What functions will ANSI have?

Elements of ANSI

In brief, the ANSI Centre consists of:

• Office spaces for companies and community groups promoting sustainable services, products and practices.
  
• An eco-hotel for low-cost, low-impact student and tourist accommodation.
  
• A national and public meeting centre for sustainability projects, workshops, conferences and mediated conflict resolution.
  
• Family-oriented entertainment areas, including organic food outlets, play garden, nature interpretation, and guided tours.
  
• Exhibition or display spaces to showcase products, processes and technologies that contribute to sustainability, while helping to stimulate the market for environmental goods and services.
  
• A resource centre regarding sustainability issues
  
• A demonstration of urban farming.
  

Functions of ANSI

Among its ongoing functions will be to:

• Develop and coordinate innovative life-long learning programs for sustainability education.
  
• Provide training and capacity building for industry, government and community in direct solutions to sustainability issues.
  
• Showcase sustainable technologies, practices and processes that improve the human condition.
  
• Provide developers and designers with guidance on how to achieve a new sustainability standard.
  
• Support entrepreneurial activities, research and innovation that are directed toward sustainability challenges
  
• Create linkages between private enterprise and the community, and inspire sustainability partnerships between community, government and business.
  
• Provide community outreach and delivery of new sustainability initiatives to celebrate the unique diversity of Australia.
  
• Provide access to ANSI’s international expert networks in sustainability education and eco-development.
  
• Provide for family recreation combined with outdoor displays of new technologies, such as playgardens, outdoor theatre, urban farming, and interpretive walks.
  
• Involve artists and storytellers, as well as interactive displays and seminars, to engage the wider community in deep sustainability issues.
  
• Provide a forum for debating and implementing sustainable production and consumption.
  
• Ensure explicit recognition and enhancement of Australia’s many indigenous cultures and their cultural assets.
  
• Incorporate eco-tourist accommodation to support other tourist-oriented facilities.
  
• Provide educational support services and space for other educational institutions.
  
• Provide natural amenity and services for future high-density East Lake development.
  
• Demonstrate how to mitigate climate change and heat sinks in urban development.
  
• Provide an on-line sustainability network to celebrate other sustainability organizations.
  
• Increase public access to Canberra’s lake and accommodate more outdoor activities.
  
• Exhibit the latest thinking in large-scale systems, such as sustainable building, agriculture and transport systems.
  
• Accommodate learning and display areas for people of all ages who are interested in healthier lifestyles.
  
• Create an exciting tourist destination for visitors to Canberra in itself.

Last updated November 13, 2008