Sustainable campus operations
A key priority of UWA 2030 is to embed sustainability and fair-trade principles across all aspects of campus operations. A key pillar of this strategy is building a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable University.
More information on environmental sustainability in campus operations is available in the Environmental Sustainability Strategy. Our sustainability performance within the priority areas – energy, carbon, water, waste and biodiversity is available in the Sustainable Campus Dashboard.
Sustainable Campus operations
Climate
UWA is committed to managing climate risks and building resilience to the impacts of climate change. We are assessing material climate risks and identifying opportunities to support the transition to a net-zero society.
As part of the Australasian Campuses Towards Sustainability Climate Scenario Working Group, UWA collaborated with 12 other Australian universities to develop sector-specific climate scenarios that will be used to inform climate risk assessments and adaptation planning.
Energy and carbon
UWA has been a CARBON NEUTRAL campus since 2025. Greenhouse gas emissions from our operations, generated largely from energy use, has been abated through securing wind-generated renewable energy for electricity, specifically from Yandin Wind Farm, and the purchase of carbon offsets associated with kelp reforestation research conducted by the UWA Oceans Institute. UWA also pursues on-site initiatives such as expanding on our 300kW of solar PV and ongoing energy efficiency and electrification efforts.
We are also working to measure and reduce Scope 3 emissions. The Carbon Neutral Events Program supports staff and students to reduce and offset emissions from campus events.
Nature
The 2020 Crawley Campus Masterplan promotes this vision, proposing biodiversity corridors and cultural walks that connect the campus to the Derbal Yerrigan (Swan River) and Kaarta Koomba (Kings Park).
Water
UWA is committed to responsible water management in response to declining rainfall across south-west Western Australia. Our efforts focus on conservation, water-sensitive landscape design, and protecting ecosystems from climate and pollution impacts.
Key initiatives include using recycled water for irrigation at McGillivray Sports Park, water- efficient fixtures, closed-loop process water systems in research facilities, and water- sensitive urban design in our developments.
Waste
UWA promotes circular economy principles through sustainable procurement, efficient resource use, and minimising and diverting waste. The University integrates sustainability into procurement decisions and seeks improved outcomes across its value chain.
Reuse and recycling hubs are available for organic waste, containers, e-waste, polystyrene, textiles, batteries and much more. Campus-wide collection points are available via the Campus Map. Further information on our recycling streams is available here.
Get in touch
If you have any queries, please reach out to our Sustainability team.