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Sustainability initiatives

Shoppers at the market walking along a pathway lined with large plants and trees in raised garden beds.
Traders and customers have told us that making Queen Victoria Market more sustainable is important.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Through renewal, we’ll give traders more sustainable facilities to make the day-to-day running of their businesses easier and more viable, reducing the market precinct’s overall environmental footprint. ​

Better protection from the impacts of extreme weather across the precinct will ensure traders, customers and the local community can enjoy an even better open-air market experience forever. 

Solar power, stormwater harvesting and an on-site organic waste recycling facility are just a few of the projects proposed for a renewed market precinct, working closely with traders and customers to deliver key sustainability initiatives. 

Through renewal, we also want to focus on climate resilience, with new open spaces, more planting, trees and water sensitive design to cool the precinct. ​

Improved access for cyclists, pedestrians, public transport and parking will complement the many sustainability initiatives underway.​

Carbon Reduction at Therry Street

The Renewal program is taking action on climate change by being the City’s first project to measure and reduce embodied carbon.

What is embodied carbon? It is the carbon emitted during the extraction, transport and processing of raw materials into the construction materials used in a project.

​Low embodied concrete and asphalt were used in the Therry Street streetscape works, which reduced 22,000kg of carbon. This is equal to the emissions of a car driving around the earth four times.

Saving through solar

As part of the renewal program we will be powering up more than 1556 ​solar panels to cut carbon emissions and reduce the market’s electricity bill by $100,000 a year, making it cheaper and easier for traders to do business. 

In 2022, a further 900 panels will be switched on, generating a total of more than 900,000 kilowatt hours a year – enough to power 205 Melbourne households.  

The system will also have significant environmental benefits – saving more than 1,300 tonnes of carbon emissions each year and supporting Council's commitment to become a zero-carbon city by 2040. 

At the project's completion in mid-2023, the market will be home to 3,765m2 of solar panels, including 655 on Sheds J to L, 655 on Sheds A and B and 246 on Sheds H and I. ​​

Renewal receives highest green award

​The renewal program has been awarded a 6 Star-Green Star Communities rating by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA). 

The renewal master plan was rigorously and holistically assessed against best practice benchmarks for liveability, sustainability, design excellence, economic prosperity, governance and innovation. 

The City of Melbourne worked closely with Queen Victoria Market Pty Ltd on the Green Star – Communities submission and the agreed commitments will be delivered over the next five years. 

The 6 Star rating is a significant achievement for both the market and the city and provides an opportunity for the Queen Victoria Market and surrounding precinct to embrace sustainability and build a better future for all who work, live and visit. 

The renewal program will deliver a range of sustainable infrastructure to help improve market sustainability performance and make the market a better place to trade and shop. Initiatives include: 

  • large scale waste and organic recycling facilities onsite to deal with the annual 6000 tonnes of solid and 60 tonnes of organic waste along with meat and offal waste 
  • solar power and battery storage to generate on-site renewable energy 
  • rainwater collection, stormwater harvesting and water recycling to reduce water consumption 
  • more public open space with trees and water sensitive landscaping. 

​Alongside the renewal program Queen Victoria Market Pty Ltd will work with traders and customers to deliver a range of on-ground initiatives including waste reduction and improved recycling.  

​Read the media release​. ​

Green Building Council Australia - 6 star green star - Communities pilot version 0.2

Green Building Council of Australia: Green Star – Communities

The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) is the nation’s authority on sustainable buildings and communities.  The GBCA’s vision is to create healthy, resilient and positive places for people and the natural environment.  The Council operates Australia’s only national, voluntary, holistic rating system for sustainable buildings and communities – Green Star. 

Green Star – Communities is an independent rating tool that assesses the planning, design and construction of large scale development projects at a precinct, neighbourhood and/or community scale. It provides a rigorous and holistic rating across five impact categories including environmental sustainability, liveability, design excellence, economic prosperity, governance and innovation.​

The market today

  • Around 6000 tonnes of solid waste is produced each year.
  • Around 60 tonnes of organic fruit and vegetable waste is composted each month.
  • An average of 2.1 GWh of electricity is consumed each year – enough to power more than 540 two person households in the City of Melbourne.
  • Around 2250 tonnes of CO2 equivalent (including  natural gas and transport) is produced each year – equivalent to the emissions from around 600 cars.
  • Around 32,500 kilolitres of potable water is consumed each year – enough to fill 13 Olympic swimming pools.​

Making the market more sustainable

We will seek to make the market more sustainable by focusing on four key areas:

  • energy and carbon
  • waste and resource efficiency
  • climate resilience and water
  • economic and social sustainability.
Sustainability goalsPathwayActions
Zero carbon

Energy and carbon

Deliver a zero net emission outcome for the Queen Victoria
Market precinct. 

  • Implement energy efficiency measures in both new and existing buildings.
  • Generate on-site renewable energy through large-scale solar power and battery storage where viable, purchase offsite renewable energy for remaining electricity and source offsets for any other emissions.
  • Maximise energy efficiency across the Queen Victoria Market precinct through use of technologies to monitor and manage energy sources and loads across the site.
  • Explore opportunities with commercial and residential operators within the precinct to contribute to the zero carbon goal.

Zero waste


Resource efficient

Waste and resource efficiency

Achieve a zero net waste-to-landfill target for the Queen Victoria Market precinct as well as leading recycling and waste diversion targets for renewal construction programs.

  • Develop an on-site collection, separation and organic recycling facility.
  • Work with market traders on an effective waste reduction campaign.
  • Meet best practice standards for renewal works construction waste.
  • Explore other local waste reduction and organic recycling options in the surrounding community.
Climate resilient

Climate resilience and water

Reduce the use of potable water in the Queen Victoria Market precinct and potentially the adjacent Flagstaff Gardens through rainwater and stormwater collection and recycling.

  • Reduce potable water consumption in the precinct through rainwater collection, stormwater harvesting and water recycling.
  • Improve climate resilience within the precinct through increased planting, trees and water sensitive landscaping.

Economically sustainable


Socially sustainable

Economic and social sustainability

Ensure the long-term economic and social sustainability of the Queen Victoria Market precinct.

  • Use the Green Star Communities framework to evaluate the social, economic and environmental sustainability attributes of the QVMPR Program.

​Get involved

To find out more about the program and register for future updates:

Phone: 03 9658 9658

Email: qvmrenewal@melbourne.vic.gov.au​​

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