joburton, Author at Sustainability

Environmental Fund – Success Story!

By joburtonJun 26, 20170 Comments

In March 2017, the Old Whiteknights House Green team were the successful recipients of money from an environmental fund, set up to support staff and students to undertake green projects important to them. Their project looked to encourage staff and students to get involved with a small kitchen garden they proposed to plant in the grounds of their building. The benefits of this were two-fold, to engage people with a very tangible environmental project near to their place of study/work but also to increase well-being with gardening a proven way to improve people's level of happiness. Over the last month,…

Awards and Achievements

How did we achieve our 35% carbon reduction target?

By joburtonFeb 08, 20170 Comments

We are delighted to announce that the University has cut its carbon emissions by 35%!!! This has produced a saving of £17 million over a five year period and means we have cut our annual carbon emissions from 44,000 tonnes of CO2 in 2008/09 to just over 28,500 tonnes per year now. The total carbon saved over the five year period is 63,000 tonnes, which equates to just over two years’ worth of the University’s current carbon emissions. This achievement puts the University among the top institutions in the country for reducing its carbon emissions. It demonstrates the University’s commitment to…

Awards and Achievements, Energy and Water

Skype for Business – Top Tip

By joburtonDec 14, 20160 Comments

IT have recently introduced Skype for Business at the University, something that many people have been asking about for a number of years. Having instant messaging and video conferencing facilities at our desks makes it easier for us to meet with people across the country and the world without the need to travel. One thing that we've found useful in Sustainability Services is having Skype for Business open when your start your computer up. This has meant we can see when colleagues are available through the day so we can communicate whilst people are working remotely. So to make sure Skype…

Travel and Transport

Green Festival 2016 – A look back…

By joburtonNov 24, 20160 Comments

Last week the University celebrated all things sustainable with its first Green Festival. Running from Wednesday 16 – Saturday 19 November there were a number of events including tours of the University’s state of the art energy centre, a careers event for students to explore environmental jobs and the ever popular Blackout event. We are delighted to say that many of the events were over-subscribed, demonstrating the passion and enthusiasm staff and students have at the University for green issues. During the week over 50 staff and students visited joined one of the Energy Centre or Carrington building tours and…

Awards and Achievements, Energy and Water

University wins national Green Gown Award

By joburtonNov 14, 20160 Comments

The University is proud to have been announced as the winner in the 'Facilities and Services' category of the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC) 2016 Green Gown Awards last week. The annual EAUC Green Gown Awards are a celebration of sustainability achievements across the higher education sector, and the University's energy efficiency improvements to its science labs was picked as the overall winner in the Facilities and Services category - http://www.greengownawards.org/2016-winners1 The judges saw Reading's entry as "...an exemplar model of engagement and collaboration with senior academic leaders which has led to a significant impact on energy savings and carbon…

Awards and Achievements

Interning with Sustainability Services

By joburtonSep 09, 20160 Comments

Over the summer, we hired two interns to help develop a platform to display our new and improved energy data. It is important for us to engage with staff & students, to inform them about their consumption as they are both primary users. As a result of 10 weeks of designing, editing and planning, we are proud to be launching our new sustainabilityoncampus.co.uk very soon. About the interns (name, course, career aspirations) Abi: 1st year student reading Geography (Human & Physical); hoping to work in the environmental sector or continue in further studies. Adam: recent graduate; Applied Statistics, wanting to become…

Awards and Achievements, Energy and Water

Extracting carbon savings from our science labs

By joburtonAug 09, 20160 Comments

The University's programme of energy efficiency improvements to its fume cupboards has been recognised by 3 national sustainability awards: S-Lab Awards 2017 - winner in the Laboratory Environmental Improvement Category - http://www.effectivelab.org.uk/2017-s-lab-awards.html EAUC Green Gown Awards 2016 - winner in the Facilities & Services category - http://www.sustainabilityexchange.ac.uk/green_gown_awards_2016_facilities_and_services_7 Love Energy Savings Awards 2016 - winner in the Stars of the Future category - https://www.loveenergysavings.com/the-love-energy-awards/ Following a successful £250,000 pilot scheme in 2014, the University carried out a complete review of all its 252 fume cupboard facilities. A further £768,000 has been invested during 2015/16, partly funded by a 0% loan from the Higher Education…

Energy and Water, Waste and Recycling

Sustainability Matters – Year in Review

By joburtonJun 16, 20160 Comments

The latest edition of Sustainability Matters is now available to read by clicking here. In it are a few of the projects that have been completed this year including the success of staff across the University in the Green Impact programme, work to improve and optimise the heating in buildings as well as big carbon savings being extracted from fume cupboard improvements. If you have a story you would like featured in Sustainability Matters or would like some hard copies for distribution around your department please do drop us an email at sustainability@reading.ac.uk

Awards and Achievements

On campus this month: creating better places to study and work

By joburtonFeb 16, 20160 Comments

We had an amazing Green Week and we hope you did too. Work to reduce the University’s carbon emissions doesn’t stop there. Over the next few weeks, we will be making improvements to how some of our buildings are heated. Many of you have spoken to our team about this issue; we have listened to what you said and we are taking action as a direct result. Getting our timing right We are adjusting the times that the heating comes on and off in our buildings, so that we’re heating space when buildings are occupied. This work will happen behind…

Energy and Water