.
Under the program, solar has been installed at 35 sites, lighting has been upgraded to LED at 32 sites and existing infrastructure is being upgraded to supply and install ~100 electric vehicle charging stations.
Rolling out a sustainability program in regional areas is not without its challenges, and the leadership team wanted to bring the hearts and minds of the whole organisation, and the communities they serve, along on the journey.
Business cases were developed to reflect the payback periods for the various initiatives, and to assist in sourcing funding for the programs. In some cases, the funding was in the form of loans, which were paid back from the savings generated from reduced electricity costs.
The program development included procurement strategies to use local contractors wherever possible and the delivery had to take into consideration working in operating health facilities and attempting to minimise disruption. Stakeholder consultation was undertaken to address any concerns – like using EVs in regional areas.
This program has resulted in multiple lessons learnt, which will be outlined in the presentation.