The City of Newcastle's Environment and Climate Change Services (ECCS) unit delivers a range of programs to help make our local community a more sustainable place to live, work and learn.

Council has been a leader in energy management for over two decades. In 1998, a business unit (formerly the Australian Municipal Energy Improvement Facility (AMEIF) and then City Energy and Resource Management) was created to show local governments throughout Australia and internationally how to profitably reduce carbon emissions. The scope of the ECCS unit has since expanded and is now focused on:

• Working with our residents and businesses to help them use energy and resources more efficiently and save money.
• Providing schools with access to a range of sustainability tools and resources and providing environmental education opportunities for students and teachers.
• Building strong relationships with our community through increased awareness of the role and value of environmental assets.
• Working with the community and key external stakeholders, such as Hunter Water, to create a water sensitive city of the future.
• Facilitating public and private partnerships to deliver community and business projects.
• Improving the resource efficiency and operational costs of Council's own facilities.

ECCS has consulted with hundreds of local governments and businesses throughout Australia and internationally to provide practical information and strategies to profitably reduce resource consumption and carbon emissions.

Contact ECCS

Phone: 02 4974 2565 or
Fax: 02 4974 2503
Email: mail@ncc.nsw.gov.au

Recognised for Excellence

The City of Newcastle's achievements in energy and resource management within our own operations and throughout the Newcastle community has been acknowledged at a state, national and international level. Awards include:

• Green Globe Award Winner - Public Sector - ClimateCam (Jun 2009)
• Winner of the National Award for Excellence & Joint Category Winner for Leading Community Greenhouse Actions - ClimateCam - International Test Laboratory , National Awards for Local Government sponsored by the Australian Government (Jun 2009)
• United Nations Association of Australia, World Environment Day Award Finalist Local Government Award: ClimateCam, Best Specific Environmental Initiative (2008)
• National Winner for Outstanding and Sustained Achievements-Greenhouse Action in Newcastle Programs, National Awards for Local Government sponsored by the Australian Greenhouse Office (Nov 2005)
• Category Winner for Local Greenhouse Action - GAIN Plan Programs National Awards for Local Government (Nov 2005)
• Winner Industry Partnership Program, Department of Environment and Conservation NSW Best Local Government Partner, Cleaner Production (Apr 2005)
• Winner Industry Partnership Program, Department of Environment and Conservation NSW Best Cleaner Production Cluster (Apr 2005)
• Award of Commendation Energy and Water Green Globe Awards NSW - Greenhouse Action in Newcastle (GAIN) Plan (Aug 2004)
• Winner United Nations World Environment Day Award Local Government - ClimateCam (May 2002)
• Winner Local Government Excellence in the Environment Greenhouse Action in Newcastle (GAIN) Plan (Oct 2001)
• April 2000 Finalist ICLEI International Local Initiatives Awards Excellence in Atmospheric Protection (international)
• Winner Environmentally Friendly and Renewable Energy Practices Keep Australia Beautiful, NSW (Nov 1999)
• Winners National Innovation Awards in Local Government Environment Category (Oct 1999)
• SEDA Energy Smart Champion Award Presented to Peter Dormand (Dec 1998)
• Winner Energy Efficiency / Greenhouse - NSW Local Government Excellence in the Environment Awards (Nov 1998)
• Award of Commendation Illuminating Engineers Society for Australia and New Zealand (Oct 1998)
• Overall Winner 1996/97 Local Government Energy Efficiency Award (Dec 1997)
• National Trust Heritage Award Illumination Newcastle (Oct 1997)
• SEDA Commendation Award Outstanding Achievement for Implementation of Sustainable Energy Projects (Feb 1997)
• Winner Energy Conservation Keep Australia Beautiful Award (June 1996).