Released 02/09/2020
The ACT Government has today announced that the Canberra Hospital Expansion will run on the ACT's 100% renewable electricity - a world-leading climate action initiative, and an Australian first.
The ACT Government is expanding Canberra Hospital to include a new 40,000sqm emergency, surgical and critical healthcare facility at the existing hospital campus in Woden.
Marking the largest healthcare infrastructure commitment ever undertaken by the ACT Government, the hospital will soon be powered by efficient all-electric heat pumps. As the ACT has now reached our 100% renewable electricity target, this investment will be powered entirely by clean, green renewables.
Once operational, this will avoid 1886 tonnes of carbon dioxide being released into our atmosphere every year, equivalent to taking 760 cars off Canberra roads each year.
ACT Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability Shane Rattenbury said the move to all electric was a significant step towards an emissions-free health sector, and continued to reflect the ACT's world leading action on climate change.
This follows a commitment from the ACT Government in its recently released ACT Climate Change Strategy 2019-2025, that included actions to ensure newly built Government buildings are all-electric and emissions-free, as well as specifically to reduce emissions from ACT Health facilities.
Construction of the new facility will begin in 2021, and is expected to be completed in 2024.
Comments attributable to ACT Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability Shane Rattenbury:
"At a time of climate emergency, every decision made by Governments must consider climate impacts. Across all sectors and across Government, we must act now to put our climate first.
"Buildings like these will last for decades to come, and would otherwise be gas-powered - at significant health and financial cost to our community. Gas is a polluting fossil fuel, and the ACT Government has committed to transitioning away from climate-warming energy sources and instead, is fully embracing the renewable energy revolution.
"Canberrans can be proud that our city is a global climate action leader. This major investment is again proof positive that the ACT is the nation's climate action capital - leading the way nationally and globally on urgent climate action to build a better future, for all of us."
You can find more information on the Canberra Hospital expansion by visiting the ACT Government website.
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Shane Rattenbury, MLA | Media Releases