Helping staff to travel sustainably at UoR

By jackiesimpsonOct 17, 20220 Comments
The carbon hierarchy, as above, shows travel methods in order of sustainability – it is a helpful tool to consider the impact of travel decisions and supports the consideration of suitable alternatives. For further information and offers, please visit our sustainable travel pages. The 2022 travel survey revealed that only 57% of our staff travelled sustainably – this blog highlights all the alternative modes and offers to help you cut emissions and potentially save money by travelling by other means than driving single occupancy vehicles. Keep reading to find out how to beat the traffic with our new FREE Park…
Energy and Water
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Sustainable travel target achieved!

By jackiesimpsonOct 10, 20220 Comments
The results are in from the University’s 2022 travel survey and we are proud to announce that we have achieved our Travel Plan target for 87% of all travel to be sustainable by 2022. Key findings 51% of students and staff travel by sustainable means to and from the University (with sustainable travel defined as anything other than single occupancy vehicle travel). 70% of our students travel to University locations by foot, which has risen by 10% since the last survey was conducted in 2020. The amount of students using public transport has remained static but the number of student…
Travel and Transport
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How students can travel sustainably in Reading

By jackiesimpsonOct 10, 20220 Comments
Welcome to all new students that have joined our community at University of Reading. If you are wondering what the most sustainable way to get round your new home is, then this blog is for you! The carbon hierarchy, as above, shows travel methods in order of sustainability – it is a helpful tool to consider the impact of travel decisions and supports the consideration of suitable alternatives. For further information and offers, please visit our sustainable travel pages. Walking The University has beautiful campuses’ and each one is easy to navigate via foot. Our walking webpage shows how to…
Travel and Transport
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Welcome to Doing #UoR Bit for students!

By jackiesimpsonSep 22, 20220 Comments
Sustainability Services are proud to announce the launch of our new sustainable action platform for students, Doing #UoR Bit. This has been made possible by the generosity of donors to the University of Reading IMAGINE campaign and amazing support from RUSU to the prize fund. Earn prizes for being sustainable As part of our goal to become a world-leading institution for sustainability, the University of Reading is rewarding its students for making sustainable choices at home and at the university. Doing #UoRBit is an app and online platform where you can record your sustainable actions – like travelling sustainably, reporting…
Behaviour Change
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New lift share tool has now been launched

By jackiesimpsonSep 05, 20220 Comments
We’re pleased to announce that we have launched an exciting new lift share tool. This forms part of the Doing #UoRBit platform, allowing you to earn Green Points simply by lift sharing. Every month there is the chance to win a £20 voucher for those users who have earned the most Green Points! The lift share tool allows you to connect with other Doing #UoRBit users who would like to share their commute – whether it be by car, public transport, cycling or walking. The tool is easy to use – you can add a new route to share the…
Travel and Transport
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Every drop matters!

By jackiesimpsonAug 10, 20220 Comments
Climate change’s affects on weather patterns means that water scarcity is becoming a reality in some parts of the world and the UK will not escape these impacts. Adaptation to these impacts will see the need to reduce consumption and careful water management will become vital in the coming years. The University is committed to managing our water use effectively to ensure that we protect this limited and increasingly precious resource. In July 2021 the University achieved significant reductions against all of its 5 year targets which were set in the 2016-21 Carbon and Water Management Plan. For non-residential properties…
Behaviour Change, Energy and Water
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Take a self guided walking tour to explore our Whiteknights Campus

By jackiesimpsonMar 23, 20220 Comments
Our main University campus at Whiteknights is set in 50 hectares of parkland with a diverse mix of habitats, with over 2076 recorded species present. This includes 600 plants, 125 birds, 22 mammals and almost 1000 species of insect. Our campus has been awarded Green Flag status for 11 consecutive years – this recognises the efforts of our Grounds Maintenance team in maintaining such a lovely diverse space. We have also been awarded the bronze accreditation for having a hedgehog friendly campus and are working towards the silver level, which demonstrates our commitment to helping to protect this ever-popular mammal.…
Biodiversity and Green Infrastructure
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Reducing food waste at the University of Reading

By jackiesimpsonMar 09, 20220 Comments
The University of Reading puts sustainability at the heart of everything we do, it is a cornerstone of our strategic vision. A key part of sustainability is to reduce the amount of waste generated across all streams and our commitment to reducing food waste is led by our Hospitality and Catering Teams. The University has adopted the Sustainable Food Policy And Framework, which outlines all the actions that have been completed in this area and those in progress. This policy includes many areas which are relevant to reducing food waste and those which are most relevant are highlighted below: •…
Behaviour Change, Waste and Recycling
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BEIS’ Green Heat Network Fund (GHNF) grant

By jackiesimpsonJan 31, 20220 Comments
The University has been awarded a £100,000 grant from the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. The grant comes from BEIS’ Green Heat Network Fund (GNHF) and will be fund matched by the University. The GNHF aims to transform UK heating by switching existing heat networks to low carbon fuel sources. This grant will enable us to commission design work to assist with the decarbonisation of the heating systems at Whiteknights campus. Specifically this will focus on plans to install a large heat pump into our energy centre. The energy centre currently provides heating to 16 buildings on the…
Awards and Achievements, Energy and Water
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Energy Manager’s Association (EMA) award for Net Zero Strategy 2021

By jackiesimpsonJan 27, 20220 Comments
We were honoured to win the EMA’s Net Zero Strategy 2021 award, recognising our ambitious plan to become net zero by 2030 as the best in the UK. This award puts us among the leading public and private sector organisations in the UK for sustainability. The University’s Net Zero Carbon plan is wide ranging, including shifting buildings to carbon-free heating, cutting emissions from national and international business travel, and reducing waste and improving efficiency across the estate. The judges highlighted the clear, comprehensive nature of the plan, including the clearly-defined milestones to help measure progress. This award gives us the…
Awards and Achievements, Energy and Water
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