An exciting new flatting option hopes to spark change in Dunedin’s entire student area – the Sustainability Neighbourhood reflects student’s interests and will be supported by the University of Otago’s Sustainability Office and University Flats.
The sustainable student neighbourhood is set to be a game-changer for the student area next year.
University of Otago’s head of sustainability office Ray O’Brien says students who don’t like student areas being wasteful and messy will live with like-minded-people.
“It’s part of a shift to a new type of Dunedin flatting experience that still has the same vibe and is as much fun but reflects many of today’s students more and how they would like the future to be,” O’Brien says.
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Twenty students could join the Sustainability Neighbourhood pilot next year, which will be in three neighbouring Great King Street buildings.
“We have carefully picked a group of high-quality flats which are well-suited to a small, focused community,” he says.
The Sustainability Neighbourhood buildings were a nursery, preschool and childcare centre before being converted to University Flats about five years ago, when a new centre was created in Castle Street.
The flats will be set up for the students to grow food, compost, recycle, be energy efficient, and lead active and healthy lives – but the students will also initiate other sustainability activities themselves.
O’Brien approached University Flats about the project before the pandemic struck, when those flats were housing international students, and now the predicted drop in their numbers has made them available for domestic students.
The aim is to support first year students who are “getting amongst” sustainability in their colleges – through the Green Your Scene programme – to “stay amongst it” while flatting in their second year, with support from the Sustainability Office and the University Flats team.
The fully furnished flats will cost $185 a week, which includes power, internet, community events, pastoral care and prompt maintenance and repairs. The tenancy will be from 7 January to 16 December next year.
To apply to join the neighbourhood students are asked to create a video about their involvement with sustainability before July 31.
