Becoming an Environmental Coordinator

What’s it all about?

Overview

• What is being an Environmental Coordinator all about?

• Benefits for you• Why we need you• What you need to know about the

Environment Team• Environment Team headlines over last 4

years• Staff induction

Environmental Coordinator Role

STATUS• It is a voluntary role (at the moment)• Other Universities have formalised the role• Some Environmental Coordinators at UoL

have had the role written into their job summary

• Reward mechanisms will be investigated

Environmental Coordinator Role

MAIN POINT OF CONTACT• Departmental contact for the central Env Team• Contact details to be included on Environment

Team webpages• Can choose to receive Env Team news articles

automatically• Will be informed of green issues through

regular updates from Env Team – mostly email but also at meetings

Environmental Coordinator Role

COMMUNICATION & INSPIRATION• Big carbon savings achievable through changed

behaviour at work• Need to maintain levels of interest with

colleagues and students• Includes ad hoc involvement in communication

campaigns e.g. Big/Little Green Weeks etc.• Act as an ambassador for the central Env Team• Inspire activity in colleagues and students

Environmental Coordinator Role

• INVOLVEMENT IN ENVIRONMENT TEAM ACTIVITIES

• Attend update meetings (about 3 per year)• Always have workshop sessions where we can

share ideas on our work• Green Impact project – Dept environmental

accreditation & award scheme• Communications events – help always needed• Environmental induction at a Dept level

Environmental Coordinator Role

ADVICE TO COLLEAGUES/STUDENTS• Should be able to answer the following:• Where is my nearest plastics recycling bin?• Does the University have an environmental

policy?• Which bin do I put my crisp packet into?• Where can I get hold of recycling bags?• What is the University doing about its carbon

footprint?• When is the next green event?

Benefits of the Role

• Recognition for involvement now possible through the Green Impact award

• Access to Dept/building data allowing the setting of building targets for energy-reductions – important when Depts are recharged for energy usage (currently under discussion)

• Will be pursuing option of including a line in job descriptions to cover EC roles

• References for active ECs will be available if needed

• Cakes – sometimes… and homemade! :o)

Why we need you!

• Get quick messages out about green initiatives• Involve the whole University in green

developments• Facilitate/devolve greater responsibility for

green actions to the Dept/College level• Respond to the requirements of the strategy –

60% carbon emissions cut by 2020 – a VERY BIG ASK – we must have support from Depts to achieve this

What you need to know about the Environment Team

• Who we are• What we do• Where we are based• Accessing our webpages to find:– Environmental Sustainability Policy– A to Z of waste and recycling– Strategy

• Latest news

The Environment Team• Dr Emma Fieldhouse – Environmental Manager• Chrispal Anand – Carbon & Energy Manager• Phil Ball – Waste Manager• Dr Sandra Lee – Sustainable Travel Officer• Ellen Holmes – Communications & Events Intern• Victoria Robinson – Ecological Surveyor• Jay Gohil – Administrative Support

• 50 + Environmental Coordinators (staff in Depts)• 400 + Environment Team volunteers (students)

The Environment Team• Top from left: Phil,

Chrispal and Emma• Far left: Sandra• Left below: Ellen• Bottom: Vic

What does the Environment Team do?

WORK THEMES• Energy• Waste• Water• Biodiversity/Land

management• Building/

Construction & Renovation

• Transport• Procurement• Corporate Social

Responsibility

WHY?• Legal compliance• Driven by policy/strategy

WHAT?• Communication IS KEY• Working towards formal

Environmental Management Systems (commencing 2012)

Contact details

• Within the Estates & Facilities Management Division of Corporate Services

• Room 17, Fielding Johnson Building• All queries to environment@le.ac.uk go to several

members of the team and will be responded to within 5 working days

• Also waste@le.ac.uk, carbon@le.ac.uk and travel@le.ac.uk for specific queries on these issues

• Webpages: www.le.ac.uk/environment

What has been achieved in the last few years?

Recycling Scheme

• Introduced an award-winning recycling scheme across all of the non-residential (and now residential) buildings using 600 hours of volunteer time. We now recycle up to 86% of our waste.

Carbon Footprint

• We have produced a carbon footprint for the University and we are committed to reducing our footprint by 20% by 2012 and 60% by 2020

District Energy Scheme

• The holes appearing on the campus in 2011 and up University Road are for the pipework for the District Energy Scheme

• The scheme has been led by the City Council and links University and public sector buildings through heating pipework so heat can be generated and distributed more efficiently

• Once switched on at Easter 2012 it will produce a 10 – 15% reduction in the University’s carbon footprint immediately

Green Buildings• We are committed to

achieving BREEAM ‘excellent’ (a green building design scheme) in all of our major projects

• Percy Gee SU is currently shortlisted for a sustainability award

Energy Performance of Buildings• Display Energy

Certificates put in the foyers of buildings over 1,000 m2 to demonstrate energy performance

Carbon Trust Standard

• Achieved in 2010• Based on a relative

reduction of 7% since 2004/5

• Gas and electricity absolute reductions of 6.6% and 2% respectively were seen on the main campus this year (2011)

Setting the target

• The University has committed to a 60% reduction in carbon emissions by 2020 from what we produced in 2004/5

• The district heating network will produce up to 15% reduction

Showing our waste footprint

• Waste pile in Queens Hall as part of Little Green Week 2009

Strategy Approved• Environmental

Sustainability Strategy• Provides a plan for the

next 5 years covering:– Carbon– Research– Teaching – Campus impacts

Volunteer Assistance

• We have used hundreds of hours of volunteer time to help us with many different projects

• Volunteers shown receiving certificates and promoting the Golden Bin Challenge

2011 in pictures

Environment Team Headlines

• New cycle store being built outside the library (will be opened in spring 2012 and house 300 bikes)

• Travel plan approved• New parking scheme has

reduced permits by 13% in 2011

• Many discounts available• Go to

www.le.ac.uk/travelplan for details

BIG GREEN WEEK

ES Strategy 2010 - 2015• Environmental Sustainability Strategy to be

released around University in February 2010• It has 4 strategic aims covering:– Carbon – Estates environmental impacts– Research– Teaching

• Carbon commitments– 10% by 2010 carbon reduction – 60% absolute carbon emissions reduction by 2020

against 2004/5 baseline (equivalent to 50% against 1990 levels)

Staff (& Student?) Induction• MAIN THINGS TO BE AWARE OF• Nearest recycling containers – where to get a

recycling deskbin from (staff only)• A to Z of waste and recycling (from webpages) so

they know what to recycle into which containers• Env Sustainability policy (from March 2007) • Env Sustainability strategy (2010 - 2015) –

impacts on research and teaching & campus• Location of webpages• Student (and staff) volunteering opportunities

Any questions?

environment@le.ac.ukwww.le.ac.uk/environment