News & Discussion: Adelaide City Council

[Cruise]

Not sure how it would work after shopping hours, but hey.

Like they do in any other shopping centre......

[bm7500]

Brisbane's mall is easily the best in Australia, imo.
It's ALWAYS packed, and there are always things happening.

There are a heap of cafes all the way through, and it's very "green", loads of plants/trees everywhere. It looks great.
I think there's an Italian place, a seafood place and a few others.

They're a bit more 'open' in design as well, so the alfresco part is more a part of the mall, rather than completely enclosed like Buskers is in Adelaide.

Totally agree. I have been to Brisbane Mall on many occasions and the ACC should seriously consider using it as the benchmark for Rundle Mall. It has a great atmosphere to the place day & night rather than just being a throughfare.

[Matt]

Not sure how it would work after shopping hours, but hey.

Like they do in any other shopping centre......

What I meant, was that it's a bit of a different situation than places like Marion or West Lakes, given that it would be 6 levels up and you'd have to walk through to the lifts to get up there.

Marion and West Lakes both have dedicated entry points next to their cinemas.

I'm not sure what the situation is with the fitness place (is that still there?), but I guess if you can get in there after usual shopping hours it wouldn't make a lot of difference.

Either way, I'd love to see a decent cinema complex in the mall.
The one on Hindley Street is the only one left (aside from Rundle Street), and it's completely out of the way.

[skyliner]

Brisbane's mall is easily the best in Australia, imo.
It's ALWAYS packed, and there are always things happening.

There are a heap of cafes all the way through, and it's very "green", loads of plants/trees everywhere. It looks great.
I think there's an Italian place, a seafood place and a few others.

They're a bit more 'open' in design as well, so the alfresco part is more a part of the mall, rather than completely enclosed like Buskers is in Adelaide.

Totally agree. I have been to Brisbane Mall on many occasions and the ACC should seriously consider using it as the benchmark for Rundle Mall. It has a great atmosphere to the place day & night rather than just being a throughfare.

As you guys say - Brisbane's mall is definitely THE benchmark. AS a secondary school teacher I hear students here speak often of the mall - favourably.

Businesses realise thart once a critical mass (of attraction) is reached, it becomes it's own magnet. Adelaide has the opportunity. More alfresco, cafes, restuarants in and nearby the mall will give even more life. As said, Brisbane mall IS always packed - still has cinemas I might add as well. Attractions after dark give it a new vibrance.

Also it has MANY huge high rise resi blocks nearby with a big population that uses them . IMO it thus stiil does well despite massive suburban shopping centres -same can go for Adelaide. With the big incrrease in resi blocks here, the mall has a top opportunity to capture that population.

Adelaide has a chance to go one better, learning from Brisbane's mistakes and ideas.

ADELAIDE - TOWARDS A GREATER CITY SKYLINE

[Bulldozer]

Got any pic's of Brissy mall Bulldozer?

Wouldn't mind making the comparison

I'll get my hands on a camera and take some soon.

[Will]

World’s first solar electric bus unveiled in Adelaide

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Released: 13 Dec 2007 [12.00am] Send to a Friend


The Adelaide City Council is about to raise the international standard for environmentally sustainable commuter transport, with the introduction of the world’s first solar-powered electric bus.

Called Tindo – the Kaurna Aboriginal word for sun – the bus is the first in the world to be recharged using 100% solar energy, generated by a unique solar photovoltaic (PV) system installed on the roof of the new Adelaide Central Bus Station.

Lord Mayor Michael Harbison says the bus will be used every day as a free service for the people of Adelaide through the Adelaide City Council’s free Adelaide Connector Bus service.

“Tindo is at the cutting edge of sustainable solar energy technology – using the power of the sun to drive a commuter transport vehicle which operates with zero tailpipe emissions, and is also fully carbon neutral,” he says.

“It’s the culmination of the Adelaide City Council’s eight-year, million-dollar project to deliver a pure electric community bus, with the solar recharge component made possible by the support of the Australian Government through the Adelaide Solar City program.”

“Made by Designline International in New Zealand, the solar electric bus doesn’t have a combustion engine, which makes it very quiet and ideal for Adelaide Connector Bus service operations in both residential neighbourhoods and busy City streets.”

“Not only is Tindo the world’s first fully solar-powered electric bus, but we believe it’s also the first time such an environmentally sustainable vehicle has been incorporated into a free community bus service,” he says.

Using solar PV panels supplied by BP Solar, the solar PV system at the new Adelaide Central Bus Station will generate almost 70,000 kilowatt hours of zero carbon emissions electricity each year, making it currently the largest grid-connected system in Adelaide.

Much of the funding for the $550,000 solar PV system has been provided by the Adelaide Solar City program, with the Adelaide City Council also committing significant funding.

With an operational range of 200 kilometres between charges under typical urban conditions, the air-conditioned solar electric bus is able to carry 27 passengers, with 25 seated and two wheelchair spaces.

The bus uses 11 Swiss-made Zebra sodium/nickel battery modules which give it unprecedented energy storage and operational range.

The Lord Mayor says the solar PV recharging system and resulting carbon neutrality sets Tindo apart from other electric buses used around the world.

“There are few pure battery electric buses around the world, and most are characterised by being significantly smaller in size than Tindo, and they have a shorter operational range,” he says.

“The Adelaide City Council’s solar electric bus is the only one recharged using 100% solar PV electricity.”

“Tindo and the solar recharging system at the Adelaide Central Bus Station represent a significant investment by the Council, in association with the Adelaide Solar City program, into building an environmentally sustainable City for the future.”

“The Council is also providing national and international leadership in sustainable public transport options.”

“We would welcome the opportunity to discuss the development of this project with other Capital Cities, the public transport industry, and State and Federal governments to foster the development of more pollution-free and carbon neutral sustainable public transport options in Australia,” he says.

[bm7500]

The only problem with the bus is that it can only run at night as it needs to charge during the day when the sun is out

But seriously, its good to see Adelaide leading the way with another 'first'

[Norman]

News report on Ten News tonight, I will be recording it.

[AtD]

There's some really tiny photos on the ACC's website.
http://www.cityofadelaide.com.au/script ... _ID=110026

[Harbo]

try http://www.adelaidecitycouncil.com/tindo for bigger pics and specs of Tindo, worlds first solar bus

[Howie]

Great work Michael, i'll get some coverage up on the front page.

[shaun]

Love the design, very modern.

[bmw boy]

Love the design, very modern.

yeh it does... to be honest, I was expecting some dodgy mini bus with solar pannels stuck on the roof haha

[Xaragmata]

The front shot looks like a big green garden bug, with antennae for mirrors.

[Edgar]

So is this Bus fully powered by electric motor, and recharged using solar energy recharging system at the central station?

how long can it run for when fully charged?