Steplight reviews and updates this list of sustainability events and conferences about once a week. Feel free to share the link with others who may be interested: steplight.com.au/events. If you know of an event which is not on our list please contact us at the bottom of this page.
Upcoming Events
Build Green Expo
The HIA BuildGreen Expo brings together over 100 exhibitors showcasing the latest trends in green renovation, building, furnishing, home improvements, and outdoor living.
Location: Sydney, NSW
Dates: 31 May to 3rd June 2012 – 09:00
World Environment Day
World Environment Day is an annual event that is aimed at being the biggest and most widely celebrated global day for positive environmental action.
Location: Worldwide
Dates: 5th Jun 2012 – 00:00
2012 QLD Premier’s ClimateSmart Sustainability Awards
The 2012 Premier’s ClimateSmart Sustainability Awards will recognise the achievements of Queensland communities, schools, individuals, businesses and industries in reducing carbon emissions, taking action to abate climate change and improving business sustainability.
The 2012 awards program includes 11 award categories, including the new ClimateSmart Waste Reduction and Resource Efficiency Award. The 2012 pinnacle award, the Premier’s ClimateSmart Award, is presented to the most outstanding nomination across all award categories.
Location: Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
Dates: 7:00pm – 10:00pm, 8th June, 2012
Sustainable Development Conference
The HIA BuildGreen Expo brings together over 100 exhibitors showcasing the latest trends in green renovation, building, furnishing, home improvements, and outdoor living.
Location: Sydney, NSW
Dates: 31 May to 3rd June 2012 – 09:00
Sustain Traders Oceania
Sustain (formerly named the ‘Organic Expo & Green Show’) will hold it’s trader’s only day again this year to showcase natural and organic products and latest in all aspects of sustainable living. We are all seeking ways to live authentically; a healthier and more natural existence. SUSTAIN brings together thousands of products and services from favourite brands to new lines, opens up resources, puts you in touch with the right people and educates and entertains. There will also be a mini conference, Sustainable Profits, which focuses on key business topics and industry matters. Speakers range from industry experts to successful business entrepreneurs.
Location: Royal Hall of Industries, Entertainment Quarter, Sydney
Dates: 20th, July 2012
Sustain Public Show
SUSTAIN brings together thousands of products and services from favourite brands to new lines, opens up resources, puts you in touch with the right people and educates and entertains.The event will feature exhibits that focused on health and wellbeing, food and drink, fashion and beauty, home and gardening, technology and building and life and careers. SUSTAIN champions good causes and provides a platform for individuals, businesses, community and action groups, industry associations, government and educational establishments to reach out to the thousands of people attending the shows and beyond.
Location: Royal Hall of Industries, Entertainment Quarter, Sydney
Dates: 21st – 22nd, July 2012
Clean Energy Week
Clean Energy Week is Australia’s largest event for the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries, bringing together two national conferences, a huge trade exhibition, a schools program and events for the general public.
Hosted by the Clean Energy Council, Australia’s peak industry body, the week will deliver the latest on policy initiatives and technology developments, as well as the opportunity to make valuable new contacts and close critical business deals.
After drawing more than 2000 local and international delegates to Melbourne for the 2011 event, Clean Energy Week is set to be even bigger when it comes to Sydney from 25 – 27 July 2012.
Location: Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre
Dates: 25th – 27th July, 2012
All – Energy Australia 2012 Exhinition & Conference
The All-Energy Australia exhibition and conference is Australia’s largest clean energy event. Admission is free of charge to all with a professional interest in renewable/sustainable/clean energy. The show offers extensive networking opportunities through the free of charge Grand Networking Evening.
The exhibition is highly relevant to all companies actively involved, either directly or indirectly, in the development of carbon mitigation solutions for traditional energy sources, including carbon capture and sequestration, energy efficiency improvements as well as all areas of the renewable energy industry – wind (onshore and offshore), wave, tidal, hydro, hydrogen and fuel cells, solar and biofuels.
Location: Melbourne
Dates: 10th – 11th October, 2012
Events Archive
Recent events are shown here. For previous years, please see our yearly archives below.
Ecoxpo
The EcoXpo is a forum of eco companies and their customers. Each company represented at the EcoXpo is a proud owner or user of an organic, natural and/or sustainable brand. Maximum exposure of these brands is necessary for success, and EcoXpo is the ideal platform for these brands sharing a common value to showcase the best in each industry. EcoXpo is a unique experience, a fun and learning event, suitable for the whole family. Exhibitors participating adhere to certified organic and good environmental practice and must act in accordance for entrance, to ensure they are genuine participators.
Location: Byron Kennedy Hall Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park, Sydney
Dates: 12th – 13th May, 2012
Australian Sustainability Conference and Exhibition
Australian Sustainability is an innovative new event dedicated to improving the sustainability of Australian Businesses. With a diverse exhibition built around clearly defined product sections, practical seminars and industry thought leadership in an interactive multi-track conference program, Australian Sustainability is at the heart of the sustainable solutions industry.
Meet a wide range of key decision makers actively seeking sustainable solutions for their businesses in a buzzing, interactive environment dedicated to the sustainability of Australian Businesses. Encompassing a wide range of industry sectors, the exhibition is split into 6 dedicated sections, ‘Building and Construction, ‘Energy and Technology’, ‘Water Management’, ‘Transport and Logistics’, ‘Waste and Recycling’ and ‘Business Strategy’.
Location: Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre
Dates: 8th – 9th May, 2012
Corporations, People and the Planet
Corporations, People & the Planet aims to bring together businesspeople, environmentalists, academics, young people and scientists for the common cause of ensuring the future of the planet.
Keynote speakers Sigourney Weaver, Sir Bob Geldof and David Suzuki along with sustainability advocate Professor L. Hunter Lovins, founder of Natural Capitalism Solutions, will kick start the three-day event with conference style presentations for up to 5,300 delegates.
On the two days following, April 27 and 28, RMIT will host the United Nations Global Compact Cities Programme – an initiative that brings mayors from the world’s most innovative cities, leaders in the corporate and non-governmental organisation arenas as well as a number of international academics working on the ethics and practice of sustainability.
Location: Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
Dates: 26 – 28 April, 2012
Retrofitting for Energy Efficiency
Retrofitting for Energy Efficiency Sydney has been specifically developed to align with the challenges and aims of the City of Sydney. Attendees will learn how to best achieve real value for money in your building retrofit. Listen to case studies from industry leaders across the value chain – Uncover emerging technologies, best practice scheduling and retrofit management and most importantly – how to get the most bang for your buck!
Location: Doltone House, Darling Island Wharf, 48 Pirrama Rd, Pyrmont
Dates: April 17th – 19th, 2012
National Sustainable Food Summit – Sydney
The National Sustainable Food Summit is a must-attend event for practitioners with an interest in how Australia’s food system will transform to meet the challenge of feeding more people with less over the next century. The inaugural Summit held in April 2011, and attended by over 340 participants from diverse sectors and backgrounds, generated extraordinary consensus for the need to collaborate and continue the conversations necessary to generate change. 2012 may be pivotal for Australian food policy – with the National Food Plan due for release. It is also appropriately the year of the farmer and year of the cooperative.
The 2nd Annual Sustainable Food Summit begins in Sydney on 3rd April 2012. Over 2 days, we will progress the discussion from 2011 to begin to examine what new frameworks and emerging solutions will help support a sustainable and resilient food system for Australia now and in the future.
Location: Sydney
Dates: 2nd – 4th April, 2012
2012 Earth Hour
Held each year at 8:30pm on the last Saturday in March, Earth Hour is a WWF initiative which symbolises the collective power of individuals, businesses and governments to reduce our environmental impact on this one and only planet we call home.
Location: Australia Wide
Dates: 8:30pm, 31st March, 2012
Ecoforum Conference and Exhibition
Each year, EcoForum brings Australian environment industry practitioners and their clients from across Australia to Sydney to solve environmental problems and act on potential business opportunities and influence policy and regulatory settings. In 2012, EcoForum will comprise conference streams, an exhibition of environmental products and services plus social and business networking activities.
Topics include Land and groundwater remediation, EcoWaste, Mine water management, Water cycle sustainability, Climate change response, Business of sustainability in the Asian century, Sustainable engineering, Sustainable cities and EcoCommunications.
Location: Australian Technology Park, Bay 8, Locomotive Workshop, Henderson Road, Eveleigh, Sydney
Dates: 7th – 9th March, 2012
Clean Up Australia Day
Get involved to clean up, fix up and conserve the environment.
Location: Australia Wide
Date: 4th March, 2012
Free online seminar – How it works: building an outstanding sustainable house
In conjunction with bankmecu, the Alternative Technology Association (ATA) presents a series of free online presentations to share practical knowledge about energy efficiency, sustainable building and water conservation at home. Webinars are broadcast live for view over your web browser, and will be available for playback on demand afterwards.
The second webinar in the series is at 11am on Wednesday 29 February 2012, and introduces the passive solar design principles and sustainable material choices behind the design and build of a new 9.1-Star home in Melbourne’s northern suburbs. The home is featured in the current issue of Sanctuary: modern green homes magazine, published by the ATA.
The webinar will feature a presentation by designer Jeremy Spencer of sustainable design and build practice Positive Footprints, and a conversation with homeowner Elizabeth Wheeler on how the finished house performs as a green family home. It will finish with a Q&A session.
Location: Online seminar (register here)
Date: Wednesday 29th February 2012, 11:00am
Indigenous Sustainability Conference
3 Pillars Network in partnership with the Australian Employment Covenant, Philanthropy Australia and the Net Balance Foundation present a one-day conference that addresses the intersection between sustainability and indigenous issues: employment, education and environment. This unprecedented event brings together for the first time leaders from ALL indigenous areas – business, education, philanthropy, advocacy, government and environment.
The event aims to address tensions: Reconciling and respecting traditions and mainstream practices; develop effective models, frameworks and evaluation techniques to improve opportunities and equity and Showcase successful indigenous businesses and enterprises to drive sustainable outcomes for future generations. Key speakers include Warren Mundine, Chairman of the Australian Indigenous Chamber of Commerce, Andrew Penfold, CEO of the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation and Rhonda Parker, CEO of the Australian Employment Covenant.
Location: Star Room, Sydney
Date: Tuesday 28th February, 2012
Earthship: an evenin with Michael Reynold: Sydney
Join Michael Reynolds, the ‘Garbage Warrior’, for an inspiring & informative evening of radical architecture, ideas and discussion about Earthship building and living. For 30 years New Mexico-based Reynolds and his solutions-based community have devoted their time to advancing the art of “Earthship Biotecture” by building self-sufficient, off-the-grid habitats where design and function converge in harmony.
Michael will share his years of knowledge and images of current, recent and past Earthship projects throughout the United States, Haiti, Canada, Spain, Belgium, France, India, Georgia and more throughout the presentation. Earthship retrofit, taking traditional structures “off-grid,” growing food and fishing for your dinner in Earthships will be covered, along with basic Earthship building techniques.
Location: Teachers Federations Conference Centre, 37 Reservoir Street, Surry Hills, Sydney
Date: 26th February, 2012, 5:00pm – 7:30pm
Sustainable Living Festival
The Sustainable Living Festival raises awareness and provides tools for change by showcasing leading solutions to the ecological and social challenges we face. The Festival’s Big Weekend event at Federation Square in the heart of Melbourne will continue to celebrate the very best examples of ecological and social sustainability. The event will fuse interactive workshops, talks, demonstrations, artworks, exhibits, films and live performances.
Location: Melbourne
Dates: 11th – 26th February 2012
Learn how to set up a water recycling system for your home
If you would like to set up a domestic water harvesting system at home or simply improve the performance of an existing system then come along to these free presentations at Fitzroy Town Hall.
Adam Maxey, Water Conservation Project and Policy Manager from the Alternative Technology Associations (ATA), will cover the practical elements of rainwater and greywater reuse and draw on case studies from ATA members as well as research undertaken over many years.
A second presentation will also be given on the night by Des Horton, Efficiency Programs Coordinator at City West Water and currently Chairman of Melbourne’s Drought Response Committee. Mr Horton’s presentation will range from broad metropolitan issues of water management through to how residents in the City of Yarra are faring with reducing their water consumption.
Come along and short-circuit the amount of research you will need to do to settle on a viable system that suits your particular needs. (The event is free but RSVP is essential)
Location: Fitzroy Town Hall
Date: 23rd February 2012
The EcoGeneration Clean Energy Seminar Series (Sydney)
Following the success of the EcoGen 2011 Clean Energy Industry Briefing and Networking series, EcoGeneration presents a series of one-day seminars to bring Australian businesses and leaders in energy policy together.
EcoGeneration will host the first two one-day events in the Clean Energy Seminar Series to showcase the expertise of carbon pricing and emissions trading experts to clean energy businesses in Melbourne and Sydney. Analysis of the carbon price and the Clean Energy Future Plan will be the focus of the upcoming set of seminars.
Presenters Tristan Edis, Research Fellow at the Grattan Institute’s Energy Program, and Megan Edwards, head of the Energy Markets Section of the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, will detail the new financing models that will be available under the Federal Government’s Clean Energy Future Plan.
Other areas of focus will include the best ways to leverage public and private investment in clean energy projects and technologies, and predictions for future interaction between Australian and international carbon markets.
Location: Rydges World Square Hotel, 389 Pitt St, Sydney
Date: 23rd February 2012, 8:30-5pm
The EcoGeneration Clean Energy Seminar Series (Melbourne)
Following the success of the EcoGen 2011 Clean Energy Industry Briefing and Networking series, EcoGeneration presents a series of one-day seminars to bring Australian businesses and leaders in energy policy together.
EcoGeneration will host the first two one-day events in the Clean Energy Seminar Series to showcase the expertise of carbon pricing and emissions trading experts to clean energy businesses in Melbourne and Sydney. Analysis of the carbon price and the Clean Energy Future Plan will be the focus of the upcoming set of seminars.
Presenters Tristan Edis, Research Fellow at the Grattan Institute’s Energy Program, and Megan Edwards, head of the Energy Markets Section of the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, will detail the new financing models that will be available under the Federal Government’s Clean Energy Future Plan.
Other areas of focus will include the best ways to leverage public and private investment in clean energy projects and technologies, and predictions for future interaction between Australian and international carbon markets.
Location: Rydges on Swanston, 701 Swanston St, Carlton
Date: 22nd February 2012, 8;30-5pm
CEC Capacity Building Workshop: Broadcasting Bioenergy
Bioenergy has a communication problem. The sector is the third biggest producer of renewable energy in Australia yet is poorly understood by the community, stakeholders, investors and government. People don’t know what bioenergy is, what it does or why it should matter to them.
Utilising an interactive workshop format, the CEC will shed some light on the number one barrier facing bioenergy in Australia. The focus will be on branding, stakeholder engagement and creating a communication strategy that will put bioenergy, in all its forms, on the agenda. We can begin to overcome many of the barriers bioenergy faces today with this critical first step.
Location: KMPG, 10 Shelley St, Sydney
Date: 23rd February 2012, 10:00am – 4:00pm
Earthship Biotecture Seminar Melbourne
This three-day Earthship Biotecture Seminar in Melbourne, Australia will be led by Earthship creator Michael Reynolds and cover a wide range of Earthship topics both pragmatic and philosophical. Guest appearance and presentation by Martin Freney, PhD Candidate School of Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Urban Design University of Adelaide. Martin Freney will present scientific data to substantiate Earthship performance.
Location: Village Roadshow Theatrette, State Library of Victoria
Date: 17th -19th February, 2012
Solar Hot Water Products and Applications
The topic for first meeting in 2012 for the Sydney Central ATA group will be “Solar Hot Water Products and Applications” and will be jointly presented by Bryan Moss and Taru Veijalainen, both of Apricus Australia.
The talk will evaluate different types of collectors and systems and the best uses for each. Bryan and Taru will discuss evacuated tubes and the potential commercial applications including apartments, dairy farms, breweries and laundromats – taking solar hot water to another level.
Bryan Moss has worked with Apricus Australia for 3.5 years and with the Apricus product for 8 years. He started off as a plumber and has been in the industry for 19 years specializing in domestic solar hot water, solar/gas hydronic and underfloor systems and commercial hot water. Taru Veijalainen works for Apricus Australia in the engineering department, and she recently completed a double degree of Renewable Energy Engineering and Chemistry at UNSW.
Location: Wallaby Room, 11th Floor, Telstra Building, 320 Pitt St Sydney
Dates: 6:00 – 8:00pm, 14th February 2012
Invitation to Mini Maker Faire Melbourne
A Maker Faire is about celebrating learning and doing – not the finished and perfect end product. It’s a place to share what we’re learning with others, and celebrate the fun and freedom of being an amateur.
Featuring both established and emerging local “makers,” the Melbourne Mini Maker Faire is a family-friendly celebration coming to Australasia for the first time. It will feature rockets and robots, DIY science and technology, urban farming and sustainability, alternative energy, bicycles, unique hand-made crafts, and educational workshops and installations.
Location: “The Atrium” on John Street at Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn Campus
Dates: 14th January 2012, 10:00am – 4:00pm
Revenge of the Electric Car – Free screening
From the Director of Who Killed the Electric Car?
Local Power and QUT Science and Engineering are very pleased to present a free community screening of the new documentary Revenge of the Electric Car. If you feel that an Electric Vehicle (EV) could be part of your future, or you’re just curious about them, we would be delighted if you could join us for this special screening of this outstanding new 90 minute documentary.
Spaces are limited so please RSVP below to ensure we can fit everyone in. As this is a free screening, the RSVP does not guarantee you a seat. Attendance on the night will be “first in, best dressed”.
Location: GP-Z411 QUT Gardens Point campus
Dates: 7:00pm – 9:00pm, 13 Feb 2012
Harvest ‘n Graze
We have hand-picked the most delicious and mouth-watering gourmet producers, mixed them with the freshest local seasonal growers, thrown them in one big pan with Australia’s most outstanding well-known artists, added some finely chopped celebrity chefs and cooking demonstration and seasoned it off perfectly with a large pinch of children’s entertainment, activities and roving performers. Then it’s all served up generously on one spectacular day for everyone to come and enjoy. We seriously couldn’t fit another thing in!
Come laze, graze, sip, taste, and treat yourself to this season’s finest bounty. Bring the family, bring a picnic rug and bring your harvest cheer.
Location: Caufield Racecourse, Melbourne
Date: 5th February 2012
Peats Ridge Sustainable Arts and Music Festival 2011
At Peats Ridge you will find a literally overwhelming array of entertainment to satisfy your senses, all framed in a natural, beautiful Australian wilderness. Music, arts and Theater is everywhere you look with live performances, installations, artisans and activities day and night.
It’s a big place with a multitude of places, things to do and see, organic food, a Children’s Festival for families, an Indigenous Festival, markets, workshops, places to chill and a chance to swim in the river.
Peats Ridge is also a world leader in presenting a sustainable event, with a whole area of the site dedicated to eco-living education and extensive environmental initiatives and awards. Our Model Event program is dedicated to innovating new methods for staging events with renewable energy and working with our waste to put it to good use.
Location: Peats Ridge, NSW
Dates: 29th December 2011 – 1st January 2012
