By MATTHEW SIMS

Melbourne landmark Federation Square has reached the end of a 10-year venture by becoming a carbon neutral facility, with the aim of becoming  carbon negative.

A global environmental counselling company based in Australia, Earth Systems, found all  the power used by the facility was being counteracted by several energy-saving measures,  in an inspection conducted last month.

Federation Square operations manager Sharon Pollard said the project involved many sacrifices but everyone involved was thrilled with the outcome.

“It has been very much a slow, long-term investment and particularly about a cultural change within the organisation,” Ms Pollard said.

A bio-gas plant that transforms the disposable food waste from many of the cafés and restaurants at Federation Square is being trialled. The plant turns this waste into energy that can then be reused throughout the space.

Since the installation of more sustainable infrastructure, Federation Square has seen substantial decreases in gas and electricity use,  a 73 per cent increase in recycling and about 87 million litres of water saved.

The most impressive innovation is a passive cooling system known as “The Labyrinth”, which is hidden underground.

The Labyrinth draws in air from outside and cools it by pumping it through a cold concrete and maze-like structure for 1.4km. The air is then circulated through Federation Square’s facilities at up to 12 degrees cooler then external temperatures.

In addition, 88 water tanks, waterless urinals and water-saving shower facilities have been placed around the building to reduce water use.

It was a painstaking process undertaken to make Federation Square as cost-effective as possible, Ms Pollard said.

“It would have been prohibitive if we had just gone in and changed everything immediately,” she said.

With the title of carbon neutral under its belt, Federation Square now aspires to become carbon negative. For this to be achieved not only do all Co2 emissions need to be cancelled out, but direct efforts need to be made to reduce any carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Plans for a co-generational plant that will use gas to produce the electricity and heat running on the premises could make this dream a reality.

Ms Pollard said the executive team wanted to regroup and ensure that the location could sustain itself.

However, she said this step was only the first towards a more collaborative relationship with the businesses and councils of Melbourne.

“We are not going to just hit this target and go we’re all over and done with it now,” she said.

“We are looking at being collaborative in a wider context with other businesses as well to help us to sustain this situation.”

The OECD last year found t Australia had the highest level of carbon output per person worldwide.

Earth Systems principal environmental engineer Dr Adrian Morphett said their efforts were a much-needed step towards Victoria becoming a state less dependent on carbon.

Dr Morphett said Melbourne homeowners should consider switching to using green energy sources such as solar, wind or biogas and using public transport to reduce the state’s fossil fuel use.

“Federation Square are really trying and they are doing a great job,” he said.

“In my work with them, I know that they have been doing work to reduce holistically their environmental impacts.”

Federation Square also hosts a community vegetable garden called the Pop Up Patch.

Patrons can lease out one of the 100 self-contained gardens which all grow healthy vegetables.

Fauna as well as flora is accommodated by the environmentally friendly property with urban beekeepers Melbourne City Rooftop Honey currently keeping 10 beehives on top of the Alfred Deakin Building.

The site produces approximately 350kg of honey annually and is distributed to several Melbourne eateries.

Federation Square can hopefully look forward to a healthy and environmentally stable future, Ms Pollard said.

“It is not just about Federation Square Limited, it is about Federation Square and all our tenancies and the fact that they helped us,” she said.

“We have really enjoyed the journey and we very much look forward to continuing it, becoming carbon negative and being able to have a positive impact across the community in yet another way.”