Sustainable Campuses

TropEco is committed to reducing waste, encouraging reuse and increasing recycling rates at all of our campuses. Learn about what goes in what bin and more about our waste systems, including how you can help, at the  JCU Recycling and Waste page.

JCU encourages students and staff to use sustainable transport when travelling to and from campus. TropEco has implemented several sustainable transport initiatives, including our Green Bike Fleet and associated Bicycle Workshops at the Cairns and Townsville campuses. TropEco's award-winning Green Bike Fleet program repairs second-hand bicycles and sells them at low cost to JCU students.

Sustainable transport options at JCU include:

• Cycling
• Walking
• Carpooling
• Electric scooters for hire (Townsville campus)
• Using public transport - Sunbus Timetables

JCU's campuses and research sites are uniquely bio-diverse, featuring tropical ecosystems including wet tropical rainforest, dry tropical savanna and fringing coral reefs. See our "Caring for the Environment - Life on Land and Below water" page for all the great TropEco activities taking place on JCU tropical campuses.

Research sites

Daintree Rainforest Observatory

Orpheus Island Research Station

Fletcherview Research Station

JCU is a leader in energy management at its Townsville and Cairns campuses. The award-winning energy management program has resulted in savings to JCU of over $10 million since 2009, with greenhouse gas emissions reductions of over 10,600 tonnes per year. JCU continues to work to ensure its campuses, buildings and sites are energy efficient.

JCU is working to increase renewable energy use on its campuses.  Solar power installations are in place at the Daintree Rainforest Observatory and Orpheus Island Research Station. The JCU Townsville campus has solar installations at the Science Place and Rotary House. Cairns campus has a solar installation on the JCU Ideas Lab.

Award-Winning Energy Management

Campus District Cooling System

Energy Management System (EMS)

Energy and Water Action Plan

JCU realises the importance of conserving water (see also our Sustainability at JCU information) and is implementing measures to reduce water use (see also our Caring for the Environment page). These include:

• Installation of rainwater tanks on new buildings, such as the Boatshed in Cairns and ATSIP in Townsville.
• Education and awareness programs for staff and students.
• Reuse of old cooling tower tanks to store storm and bore water for irrigation.
• Use of bore water and stormwater to irrigate grounds.
• Improved irrigation practices, metering and monitoring.
• Installation of water efficient showers and tap fittings.
• Installation of water efficient fittings and toilets in all new and refurbished buildings.
• Installation of additional sub-metering and connection to the JCU energy management system to identify usage patterns and faults.
• Working with Townsville City Council to minimise irrigation use and comply with water restrictions.