Sustainability

My role consists of  developing the sustainability strategy for the University, developing and implementing  University wide environmental and sustainability policies and management  systems. This includes improving the  University’s sustainability, biodiversity, procurement, waste management,  transport and construction techniques. I also provide education and  awareness in these areas, improving the integration of good environmental  management practice into everything we do.

My role as Sustainable Travel Officer involves developing and promoting the use of sustainable modes of transport to, from and during work.  This includes implementing the green travel plan, improving the existing  facilities for walkers and cyclist such as lockable shelter and showers. I also  work closely with the bus companies to improve the service.

My role is to provide strategic management of the  University’s energy and water consumption. I   also has overall responsibility for the development and delivery of the  University’s Carbon Management Programme and the It’s Better Off campaign.

Part of my role is the monitoring of the  consumption of the university by looking at bills and automatically collected  metered information to identify areas of high consumption where energy saving  measures could be implemented, the other is co-ordinating the Environmental  Awareness campaign, ‘It’s Better OFF to be Sustainable’ This aims to spread the  environmental message across the campus,looking at how we can be a more  sustainable university.

As Environmental Manager my core responsibilities are the University’s waste, emissions to air and discharges to water, but my remit also includes noise. Managing the University’s waste now involves considering how to Reduce it, Reuse it and Recycle it, after that we Recover what energy we can from the residual waste and endeavour to send as little as possible to Landfill. Managing our discharges to water involves ensuring that only certain things go down the drains and that those things go down the right drains. Protecting the surface water drains which discharge into brooks and streams adjoining the campus is a key part of our environmental protection responsibilities. My other responsibilities include assisting on the delivery of the University’s EMS (Environmental Management System), which is ISO14001 accredited, as well as overseeing the Environmental Management Assistant, who engages with our 6000 students in halls and runs the inter-hall Green League.

The Environmental Management Assistant supports both the Environmental Manager and the Sustainability Team. My focus within this role is increasing student engagement with the topic of sustainability and their participation in the University’s sustainability agenda both on campus and in the wider community. This is in part achieved through the University’s Green League, an inter-hall competition which aims to encourage students to reduce energy consumption and improve both the quantity and quality of recycling. In conjunction with this I will be working with other students and staff on a series of engagement activities across the academic year to promote proactive sustainable behaviours.