Bendigo Community Health Service (BCHS) is dedicated to supporting its community’s health and wellbeing. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that BCHS employees’ health and wellbeing is a top priority too.
BCHS joined the Achievement Program in 2013 to build upon its current health and wellbeing initiatives and has achieved Victorian Government recognition for the Smoking health area and is working through several other health areas including Healthy Eating, Mental Health and Wellbeing, and Alcohol and Other drugs.
Climate and Health
When the Climate and Health Pathway launched in 2020, BCHS was eager to take action and support the wellbeing of the workforce and the planet.
BCHS pledged to use less energy which was realised through the Fleet and Facilities team installing solar panel across two sites.
“We installed over 425 panels across our Kangaroo Flat (Helm Street) and Eaglehawk (Seymore Street) sites. We’re proud to be powering our sites with renewable energy,” Sean Rashleigh, Team Manager - Fleet & Facilities said.
BCHS sought advice and support for the solar panel project from Colin Lambie at the Bendigo Sustainability Group and Peter Angove and the team at Solar1Electrical Bendigo.
The sustainability group supported BCHS with a range of data and information on the benefits of solar panel usage, which supported in the justification for installation and Solar1Electrical Bendigo completed the installation at the two BCHS sites.
The benefits
BCHS has estimated that it will receive a maximum saving of $67,000 across both sites. The estimated greenhouse gas emission reduction is a whopping total of nearly 270,000 kilograms of CO2 per year.
A full mapping project will be conducted in a years’ time to demonstrate the savings, both financially and environmentally.
“Our message to others is to work with local or state sustainability groups to gain an understanding of the benefits of solar or undertake research through Australian peak bodies online. We also suggest getting a range of quotes as they have a range of information and content within the quotes,” Sean Rashleigh, Team Manager - Fleet & Facilities said.
BCHS will continue connecting its health and sustainability initiatives to support healthy people and healthy places.