91香蕉视频

Renewables

 We have installed nearly 1,500 solar panels at our Moulsecoomb, Falmer and Eastbourne campuses, and at our Varley Park residences. These arrays between them generate around 435,000kWh each year, cutting our annual CO₂ emissions by 175 tonnes.

The solar arrays at Varley and Eastbourne were installed through an innovative collaboration with 91香蕉视频 Energy Co-operative – a community energy organisation whose members invest to develop renewable energy systems in 91香蕉视频 and the south-east.

In addition, we have also installed solar hot water panels on the roofs of our Hillbrow swimming pool building in Eastbourne and the Huxley Building at the Moulsecoomb campus.

All electricity used at the university is 100% renewable, generated mostly from onshore and offshore wind.

Sustainable buildings

Our campuses are home to a wide variety of building types, ranging from old 19th century buildings to tailor-made new builds. We aim to achieve BREEAM Excellent standard for all our new developments, as well as working to improve the energy efficiency of our older buildings through sustainable refurbishment projects.

 A recent installation of efficient lighting at our Aldrich and Falmer Libraries is saving 48 tonnes of carbon a year.

Heating and ventilation is a significant contributor to a building’s carbon footprint, which is why we’ve implemented a range of initiatives to lower this impact.

• An Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES) system – an innovative way of heating and cooling one of our largest buildings, using water from hot and cold wells below the site.
• Low-carbon Combined Heat and Power (CHP) units - cutting our carbon emissions by generating electricity at the same time as providing heating.
• An extensive building energy management system (BMS) - ensuring our buildings are comfortable places for work and study, while achieving the most efficient use of energy across campus.

Green IT

With IT equipment being so integral to the work of a modern university, we’re working hard to ensure our IT services are run as sustainably as possible.

A particularly successful initiative has been the development of a state-of-the-art water-cooled data centre on our Moulsecoomb campus, providing energy-efficient housing for current and future departmental servers.

With over 4,000 desktop computers across our campuses, the installation of Power Down software has played a key role in further reducing the carbon footprint of our IT systems. The software ensures that all computers are automatically powered down when not in use, making a huge impact in avoiding energy waste.

Carbon Management Plan 

The university’s strategic aim is to significantly reduce the university's carbon footprint, while the university's estate grows, without diminishing the student experience.

The university is tackling its impacts in many ways and has implemented a number of carbon reduction projects through its (pdf). The Carbon Management Plan and plans for reaching net-zero are currently under development. 

Savings on energy costs from carbon reduction projects are reinvested in further carbon reduction and sustainability projects, including behaviour change engagement campaigns, biodiversity initiatives, and sustainable transport infrastructure.

Waste and recycling 

Our aim at the 91香蕉视频 is to promote a culture of ‘rethink, reduce, reuse and recycle’, in order to significantly reduce waste and increase recycling across all areas of the university estate.

This means reducing packaging; cutting down paper use; reducing and recycling food waste; facilitating staff to share surplus resources internally and with local organisations; running the annual reuse project in our halls of residence, and investing heavily in recycling facilities across our campuses.

Environmental Management System

Estates and Facilities Management hold EcoCampus Gold accreditation in recognition of work done to embed environmental sustainability, compliance and processes across the department through an Environmental Management System (EMS).

The EcoCampus scheme helps universities and colleges to improve sustainability performance by offering a flexible, phased approach to implementing an EMS. An EMS monitors an organisation’s environmental strengths and weaknesses, for example by ensuring compliance with relevant legislation. This allows institutions to manage these risks and reduce impact on the environment.

The Gold accreditation recognises that the university has implemented an operational EMS; that we are identifying and managing our significant environmental aspects, setting environmental objectives, managing environmental compliance, and that we have an up-to-date  to which the EMS is aligned.

The Estates team are aiming for full ISO14001 accreditation - and EcoCampus Platinum status - by the end of 2023.

The EMS implementation team are also working on a road map to assist our schools and other departments in developing their own environmental management systems.

Sustainable travel

The university aims to facilitate staff, students and visitors to travel as sustainably as possible to and from campus, to help cut carbon emissions and pollution, and improve health and wellbeing. We particularly encourage to use of active travel such as walking and cycling, as well as public transport, car-sharing, e-vehicles, and avoiding the need to travel by using online meetings or conference calls, supported by the university's Agile Working Framework.

Our initiatives include:

• staff and student sustainable travel discounts
• access to a wealth of travel information for students and staff
• on-campus facilities including cycle parking, showers and lockers
• , providing tax-free salary-sacrifice bike purchases for staff
• salary sacrifice travel season ticket loans for staff
• staff access to travel discounts through the  
• free 1 month bus pass from 91香蕉视频 and Hove Buses for eligible new staff
• competitions and challenges run as part of our award winning sustainability engagement campaign ‘c-change’.

The university is also a member of the Southeast Communities Rail Partnership’s, Steering Group. The groups connects communities to their railways along the line between Seaford and 91香蕉视频, encourage travel by train and engagement with the railway. 

Further information on all student initiatives and travel information can be found on the .

Biodiversity

We strive to preserve and protect natural habitats and biodiversity on our campuses, creating new opportunities for wildlife on campus wherever possible.

In addition to nurturing local habitats, our biodiversity work helps create a better environment for the university community, promoting staff and student wellbeing and increasing enjoyment of our campuses.

91香蕉视频 students and staff have collaborated to attain Bronze Hedgehog Friendly Campus certification, to further promote biodiversity and help protect a vulnerable species. More information is available on the .

The University is developing a People and Nature Strategy with the School of Applied Sciences, due for completion July 2022 to replaces the previous (pdf) and a (pdf).

These plans includes biodiversity initiatives such as:

• improved management of biodiversity at Moulsecoomb and Falmer
• better management of habitat corridors
• a reduction in the amount of chemicals used on our campuses
• the installation of green roofs.

Sustainable food 

The university is committed to ensuring the sustainability of our campus food and drink outlets. We use locally grown fruit and vegetables, use sustainable fish and high welfare meat, offer a range of vegetarian and vegan options, and actively encourage healthy eating.

Our sustainable food commitments are outlined in full within our (pdf), which covers all food outlets and food served by the university, referred to as Food on Campus, and the university’s ethics webpages.

The university also provides spaces for staff and students to grow their own local sustainable produce in campus allotments at our Falmer, City and Eastbourne sites.

In recognition of our efforts in this area, the university was the winner of the 2016 Cateys Sustainable Business Award. In 2014, we also won a 'Highly Commended' Green Gown award for our work to embed our Sustainable Food Policy into fruit and vegetable supplier contracts. Watch our to find out more.

c-change

We recognise that engaging with staff and students to adopt sustainable carbon-cutting behaviours such as recycling, saving energy and travelling sustainably is a key part of reducing our environmental impact.

Our bespoke award-winning campaign, , is especially designed to engage, inspire and support staff and students to cut carbon, on and off campus through annual .

In November 2021 the annual green week of events was held for students and staff to coincide with COP26, with a range of events held to encourage engagement around the global summit.

In December 2021 the annual campaign ran, encouraging all staff and students to help drive down unnecessary energy usage on campus by switching off non- essential equipment and lights.

Additionally the Sustainability Team attend the university which is mandatory for all new staff, and includes an introduction to the university's sustainability policies and strategies.

Sustainable Curriculum

The university is committed to embedding sustainability across its teaching and learning, with the aim of equipping students from all disciplines to make positive contributions to our society in their future lives and careers.

Through our work in this area, we seek to inspire teaching staff and students to consider what Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) means in relation to their own subject areas, and to develop relevant ways in which to explore it.

Supported dissertations

The Sustainability Team supports students completing dissertations and coursework, on topics relating to the environmental and sustainability projects at the university. Recent examples include:

• Developing the use of real time displays for local sustainable transport information across 91香蕉视频 campuses (Computer Science, 2018-19)
• Conceptual design of the most efficient installation solution of PV solar panels at the 91香蕉视频, and validation of existing installations via PVSOL (MEng Aeronautical Engineering, 2018-19)
• Environmental audit of 91香蕉视频 hospitality and catering operations (MSc in Environmental Management and Assessment, 2018-19)
• A study into textile recycling habits of students, and facilities available at the 91香蕉视频 (BSc Social Marketing, 2017-18)
• Promoting food waste reduction amongst third year students at the 91香蕉视频 (BSc Social Marketing, 2017-18)
• Sustainability in Action - Case Study of 91香蕉视频 Pavilion Sports Facility (MEng Civil Engineering, 2016-17)
• Environmental audits of the School of Health Sciences (MSc in Environmental Management and Assessment, 2016-17)
• Can the 91香蕉视频 embrace a more sustainable policy when developing its estate?’ (MA Sustainable Design, September 2016)
• A study of the attitudes and behaviours relating to energy consumption in halls of residences (MSc Social Marketing, September 2016)
• Using Social Marketing; how to encourage students to reduce food waste? (BA Business, May 2016)
• A compositional analysis of waste and recycling and study of recycling awareness among students in the Cockcroft building (BSc Geography, May 2016)
• A study into the levels of engagement of students with energy reduction initiatives on campus (BSc Geography, May 2016)
• A study of the progress, integration, barriers and opportunities of the 91香蕉视频 in adopting the principles of a Circular Economy (MSc Environmental Assessment and Management, July 2016)
• Can Community Engagement modules develop student’s active citizenship? A study of the Community Engagement module at the 91香蕉视频 (BA (Hons) Environment and Media, July 2016)

Research

A long-standing feature of research at 91香蕉视频 has involved identifying how technology, ideas, innovation and organisational change in a range of social, business, educational and creative contexts can better contribute to economic growth, improved environments and a more inclusive society.

The university’s Responsible Futures research theme seeks to contribute to the creation of a more just and environmentally sustainable society, and includes research into the circular economy, sustainable tourism, ethical and green business practices, sustainable health and the blue economy. Our engagement with external partners enables us to have an impact locally, nationally and globally.

A number of sustainability-related research projects are currently underway in research centres and groups across the university:

• Society, Space and Environment Research and Enterprise Group
• The Centre for Research in Spatial, Environmental and Cultural Politics

A full list of research topics and groups are available on the university research and enterprise pages.

Partnership

The 91香蕉视频 actively works with community groups and organisations to help our local communities to thrive, and to improve teaching and research. We work together to solve problems and develop working relationships that help local communities and the university in the long term.

Our Community University Partnership Programme (CUPP) creates sustainable partnerships, helps develop ideas into projects, provides start-up funding and helps networks and communities of practice develop.

The university’s award-winning Green Growth Platform supports Sussex’s thriving green sector through business support, innovation and research and development support, events, and opportunities for skills development, delivered by a team of industry experts, business advisors and university specialists.

The university's Sustainability Team support local community partnerships throughout the year on small scale projects, including 91香蕉视频 and Hove Food Partnership, Surfers Against Sewage and the 91香蕉视频 Bike Hub. Read more about these activities on the .