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Energy Resilient Community Hubs: Fusing Infrastructure with Social Capital
In the face of increasing climate-related disasters and extreme weather events, community resilience must extend beyond planning and preparedness into holistic models that leverage infrastructure uplift to build local social capital, and integration at scale. This presentation shares the development and implementation of an innovative program led by Bass Coast Shire Council to establish a network of Energy Resilient Community Hubs across the municipality.
In 2024, Council leveraged strong commitments to climate change mitigation and energy resilience to partner across Government to create a Shire-wide network of energy resilient hubs, upgrading council facilities by installing solar panels and batteries and simultaneously leveraging social capital to create a holistic eco-system of local energy resilient sites.
By leveraging further partnerships with AusNet and community groups, Council has now established a network of 10 Energy Resilient Community Hubs across Bass Coast Shire. This includes Council owned and operated sites, sites managed by Community Asset Committees and Community Houses.
In February 2024, the Waterline was heavily impacted by a storm. Fitted with solar panels and battery backup, the Corinella and District Community Centre remained open, enabling impacted community to reconnect, charge devices and access services and mutual support. This was proof of concept and a catalyst in the community for disaster preparation: the Waterline Emergency Network (WEN) was formed, comprised of multiple community groups as well as local emergency services and Bass Coast Shire Council.
The activities of the group extend beyond preparedness to include facilitating post-event debriefs and developing local messaging. The WEN is now a model being replicated across the Shire around the Hubs and is indicative of the shifting relationship with the community toward partnership and codesign across Council, response agencies and community groups.
Conclusion: targeted investment in infrastructure plus nurturing social capital equals disaster resilience.
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