Reducing our Environmental Impact

‘5 Greens a Day’ is just one example of how Staffordshire University is reducing its environmental impact and encouraging its students, staff, associates and communities to do the same.

Under the banner of ‘Sustain Staffs – for a better environment’, the University is embarking on a broad range of initiatives to minimise the effects of its activities on the environment and to both protect and enhance sustainability locally.

“Launched earlier this year,” comments Staffordshire University Environmental Manager, Adam Van Winsum, “Sustain Staffs has provided the perfect platform for our existing environmental programmes as well as a whole range of new activities – all to further confirm that environmental sustainability is not simply important to us, but is one of our core values.”

“Our objective is to build a more sustainable University and reduce our environmental impact,” he adds. “On a practical level, this means giving advice, guidance and developing initiatives to encourage the most effective use of natural resources.”

After an investment of about £1m, Staffordshire University has seen a big reduction in CO₂ emissions.  The reduction amounts to 3,000 tonnes CO₂ and represents a 20% reduction in comparison with our base year of 2008.  In financial terms, this is a saving of about £330,000 p.a. (plus a further saving of £36,000 in our estimated CRC tax bill).

Two new waste recycling streams have been created to further improve Staffordshire University’s already considerable recycling effort. Additionally, a five-year carbon management plan aims to reduce the University’s 2008 carbon emissions baseline by 26% by the end of 2014 and 48% in total by the end of 2019.

Staff and students are being actively encouraged to leave the car at home – possibly by taking advantage of the new Hertz on Demand car club or with one of our public transport interest free loans. And various staff members are proudly taking part in the Green Impact Universities environmental accreditation scheme.

Adhering to the University’s sustainable construction and design principle, a new £30m Science and Technology building that will form the hub of Stoke-on-Trent’s University Quarter is being built on Leek Road to BREEAM ‘Excellent’ standards. BREEAM is the Environmental Assessment Method for Buildings Around the World.

The summer will see new recycling bins for paper/card, metals and plastics being introduced to all Staffordshire University Halls of Residence, with external glass recycling points. This initiative is expected allow students to recycle approximately 60% of their waste.

A pilot project to install solar water heating at the Brocton House (part of Stafford Court hall of residence) was completed in September 2011.  This is now harvesting energy from the sun to offset electricity to heat domestic hot water in this section of Stafford Court.  The saving in CO₂ will be about 15 tonnes per annum.

Finally, as a further commitment to improving the strategies of local and regional policymakers in renewal energy systems, Staffordshire University’s Institute for Environment, Sustainability and Regeneration is also a member of RETS. A three-year project, RETS is a partnership of 12 organisations in nine countries and aims to facilitate a greater deployment of effective renewable energies at local and regional levels.

“Although some activities may be small when taken in isolation,” comments Adam Van Winsum, “each of our environmental initiatives is playing a vital part in creating a more sustainable University. Perhaps most importantly, with the help of ideas such as ‘5 Greens a Day’, we are creating an environment where everyone is aware of how simple actions can make a huge difference both at work, at study and at home.”

• Reducing single occupancy car journeys to the University by 50% for staff and 27% for students by 2013
• Reducing CO₂ emissions by 26% by the end of 2014, with reductions by 48% of 2008 baseline data by the end of 2019
• Heavily investing in energy-efficient technology – supported by a £1.03m interest-free loan scheme
• Achieving savings of £330,000 in utility bills and a 20% reduction in carbon emissions – with all initiatives paying back in five years or less

Around the globe and across the UK, Staffordshire University is making a real impact. From providing sustainable solutions to the problems faced by society, to transforming lives, tackling global issues and stimulating flexible new ways of teaching and learning, our academics - and graduates - are helping to make the world a much better place.