Date Published: 06/2012

Centennial Park Cemetery Authority is located in Pasadena, South Australia. Jointly owned by the Cities of Mitcham and Unley, the cemetery covers 40 hectares and is South Australia's largest provider of funeral services.

Established in 1936, the cemetery conducted its first burial in 1938, with cremation services commencing in 1955.

The organisation employs approximately 54 staff across operations, chapel services, memorial sales, finance and administration. Operations staff undertake cremations, burials, infrastructure maintenance and grounds management, while office-based staff support memorial sales, finance and administration. Casual employees support service delivery within the Jubilee Complex as required.

Environmental Management Plan

Centennial Park has implemented an Environmental Management Plan to guide sustainable development across the organisation. The plan is structured around six key objectives:

• Embedding ecologically sustainable development across all operations.
• Managing waste sustainably through waste minimisation and resource recovery.
• Addressing climate change through reduced energy consumption.
• Managing and using water resources sustainably.
• Conserving and enhancing natural resources.
• Supporting suppliers that demonstrate environmentally sustainable practices.

The organisation is recognised as a leader in environmental management within the cemetery sector, both nationally and internationally. Centennial Park views responsible environmental stewardship as an important part of its commitment to corporate citizenship.

Community Leadership

As a regional subsidiary of local government and a provider of essential community services, Centennial Park plays an important role in promoting ecologically sustainable development.

The organisation aims to lead by example through its environmental initiatives and community engagement. While significant progress has been made, Centennial Park continues to identify and address sustainability challenges through its Environmental Management Plan.

Core Sustainability Solutions

Measuring Emissions

Centennial Park's first step was to understand the environmental impact of its operations. Pangolin Associates conducts annual greenhouse gas assessments and identifies opportunities for emissions reduction.

Pangolin's auditors are accredited by the Australian Government's Clean Energy Regulator and are registered Greenhouse and Energy Auditors under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 (NGER).

These qualifications provide confidence that reporting aligns with recognised standards and regulatory requirements. Pangolin provides comprehensive Scope 1, Scope 2 and relevant Scope 3 emissions reporting, enabling Centennial Park to monitor performance and track progress over time.

Offsetting Emissions

Pangolin Associates also manages the purchase and retirement of certified carbon credits on behalf of Centennial Park to offset emissions that cannot currently be eliminated.

Energy Efficiency

Centennial Park has implemented a range of energy efficiency initiatives, reducing electricity consumption by approximately 15% to 20%.

Key initiatives include:

• Replacing T8 lighting with T5 fittings.
• Replacing incandescent and 50W halogen lighting with compact fluorescent lighting (CFL).
• Installing motion sensors in intermittently occupied areas, including toilets and photocopier rooms.
• Introducing voltage optimisation equipment across much of the site.
• Installing Building Management Systems within the Jubilee Complex and Administration Building to improve air conditioning efficiency.
• Developing a new operations complex to eliminate duplicated facilities.

Water Efficiency

Centennial Park has also implemented practical water-saving measures, including:

• Reducing the number of water taps throughout the gardens.
• Installing pressure reduction devices to minimise unnecessary water use.
• Installing dual-flush toilets where appropriate.
• Installing waterless urinals.
• Using low-water-use plant species in landscaping projects.
• Installing subsurface irrigation systems wherever practical.

The new operations complex also captures rainwater to supplement irrigation requirements. Additional opportunities to capture and reuse stormwater continue to be investigated.

Waste Reduction

Simple but effective waste management initiatives have reduced waste sent to landfill by nearly 95%, while also significantly reducing disposal costs.

Initiatives include:

• Installing green waste bins throughout the facility with multilingual signage.
• Expanding recycling facilities to accommodate a broader range of waste streams.

Renewable Energy

In 2013, Centennial Park commenced the installation of two 30 kW solar systems comprising more than 240 solar panels. The project further strengthened the organisation's commitment to reducing operational emissions and investing in renewable energy.

Education and Employee Engagement

Centennial Park staff have a strong understanding of the organisation's environmental objectives and their role in achieving them. An internal environment committee and dedicated intranet resources help communicate sustainability initiatives and encourage continuous improvement. This culture of awareness and innovation continues to generate practical environmental improvements across the organisation.