Government reporting requirements
Under State law, RMIT is required to comply with the Environmental Resource Efficiency Plans (EREP), which is administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
This program requires commercial companies that use over 100 terajoules (TJ) of energy or 120 megalitres (ML) of water per year to develop a plan to reduce resource use and minimise waste.
- A combined assessment of water and energy use and waste generation at all sites;
- The development and approval of an Environment and Resource Efficiency Plan that lists what actions are being taken within a three-year pay back period;
- The implementation of the EREP; and
- Report on EREP progress.
When a company has reduced its energy or water use under the trigger threshold within the payback period, the EREP is no longer required. The company has seven years to achieve this goal.
RMIT has registered with this State program and has taken steps to develop a University-wide Water Management Plan. RMIT submits a WaterMAPS (Management Action Plan) Annual Report, which contains a report on RMIT’s water consumption and details of actions taken to conserve water and future plans for further reductions in water usage, to City West Water and Yarra Valley Water.
RMIT is in discussion with the State Government Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development (DIIRD) regarding the adoption of Sustainable Campus Group reporting guidelines for the TAFE division.
RMIT also reports greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption and production in accordance with the Federal Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts’ National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007.