CSU Green manager William Adlong said the Bronze Partnership in the Sustainability Advantage program was an exciting achievement for the university, which has made big savings on all its campuses.

In Wagga, new buildings such as the dentistry complex have been equipped with a range of features including power saving measures and special panels outside which reduce the amount of heat that enters the building, reducing the need for air-conditioning.

Mr Adlong said the university had decided to go green as part of its strategic planning, with targets put in place as to how much water and energy the university would like to save.

“We have a goal of carbon neutrality by 2015,” he said.

But targets are already being met across the university.

Mr Adlong said there had been a target of reducing water usage by 25 per cent compared to its 2006 level by 2011.

“Water we’ve gone from 750 megalitres down to 500Ml already,” he said.

While the Wagga campus has spent $600,000 on environmentally friendly changes, much of that cost could be recouped over time with savings in energy bills.

The university is always coming up with new ideas of ways to save energy, with students and staff encouraged to get involved.

“One of the ways that we have been engaging our staff is last year we introduced a grant system,” Mr Adlong said.

Participants can come up with an idea, follow it through and later see it become a reality.

Grants of up to $15,000 are available per project so ideas can be turned into a reality.

More information about what the university is doing can be found by visiting the CSU Green website at www.csu.edu.au/services/green/ind ex.htm