Sustainable Community

The QPRC Community Climate Change Action Plan 2020 to 2030(PDF, 11MB)  recognises the important role the community has in addressing climate change and highlights measures the community can take  to mitigate and adapt to climate change  with the assistance or advocacy of Council. The 79  actions  are  organised  into  seven  categories: Energy, Transport, Waste,  Water, Adaptation, Education, and Natural & Urban Environment.

The  plan  commits  Council  in  supporting  the  NSW  Government’s  goal  of  reaching net-zero ‘community emissions’ by 2050 or earlier.

Spend less on your energy bills and reduce your impact on the environment without compromising on comfort, by making your home more energy efficient and conserving energy.

Please visit the following link for tips for saving power around your home https://www.energy.gov.au/households/household-guides/5-ideas-saving-energy-and-money

Solar

A solar system generates electricity for your home on sunny days and helps you avoid paying for electricity from the grid and reduces your emissions.  The Clean Energy Council offers free guides to buying and installing solar for households to explain everything you need to know about the process of purchasing, installing, and maintaining your solar system. 

Visit the Clean Energy Council for more information

Additional DA and heritage information

The installation of solar panels generally does not require development approval and is considered exempt development unless the proposal does not meet the pre-set criteria under clause 39 of State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure). Please note some restrictions still apply. 

Solar-battery system

A home solar-battery sits alongside your standard household electrical system and includes solar panels one or two inverters, a battery, and an energy management system.

A solar-battery system will help you store your excess solar energy for use at night or early morning when you need it.  The system will help you save money,  reduce emissions and potentially provide backup power during blackouts.

Buying or building a home is one of the most important financial investments people make. Many of the homes we build today will still be in use in 50 or even 100 years.

Decisions made early on can affect the liveability of your home and the cost of living for decades to come. These choices can support your home to be liveable and adaptable to changing needs so that it remains comfortable, efficient and cost-effective in the long term.

Design principles and climate-appropriate features incorporated in your home can make a home more affordable and comfortable over its lifespan.

Your Home is Australia’s independent guide to designing, building or renovating homes to ensure they are energy efficient, comfortable, affordable and adaptable for the future. Please visit https://www.yourhome.gov.au/

Making sustainable choices about your transport and travel is good for you and the environment. Choosing sustainable travel can help you to save time and money, meet people, easily incorporate exercise into your day and embrace new experiences.

• Cycling is a sustainable form of transport that uses renewable energy, your legs
• Public transport is safer and less stressful than travelling by car and produces far less pollution. QPRC has several public transport options including rideshares services, buses, trains, and taxis
• Carpooling is an extremely cost-effective option that is often useful in workplaces or for school runs
• Electric vehicles are a sustainable transport option when powered by renewable energy

In June 2020, Council adopted the Integrated Transport Strategy (ITS) and the Pedestrian and Bike Plans (also known as Pedestrian and Mobility Plans or PAMPs) for Braidwood, Bungendore, and Queanbeyan. These will guide the development of road and public transport options into the future with a focus on key transport issues such as interactions between transport and land use, transport safety, traffic congestion and parking. View and download the Strategies here.

You can help secure our water future by continuing to be water wise. By using less water each day, you can help to conserve this precious resource. Please visit Water NSW for tips for saving water around your home: https://www.waternsw.com.au/water-quality/education/exhibitions/water-for-life-exhibition/timeline2/be-water-wise

Worm farming and composting are fantastic ways to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill while feeding your garden with organic fertiliser. Compost Revolution provides free online tutorials, guides and workshops to help you set up your dream system!

If you live in Captains Flat, Braidwood or Bungendore you can place your food scraps into a council supplied compostable bag and then into your ‘City To Soil’ green organics bin.