RMIT on track to carbon neutrality

In the heart of Melbourne, RMIT University proves that even a campus with some of the city's oldest buildings can lead in sustainability. By connecting infrastructure with smart automation and data-driven energy management, RMIT achieved its carbon reduction targets - four years ahead of schedule.

Leading by example on climate action

Shaping a sustainable future through education

RMIT is a global university of technology, design and enterprise. The university's mission is to help shape the world through research, innovation, quality teaching and engagement, and to create transformative experiences for students - getting them ready for life and work. Led by its organisational values, RMIT is committed to challenging and championing important issues across the community. In line with this, RMIT incorporates sustainability principles and practices into learning and teaching, research and operational activities. This commitment extends to the university's own campus infrastructure, starting with its city campus in Melbourne.

RMIT's city campus takes up roughly six percent of the central business district and includes some of Melbourne's oldest buildings. With a unique mix of old and new buildings, RMIT set out to modernize its historic campus by better connecting and integrating its utility systems and services to improve efficiency.

37,000 kL of water saved per year

39% annual reduction in electricity usage

16,500 tons of CO₂ saved per year

Modern lobby with exposed ventilation ducts, angled white supports, benches, and a seated person reading.

Committing AU$128 million to the future

In 2007, RMIT set out on an ambitious sustainability program to reduce energy and water use and carbon emissions by 25 percent. At the time, the Sustainable Urban Precincts Program (SUPP) was the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere. The program represented a commitment of AU$128 million across its three campuses in Melbourne, with Siemens responsible for the works on the city campus. Targets were set to reduce grid electricity use by 263 million kilowatt hours over eight years and achieve an annual reduction in carbon emissions of 30,000 tons and 53 million litres of water. Impressively, these targets were achieved four years ahead of schedule.

Implementing smart solutions across city campus

To reach its targets four years ahead of schedule, RMIT partnered with Siemens to modernize the city campus with smart building automation, energy-efficient systems, and a local energy supply - combining physical infrastructure with digital intelligence.

Select...

Smart building automation for a perfect place to learn

The modern HVAC systems and building management platform Desigo CC give full control of temperature and air flow in every area of the campus, making it a comfortable and pleasant place to learn and work. The chiller and boiler systems were upgraded and some 12,000 lights were replaced with modern, energy-saving bulbs. A water management system was also implemented, saving 37,000 kilolitres of water annually.

RMIT Melbourne Campus in cityscape with modern buildings, greenery, and clear sky

Explore further higher education topics

Group of students sitting on a grassy lawn outside a red-brick academic building surrounded by trees.

Solution field

Campus sustainability for higher education

Advance campus sustainability, combine smart building technology and data-driven analytics to cut energy and waste while creating healthy, resilient learning spaces.

Modern angular building with dark metal cladding, a large glass facade, and bold yellow architectural accents.

Humber Polytechnic, CA

A truly sustainable partnership

Canada

Having been partners for decades, Humber Polytechnic in Toronto and Siemens have forged a long-term strategic alliance to advance higher education and support an ambitious campus decarbonisation plan.

Aerial view of an industrial area with buildings, roads, water and an airport runway nearby.

University of East London, UK

Going beyond net zero

United Kingdom

The net-zero roadmap developed with Siemens is putting the University of East London on track to achieve its ambitious target. After reducing carbon emissions, attention now turns to sustainable power generation.

Let’s make the world more sustainable together

Smart solutions for higher education

Whether you're a university facilities director, a campus sustainability lead, or an infrastructure planner - let's explore how smart building automation and data-driven energy management can accelerate your decarbonization journey. Get in touch.

Heads of Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in front of their new distributed energy system