GGAA 2013 - Skills for Sustainability - Victoria University - Finalist

Victoria University (VU) students undertook the green challenge of converting a heritage listed house into a sustainable EcoLiving Centre (ELC), the first of its kind in Melbourne’s West. VU combined with corporate and community partners, to retrofit the existing Albion Community House with sustainable features to develop an ELC and successfully promote sustainable living to the community. The project was supported by a $300k grant from the Victorian Government Sustainability Fund, and financial and in-kind support from all of its partners. The 1920s Federation Bungalow serves as a demonstration eco-house, providing educational opportunities for the community to learn about sustainable living. VU implemented a Sustainability Learning and Behavioural Change project involving 100 students, from a range of disciplines from the Trades College who completed most of the retrofitting works as part of their course. These students have now been exposed to new sustainability retrofitting skills that are not traditionally taught in their respective trades. The ELC was a community and work-integrated learning initiative for our students and provided them with the opportunity to practically apply their theoretical sustainability skills and knowledge.