University of Brighton

The University of Brighton has five campuses across three towns/cities in Sussex, with 23,000 students and 3,000 staff. 

The university has adopted sustainability as one of its core goals, as reflected in the institution’s Strategic Plan, and has set a number of key performance indicators around sustainable development, including achieving our ambitious carbon reduction target of cutting our carbon footprint by 50% in five years (2011-2016).

We have an overarching Sustainable Development Strategy which takes a ‘whole-institution’ approach. This is supported by policies and strategies for each specific area, which can be found online here.

Main projects and initiatives:

c-change engagement and communications

• The University of Brighton runs its own bespoke in-house engagement campaign, ‘c-change’, which has been nationally recognised with a ‘Highly Commended’ Green Gown award in 2013.

• c-change aims to use new forms of communication which engage beyond simple information stalls on campus – for example, using smoothie bikes, interactive games, social media competitions and eye-catching branding.

• The NUS Green Impact scheme has been incorporated into the c-change campaign, with 21 teams of staff participating in the workbook this year. We are working to introduce specialist tabs for Catering, Laboratories, and Caretakers and Cleaners.

• Sustainability/Environmental Action Network groups meet to discuss local issues and organise events on each campus.

• The University of Brighton runs an annual ‘Green Week’ in collaboration with the Students’ Union and staff/students from across the university.

• For more information please see: www.brighton.ac.uk/sustainability/campus/cchange/

Carbon reduction

• See here for the University’s Carbon Management Plan.

• 100% of the university’s electricity is purchased from renewable sources.

• A ground-breaking, Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage system has been installed at our Moulsecoomb site, which will deliver low carbon heating and cooling.

• A new Sports Pavilion at our Falmer site incorporates innovative waste water heat recovery systems which will significantly reduce the energy demand of the building.

• The Cockcroft building, on the Moulsecoomb campus, has the largest PV array in Brighton & Hove.

• A state-of-the-art water cooled data centre efficiently manages the university’s servers and ICT estate.

• CHP units were incorporated into new buildings at Falmer and Varley Park.

• LED lighting has been rolled out to many buildings, with more planned LED projects in the pipeline.

• c-change energy-saving behaviour change campaigns are run throughout the year, such as the ‘Big Xmas Switch Off’ over the Christmas break.

• PC power management software has been rolled out across the University.

• For more information please see: www.brighton.ac.uk/sustainability/campus/carbon/

Sustainable Food

• Our Hospitality Services department have an ambitious Sustainable Food policy, which ensures that all eggs are free-range, all milk is organic, all fish/fish products are MSC certified, seasonal produce is available on all menus and ‘less and better meat and dairy’ is sold in all outlets.

• Hospitality Services were awarded a ‘Highly Commended’ Green Gown Awards, for their ‘Field to Fork’ project - a new procurement strategy for purchasing locally-sourced seasonal fruit and vegetables.

• The University has achieved the highest score of 3 Stars in the Sustainable Restaurants Association’s Sustainability Rating for all Hospitality Services outlets.

• In collaboration with the c-change campaign, a behaviour change project has been developed to encourage kitchen staff to switch off cooking appliances when not in use.

• A group of ‘Hospitality Services Green Reps’ ensures that each restaurant has at least one sustainability champion to drive forward progress in this area.

• Reusable Mugs and salad boxes are sold in all outlets, with a discount available for those using them. Bottled mains water in reusable glass bottles is provided for all meetings, as opposed to plastic bottled water.

• For more information please see: www.brighton.ac.uk/sustainability/campus/food/

Green Growth Platform

• Our ‘Green Growth Platform’ has £3m over 5 years to catalyse growth in the environmental sectors across Sussex.

• The project supports a thriving green sector in Sussex through a menu of 1-2-1 business coaching, innovation and R&D support, events and opportunities and skills development, delivered by a team of industry experts, business advisors and university specialists.

• The Platform creates green sector jobs, facilitates the development of new environmental products and services and enhances the drive to a low carbon economy in Sussex.

• The Platform is committed to engaging with at least 1,000 businesses, creating 250 new jobs and 50 internships, apprenticeships or student placements, developing 25 innovative products and services and creating 15 new modules or courses.

• For more information please see: www.greengrowthplatform.co.uk

Waste and Recycling

• The University’s recycling rates are on the increase – the latest 6 months of data show recycling levels to be at 53% compared to 39% for the same 6 months in 2013-14.

• Food waste collections have been rolled out to all seven University restaurants – ensuring that food waste is anaerobically digested. A food waste reduction campaign is also being run with a focus on pre-paid halls dinners.

• A dual recycling bin-system with consistent colour coding and signage has been rolled out to all student-facing areas.

• A recycling competition, rewarding students who recycle correctly, is being piloted at two of the university’s halls of residences prior to being rolled out to all halls in 2015-16.

• An annual ‘Reuse Project’ is run in halls at the end of each year, to donate unwanted items to students when moving out.

• The University uses Warp-it to reuse surplus resources within the university, and with other local organisations.

• For more information please see: www.brighton.ac.uk/sustainability/campus/waste/

Sustainable Travel

• The University has a Travel Plan for each site.

• c-change sustainable travel guides have been produced for each campus, outlining information on discounts, services and facilities.

• The university’s staff ‘cycle to work’ bike loan scheme limit has been increased to £2000 to allow the purchase of a wider range of bikes, including folding bikes and e-bikes.

• Generous cycle mileage payments (20p/mile) and interest-free annual public transport season ticket loans are available for staff.

• The university operates a free shuttle bus service for staff and students between campuses and halls in Brighton, using a local CIC bus service that run on used cooking oil from the university’s catering outlets, which is converted into biodiesel.

• Public transport real-time display screens have been installed in main Brighton campus buildings.

• Street furniture style public bike pumps and high quality bike repair kits are available at every halls and main campus building.

• An annual ‘Travel Week’ in collaboration with the Students’ Union and staff/students from across the university.

• For more information please see: www.brighton.ac.uk/sustainability/campus/transport/

Biodiversity

• The University has a Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP), created in collaboration with academics, following a biodiversity audit of the university’s campuses undertaken in June 2008.

• Our Environmental Policy ensures that all new developments include only native species and that non-native species are not used.

• Meadowland areas and habitat corridors have been created on Moulsecoomb and Falmer campuses.

• Green roofs on buildings at Falmer and Moulsecoomb encourage the growth of fauna and flora.

• The c-change campaign runs initiatives to raise awareness about biodiversity on campus, such as biodiversity walks and an online Q&A.

• For more information please see: www.brighton.ac.uk/sustainability/campus/biodiversity/

Main Contact Name: Abigail Dombey, Environmental Manager
Main Contact Email: A.N.dombey@brighton.ac.uk
Further information/website: www.brighton.ac.uk/sustainability
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