KEELE UNIVERSITY Sustainability Report 2013 CONTENTS AND CONTACTS

1. Foreword by the Chancellor...... 1 Introduction by the Vice-Chancellor...... 1 2. Vision & Key Achievements...... 2 3. Student Engagement...... 3 4. The University Carbon Management Plan...... 4 & 5 5. Renewable and Low Carbon Energy...... 6 6. Estates Developments...... 7 7. Waste and Recycling...... 8 8. Sustainable Procurement and Catering...... 9 9. Sustainability in the Curriculum & Student Experience...... 10 - 12 10. Research...... 13 & 14 11. Outreach...... 15 12. Enterprise...... 16 & 17 13. The Keele University Sustainability Hub...... 18 & 19 14. Project cameos...... 20 - 22 15. A Strategy for Environmental Sustainability...... 23 16. The Environmental Strategy Steering Group...... 24 17. Key Facts (inside back cover page)

For information on environmental sustainability at Keele University please see: www.keele.ac.uk/greenkeele Email: [email protected] Telephone: 01782 733555 FOREWORD BY THE CHANCELLOR Jonathon Porritt Chancellor, Keele University

A key focus for me this year has been thinking part of the Distinctive Keele Curriculum (DKC). about what the world might look like in 2050. The DKC provides the opportunity for students If we don’t make good, bold decisions today from any discipline to take elective modules that and in the coming decade or so, we are storing address sustainability, as well as opportunities up massive problems for the next generation. to work with the community or support campus There may be a debate about how quickly the projects to improve the environment. And of climate is changing, but there is little doubt that course, these sorts of activities help develop it is changing, and, moreover, that there is a important skills for the workplace – e.g. problem- huge amount that we should already be doing to solving, communication skills, and team working. address the underlying problems. However, there is also a responsibility for the How should a University be responding to these University to be ‘doing’ as well as ‘educating’. global issues? The fi rst responsibility must be to So it is crucial that all of the activities of the ensure that all of our students are made aware University refl ect a commitment to sustainability of the issues (particularly climate change) during – from recycling initiatives to the installation of their studies. This is unlikely to work if the topics low energy lighting, from ethical investments to are forced on them, and that is not, in any case, the provision of cycle sheds, from using electric the way that deep learning takes place. More vehicles to running sustainability activities for the eff ective must be the raising of sustainability local community. Like every institution, Keele still within the curriculum of their own discipline, has a long way to go - we’ve had a diffi cult year, with the opportunity to discuss and explore the for instance, in managing our carbon footprint, complexity that underpins almost all sustainability for all sorts of diff erent reasons (see page 4) problems. The curriculum section (see page but this annual report also shows the impressive 10) of this report summarizes how Keele is progress that the University has made on many attempting to do this. other fronts. Students should also be given the opportunity to be involved in sustainability outside their discipline-specifi c studies; this is an important

INTRODUCTION BY THE VICE-CHANCELLOR Professor Nick Foskett, Vice-Chancellor, Keele University

This is the third annual Sustainability Report, provided ‘green’ meals for over 100 guests), and it demonstrates the considerable strides and through the activities of the infl uential that Keele has made in addressing the complex Think:Green group. The second has been the issues of sustainability. If there was any suspicion response of over 100 staff engaging with the that 2011 and 2012 were ‘bumper years’, and Green Impact project, again with involvement of that the agenda might lose momentum, then our student community to help run and assess the this report should allay those concerns. We have work of the GI teams. seen major progress on almost every front, with Not only has 2013 has been another very a range of projects embedding sustainability productive year for Keele’s sustainability within discipline curricula, a very successful year ambitions, but the projects have laid the for research, several major estates initiatives foundations for longer term success, helping us (e.g. a major grant for low energy lighting in the in our aim to be the most sustainable campus library, and the installation of solar PV arrays), university in the UK. and more outreach activities than ever before – most notably through the Hub, which continues to thrive. Underpinning all of the developments has been the fantastic engagement of Keele University community, and there are two examples of this that really stand out. The fi rst is the enthusiasm with which the KeeleSU and the KPA have supported sustainability initiatives, and have been willing to fi nd the time to be actively involved Professor Nick Foskett, in so many projects; we see the fruits of this in Vice-Chancellor, Keele University the Sustainable Student Bungalow (which has

1 VISION AND KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

Professor Pat Bailey, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Environment & Sustainability)

This is our 3rd annual Sustainability Report, Week being especially memorable. But special but it is important to remind ourselves of our mention needs to be made of Green Impact; vision for Keele University. Interestingly, the this is a nationwide project led by the National developments that we’ve seen over the past Union of Students, but Keele has engaged more 3 years were underpinned by a ‘deep green people (ca 100, in 28 teams) than any other environmental vision’ in 2008/09, but the University, and we’ll see whether it has lived up whole concept of what we wanted to do then to its name when the assessments and awards included issues of sustainability and justice. To are made around Easter time. more fully articulate our original intention, the The purpose of this report is not only to identify vision now is that Keele should be an exemplar our successes, but also to point to ways in of a sustainable campus, with the principles which we can improve. In the People & Planet of sustainability embedded in everything that Green League Table (GLT), we improved our we do as a community, and in our education position to 59th [and a solid 2(i) classifi cation]. and research. One reason for this modest performance is the Keele’s 50th anniversary year in 2012 was size of our estate and the relatively small size of an important milestone in the University’s us as an institution, which penalizes us in several commitment to sustainability. We appointed of the metrics. Interestingly, the GLT analyses Jonathon Porritt as our new Chancellor – his are being delayed in 2014, whilst a major very appointment made a bold statement about review takes place concerning the way that the Keele’s commitment to sustainability, but he metrics are assessed and the scores calculated. has also been a wonderful friend (sometimes Although that review is still taking place, we’re a critical one) and champion for everything hoping that much more emphasis will be placed that we have been trying to do. The Keele on community action and sustainable education, Sustainability Hub opened in October 2011, so rather than being so heavily weighted towards 2012 was its fi rst full year of operation. And 2012 factors that are embedded in the estate (and was also the year when Zoe Robinson (who so are diffi cult to change quickly). This is not to won her National Teaching Fellowship that year) say that we shouldn’t be tackling the big issues accepted the role of Director of Education for concerning our estate, and the 150 kW of solar Sustainability, and we took on three Project PV and £340k of funding for LED lighting are offi cers to help us embed sustainability in the examples of progress in making our buildings Keele University curriculum. more energy effi cient. This report provides a summary of our Nevertheless, there is one exciting vision for the sustainability achievements in 2013. It is divided Keele campus that is all about its estate, and into about a dozen sections, so that we can the effi ciency of its buildings. This is the plan see how sustainability has been developed to develop our services infrastructure into a within the various themes and across the Sustainable Energy Network, allowing economic whole campus, and it is the breadth of that use of electricity, gas and heat, and powered engagement that really stands out. Just picking by low or zero carbon sources that lie under, on out some of the highlights, the Hub’s reputation and above our campus. If our plans gain funding has shown that its fi rst successful year was from local and national government, and from not simply due to its novelty – 2013 was more HEFCE and EU sources, then we hope to be able successful than 2012 by every measure, with to use a mix of geothermal, coal bed methane, the engagement with Schools (both at the wind, solar and bio-fuel energy sources to meet Hub and through activities run by Science for the majority of our energy needs by 2020. This Sustainability) being especially noteworthy. The is hugely ambitious, and there are many hurdles engagement of the KeeleSU and KPA has also to overcome if we are to achieve success but, if been a real feature of 2013, with the successes we could deliver it, then it would undoubtedly of the Student Eats project and the Sustainable place Keele University as a unique exemplar of a Student Bungalow being highlights. We have sustainable campus. also seen sustainability being embedded into both the curriculum and co-curriculum activities, through a range of initiatives supported by the Project Offi cers, with Green

2 STUDENT ENGAGEMENT

Written by Victoria Taylor and Emmanuel Blondel

Green issues have continued to be championed Kilgallon and Emmanuel Blondel) decided to at KeeleSU with the support of Think:Green take the house in a slightly diff erent direction. and a number of dedicated student volunteers, Identifying that among students, the house who successfully work alongside the University was still unfortunately rather unknown, they to champion environmental issues amongst started a system of providing free vegan meals students, staff and the wider community. to those who wanted them, funded largely KeeleSU are participating in the Green Impact through donations and bulk buying from scheme and we are keen to build on our local producers, thanks to a team of about successes from last year. We’ve made some a dozen close knit and committed students. internal changes so that all of our take- The Students have fed over a hundred unique away containers are fully compostable, and guests, according to the data they have we’re also keen to invest in the generation collected, and while they are now scaling of bio-diesel for use in the Safety Buses we back this part of the project to only a few run. KeeleSU are continuing to support the days a week, they are happy that the word University’s sustainable development by has successfully been spread much further helping our members to drive change and by than ever before. They will be using their new “There are engaging with larger projects, such as Green support base to focus on the garden in the Week, with online promotion and incentives. coming spring and, having taught many about some exciting the environmental advantages of a more plant- We’re excited to be involved with the based diet, they can teach other students how student-led campus-wide Green Week initiative; we will they can live a more sustainable lifestyle. be encouraging students to participate in focus groups the variety of activities across campus by Student Eats providing free entry to the Students’ Union, The student food-growing scheme is going that will and encouraging our full and part-time offi cers from strength to strength in its fi rst true year to make the most of the experiences provided of activity, after the launch of the project in provide a really during the week. April. After a tough but surprisingly productive summer, during which many students and The positive working relationship between useful insight residents who were still on campus lent their the Students’ Union and the University has muscles and minds, a fresh new committee continued with an increased focus on wider into the ways has been elected, tasked with carrying student engagement, with which we’re out the aims established at the wonderful really happy to be involved. There are some we can develop Visioning Workshop that took place earlier this exciting student-led focus groups that will autumn. A multi-section compost bin is under provide a really useful insight into the ways students’ construction from old pallets, and a series of we can develop students’ relationship with workshops have got the team thinking and sustainability issues on campus and at home. relationship learning. We are all very excited for the spring, There are two key student-led projects which which the hard work of the last 8 months has with have really rocketed this year; the projects really been leading up to, so come down and are mainly promoted by current students who join us on our Friday lunchtime sessions, 12:30 sustainability reiterate their commitment to sustainability in the Lindsay Walled Garden. and ethical issues, at Keele and much further issues on beyond. KeeleSU are incredibly proud and supportive of these students and the change campus and at they can make to the local community. The Student Sustainable Bungalow Initiative: home.” The Student Sustainable Bungalow project is now in its third year, with its third group of ‘housemates’. Each year the student ‘housemates’ are able to explore ways that they can live more sustainably, in a standard 1960s bungalow on the University campus. This year, the four students living in the house (Alex Melson, Andrea Grainger, Sophie

3 UNIVERSITY CARBON MANAGEMENT PLAN

Keele University is committed to a reduction But correcting our emissions for the fl oor area in absolute carbon dioxide emissions of 34% of buildings, we’re doing quite well: by 2020 based on 1990 levels, but 2012/13 has • Keele University 2012/2013 annual been a challenging 12 months. One problem is emissions/fl oor area – 76.59 tCO /m2 that the targets are based entirely on the 1990 2 data, irrespective of growth in student numbers • HEFCE 1990 baseline for Keele University – 2 (now about double the 1990 numbers), longer 103.91 tCO2/ m opening hours of some buildings (e.g. 24/7 • Current reduction against 1990 baseline – 2 for the library during term-time), and other 27.32 tCO2/ m / 26.29% buildings being included in the University’s estate. The weather was also unhelpful 2 (hard winter in 2012/13), and the following kg CO2 per m data summarise the out-turn of the utility kgCO2 per m2 Linear (kgCO2 per m2) use for the year 2012/2013 compared to the 120.00

year 2011/2012. 100.00

• Gas consumption increased by 5,860,631 80.00 kWh or 19.6% 60.00

• Electricity consumption increased by 40.00

248,336 kWh or 2% 20.00 3 • Water consumption increased by 7,927 m 0.00 or 3.4%

Carbon Dioxide (CO2 Emissions) Performance Due to increased utility consumption in the Salix report past year our Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Emissions The University has participated in the SALIX/ Scope 1 & 2 (energy related emissions) have HEFCE revolving Green Fund, which is used also increased by 713 tCO2 or 5.21% from to implement energy saving projects that will last year. pay back within fi ve years, and the estimated • Keele University 2012/2013 annual savings are put back in to the fund to be emissions – 12,693 tCO2 (Scope 1 & 2) reused. We have won several major Salix awards that have allowed major upgrades, • HEFCE 1990 baseline for Keele University – and we were delighted to win £340k in 2013, 12,921 tCO2 primarily to fi t out the library (with its 24h opening policy) with low energy LED lighting. • HEFCE 2020 target for Keele University – 8,528 tCO2 / 34% Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) report The University is a participant in the Carbon • Current reduction against 1990 target – 228 Reduction Commitment (CRC) Scheme tCO2 / 1.76% based on the amount of electricity and gas it consumes annually. This scheme was initially designed as a carbon credits trading process that encouraged energy effi ciency and reduction, with repayments associated with league table performance. The University achieved its early targets: Automated Meter Reading (AMR) on all primary meters and a recognised energy effi ciency accreditation such as the Carbon Trust Standard (year-on- year reduction in carbon emissions). Renewal of the Carbon Trust Standard was achieved in 2011, with the University achieving good assessment marks (90% in all categories) …

4 but the government then withdrew from the Future Developments repayment scheme. The scheme is under review Currently we are evaluating a number of at present, and national consultations have projects and opportunities that will meet the taken place to see if a simpler and fairer scheme Salix criteria, including: can be devised. It is also worth noting that the • Accommodation lighting – Kitchen lights carbon price per tonne is planned to rise to £20 by 2020. • Lighting Control – occupancy sensors • Fridges & freezers – replacement Data & results programme with effi cient equipment and controls Baseline 2012 fi gure – 12,690 tCO2 • Fume cupboards – effi cient controls Financial Cost @£12 per tCO2 = £152,280 • Building fabric – insulation & glazing Submitted 2013 fi gure – 12,086 tCO2 • HVAC & Chilling Financial Cost @£12 per tCO2 = £145,032 • ICT – opportunities arising from Key Developments consultant’s report • BEMS – continual improvement programme TDEC and EPC as a measure of energy e ciency and monitoring The University is required to comply with • Zoned Heating – Lindsay district the Display of Energy Certifi cates (DECs) heating area and Energy Performance Certifi cates (EPCs) • Spirotech - Dirt Separation on under the European Building Performance heating systems Directive (EBPD). The main criterion that aff ects Keele University to date is to display Other opportunities that become available DECs in building over 500m2 with access to through new technologies will be evaluated and the public. For accommodation buildings, 6 considered if applicable to Keele University and are B rated and 2 are D rated; for academic its estate. Along with these specifi c projects, and central services buildings, only one of we are planning to increase our automated these (the newest) is A rated (Claus Moser), metering in the student accommodation, with most being C or D. This means that there increasing the amount of accurate real time are obviously opportunities for improving the information on the electricity consumption in energy effi ciency of most of our buildings – each block. We hope that this will encourage although retro-fi tting of energy-saving features all of the resident student population to is very costly. be responsible for electricity use in their own ‘homes’. Automated Metering of Electricity The University is able to monitor, through its own installed automated metering system, the half hourly electricity to the major buildings on campus. This allows for the detailed monitoring of the building’s use, which is used to create annual consumption graphs to target improvements. Annual electricity consumptions for these main buildings/areas are detailed below based on performance against previous year (2011/2012). Solar PV Last year we completed a full feasibility across campus for the installation of solar photovoltaic arrays. The University committed £300k to this project, and installed three 50KWp systems in March and April of 2013. These arrays will provide ca 115,000 kWh of free electricity per year, and save ca 60 tonnes of CO2 per year.

5 RENEWABLE, SUSTAINABLE AND LOW CARBON ENERGY

2013 has perhaps been most been notable The environmental issues which have become for the external infl uence which Keele, and (rightly in some case and not in others) our model for low-carbon, locally-derived associated with shale gas has kept Peter Styles energy delivery, has had on our neighbours and Ian Stimpson busy, as the demand for (in the widest sense) as surrounding councils talks and lectures has been relentless. Their and local authorities have begun to act on expertise has been sought through visits to projects for which we were instrumental in the Ukraine (who are very eager to become sowing the seeds. Closest to home, Stoke-on- independent in energy generation and reduce Trent Council, in conjunction with the Local reliance on Siberian pipelines), and Western Enterprise Partnership and with the aid of Australia (where there are large reserves of Keele University, have made a strong approach unconventional gas but which lie in tribal to Government under the City Deal scheme, ownership … which raises many issues that are Infra-red thermal Image of part based on using Stoke as a demonstrator as to environmental, political and sociological). of the Sustainability Hub. Bright how industrial and post-industrial cities can The School of Physical & Geographical Sciences values indicate heat loss turn what are often seen as legacy problems to is a major part of a collaborative programme their advantage. These include plans to capture called ReFinE (Research on Fracking in Europe) and use: funded by a consortium of Energy companies • Abandoned mine methane released from and NERC; the initiative is addressing technical, the old mined seams and present in the environmental and socio-economic issues, and south of the North Staff ordshire coalfi eld; is led by Durham, with Keele, Heriot-Watt and • Mine water geothermal which is warm Newcastle Universities as partners. water, at the surprisingly high temperature The long-running research carried out by o of ca 40 C, from the northern part of the the Applied & Environmental Geophysics Staff ordshire coalfi eld; Research Group on environmental vibrations • Deeper geothermal from beneath the from wind turbines, and the potential eff ects coal measures, directly building on work on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, led carried out with iGas on Keele campus; to a new area of research with National Grid • Plans for coal-bed methane to help power who are part of the White Rose Partnership; the ceramics industry and help restore this proposal aims to capture CO2 from the their global competitiveness. giant DRAX power station, and transport it to the North Sea for sequestration in deep saline Just over the border, Cheshire East have now aquifers. This is, however, where large off shore recognised work which was done in a project wind farms are planned, and this raises the for the MSc in Environmental Sustainability issues of whether turbine vibrational noise & Green Technology, which evaluated the and vibration might aff ect the capability of potential of the deep Permian rocks of the monitoring the stability and permanence of Cheshire basin; this suggested that there was storage of these greenhouse gases. Rachel excellent potential in the Crewe area, and a Westwood and Sam Toon were able to use plan to drill between Leighton Hospital and techniques developed for Eskdalemuir to the Bentley Factory are under way. We have model the potential eff ects of large off shore also had some input to the Central Manchester wind turbines, and an example of the modelled Oxford Road deep geothermal scheme, which wave-fi eld is shown below, illustrating how an is planned to deliver heating to the Hospitals array of turbines can act as a focussing beam and University quarter; our knowledge of through constructive interference, thereby issues associated with induced seismicity, as leading to enhanced wave propagation in exemplifi ed by a cluster of minor earthquakes specifi c directions. which troubled the citizens of south Manchester a few years ago, has provided valuable information for the geothermal plans.

6 ESTATES DEVELOPMENTS

Transport and Travel for 5 years, and is used by over 50 Higher The University has won funding from the Local Education and Further Education Institutions. Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF), and the We are delighted with the support the scheme main benefi ts to Keele University have been has received at Keele, with over 70 staff and as follows: students attending the launch event, with 28 • A new cycle store at Barnes Halls of teams with over 100 members active within Residence has been installed; the store diff erent buildings. has room to accommodate 28 bicycles Teams log-on to an online workbook, and tick and has electronic access control via the off actions as they go. The actions are grouped Keele Card System. under themes: • A baseline survey has been carried out to determine current travel behaviour • Greening teams, action plans amongst staff and students, and to and communications identify barriers to (and awareness of) • Waste sustainable modes of transport; the aim • Energy is to identify how best to encourage a • Transport step change in the way that people travel, • Procurement and for this to inform the prioritization of • Water potential future funding. • Well-being • Cycling Training and Maintenance This scheme is proving to be huge success Sessions facilitated by “Bikeright”. The due to its collaborative approach, and the activities were very popular, and included support from a range of stakeholders across a bike bus on the SU car park, where staff the institution. and students could fi nd more information Student Eats about cycling and have free maintenance Keele University was selected as one of 18 checks on their personal bicycles. institutions to take part in the Student Eats Electric vehicles Project. This scheme, funded by ‘Local Food’ In order to reduce the environmental impact and the ‘Big Lottery Fund’, will create a from the University’s vehicles and improve network of new local food growing sites on 18 effi ciency, the Post Room van was replaced English University and College campuses. At in September 2012 with an electric vehicle. Keele University, the funding has been used to To date, the van has travelled 4,800 miles develop our Allotment Site, so as to provide and saved 1.2 tonnes of CO2e, compared to a additional space for the Student Society to conventional petrol van. grow its own food. Student Eats has also supported the existing food growing at the The University has also taken the long-term ‘Student Sustainable House’ on campus, which loan of a Nissan Leaf 100% electric vehicle. The is an exemplar of sustainable student living. vehicle is used by University staff to attend local meetings and events, and it has travelled Over £7,000 pounds has been spent from the more than 2,000 miles in its fi rst 12 months Student Eats funding on providing a growing on campus. space, water points, fencing and supplies of equipment. Produce grown by the students has Green Impact Scheme been sold to students and staff on campus, and It’s critical to engage eff ectively with staff and the money raised will be put back into buying students at the University to increase effi ciency seeds for next year’s growing calendar. and reduce our environmental impact, and 2013 has seen the launch of ‘Green Impact’ at Keele The Student Eats Project was recently University. This scheme, led by the National awarded Level 2 (from 5) in the RHS It’s Your Union of Students, uses an environmental Neighbourhood Awards. action approach, creating a structure for individuals to bring about small changes that together have a big impact. It has been running

7 WASTE AND RECYCLING

The current ‘Waste and Recycling Contract’ has May 2013, over 2 tonnes of waste has been been in place since 1st November 2010. In the 3 diverted from landfi ll, raising over £6,000 years since then, there has been a considerable pounds for the British Heart Foundation charity. increase in the availability of recycling facilities (Insert: picture of BHF campaign) on campus. • Recycling Awareness Material The University campus creates a range of diff erent wastes, ranging from green waste Waste recycling awareness fl yers have been generated by day-to-day grounds maintenance produced in conjunction with the Local to offi ce waste and food waste from our Authority, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough catering outlets. All of the diff erent waste Council. The new fl yers have catchy slogans, products need to be handled and disposed of and are aimed at students. The fl yers have with as little environmental impact as possible. been distributed to students on campus and in The University is increasing awareness to Halls of Residence, whilst the Local Authority ensure waste is reduced at source, such as has run its own bespoke campaign to students reusing offi ce furniture and equipment. Where living off campus. It is hoped that the new reduction and reuse isn’t possible, we are and consistent design will bring familiarity to improving our segregation for recycling. Our students when living on and off campus, and so main recycling streams include: help improve the amount of recycling. • Dry mixed recycling (paper, cardboard, plastics and cans) • Glass recycling • Food waste – sent for anaerobic digestion • Waste cooking oil- reused off site • Green waste – composted In total, over 60% of the University’s waste is recycled but there are still many more improvements to be made – we need to develop the facilities to make recycling easily accessible whilst also raising awareness of staff and students. The University’s existing Waste Collection Contract will expire in 2014; the new contract will be used as a springboard to develop further the waste and recycling facilities and awareness at the University. Some of the key improvements over the last year include: • New External Recycling Bins There are 8 new and improved external waste recycling bins installed at key locations around campus; these new installations will improve the access to recycling bins and also raise the awareness of recycling on campus. • British Heart Foundation Collection Points A British Heart Foundation collection point has been placed in each of the Halls of Residence on campus. The campaign aims to encourage students to donate unwanted textiles, books, bric-a-brac, CDs and DVDs to be sold in the Keele’s waste: Total tonnes of waste British Heart Foundation’s local shops. Since produced from Academic, Central Services the collection points were introduced in late Buildings, Catering Outlets and Halls of Residence in the 2012/2013 year.

8 SUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT AND CATERING

A Sustainable Procurement Steering Group University catering outlets has been set up to develop policies across The University catering outlets are aiming to the University. Following best practice, the embed sustainability within their products group will target achieving a Level 4 of the and operations. A range of improvements National Public Sector Flexible Framework for have been implemented including: all Sustainable Procurement. eggs purchased are free range and locally sourced; food waste is recycled; the majority of fi sh purchased is certifi ed to the Marine Print Strategy and e-Procurement – Stewardship Council (MSC) standard; and environmental benefi ts Fairtrade products are sold and promoted. A new print rationalisation strategy has Some of the highlights over the past year been introduced to reduce the number of have been: desktop printers and replace them with new effi cient centralised printers (multifunctional • In order to reduce the environmental digital printers). The removal of 600 printers impact, a charge was introduced for and replacement with centralised energy purchasing plastic bags at the University’s effi cient devices is calculated to save the supermarket (Campus Store). In energy equivalent of travelling 219,361 km in 2011/2012, 176,000 carrier bags were used a car. An e-Procurement system (Parabilis) by customers at the Campus Store. After was implemented in April 2011 and was a charge of 5p per bag was put in place further enhanced in April 2013. Parabilis during 2012/3013, the amount of bags enables purchase orders and invoices to be used by customers reduced to 142,000 - a processed electronically, increasing effi ciency, 20% reduction. sustainability and enhancing best procurement • Both the University and KeeleSU catering practice. Some 13,000 purchase orders have outlets have introduced more sustainable been raised and sent electronically to suppliers, takeaway material that can be recycled, removing the need to print the Purchase Order. such as cardboard takeaway trays. In addition to this, 4,160 invoices have been • “Le Café” now sells “Grumpy Mule” processed in a fully electronic manner. Co ee that is (Triple-certifi ed) Fairtrade, Organic and Rainforest alliance certifi ed. This message is being conveyed through branding in Le Cafe, Vite & Eat and “... replacement Medical School Cafe. • Fairtrade fortnight (25th Feb – 10th March) was celebrated with a number with centralised of events including a Fairtrade pledge tree, gift stall, and 5-a-side energy e cient football tournament. devices is calculated to save the energy equivalent of travelling 219,361 km in a car.”

9 SUSTAINABILITY IN THE CURRICULUM AND STUDENT EXPERIENCE

Our approach to embedding and Environmental Politics sustainability in the curriculum • Co-curriculum developments for students to Keele is committed to embedding sustainability become involved in sustainability projects, into all of its educational programmes, through volunteering, campus-based to off ering co-curricular sustainability sustainability developments, research opportunities for all students, and to projects, and student-led projects such as the developing a culture of sustainability within Sustainable Student Bungalow the University. As a key part of the strategy • Continuing Professional Development for embedding sustainability education into activities, building on the success of Project the curriculum and culture of the University, Green, Keele Connect and Destination devised during Keele’s participation in the Green, using our sustainability expertise Higher Education Academy’s (HEA) Green to expand sustainability education beyond Academy Change programme in 2010/11, the boundaries of the University campus, to sustainability was named as one of three business and local communities core themes (alongside employability and • Teacher education, through integration internationalisation) in the Distinctive Keele into PGCE programmes, and exploring Curriculum. As a result of this development and the meaning of ESD for trainee teachers’ the presence of sustainability education in the own subject specialisms, for example Keele Graduate Attributes, all programmes are considerations of ‘green ICT’ in ICT, or the required to address these areas through their renewable nature of building materials in the curriculum, and additional opportunities for Tudor period of history students to engage in these areas are sought in Under the environment/sustainability theme, various co-curricula off erings. we have about 200 undergraduates studying Putting sustainability at the heart of the a variety of programmes, and a similar number curriculum and student experience at Keele of postgraduates. All of these courses (UG continues to follow a multi-strand approach and PG) have a project component, often in covering the following areas: collaboration with industry, and many of these will be directly aligned with activities in the • Sta development, through one-to-one Keele University Sustainability Hub, thereby consultation, and Education for Sustainable enhancing its materials, resources and outreach Development (ESD) workshops tailored for capability. At the doctoral level, members of diff erent disciplines and for new lecturers academic staff run a prestigious two week • Integration into undergraduate and summer school on environmental politics and postgraduate taught programmes as policy for twenty international PhD students, part of the Distinctive Keele Curriculum, funded by the European Consortium for which sees Sustainability as one of three Political Research. strands alongside Internationalisation and Employability running throughout students’ curriculum and co-curriculum experiences New Education for Sustainability • Discrete undergraduate sustainability developments in 2013 modules, such as the ‘Greening 2013 has seen Keele developing its reputation Business’ elective available to all 1st year for the provision of sustainability within the undergraduate students, giving students curriculum and student experience. Below are the skills and motivation to drive positive some of the highlights of 2013. sustainability change in organisations • Integration into PGR training Establishment of the Education for Sustainability team and sustainable education • Specifi c sustainability-related programmes, consultancy such as the BSc in Environmental Following the appointment of the University’s Sustainability, BA in Environmental Studies, fi rst Director of Education for Sustainability MSc in Environmental Sustainability & Green in 2012, 2013 saw the establishment of a full Technology, MAs in Climate Change Studies

10 ‘Education for Sustainability’ team, with the have been accredited by the Institution of three Sustainability Project Offi cers, Philippa Environmental Sciences, and have opened Calver, Giulia Mininni, and Rebecca Laycock new four-year programmes with a work becoming established. One of the activities of placement year between the second and fi nal the team has been to support individuals to year. This gives the student the opportunity embed sustainability into their curriculum. For to gain signifi cant work experience within the example, the team has played a role in bringing environmental sector as part of their degree. together materials for the new ‘Sustainable New discipline-specifi c sustainability modules Chemistry’ module run by Katherine Haxton A number of disciplines which may not (Chemistry), and in helping tailor an essay traditionally be associated with sustainability assessment for 60 students on the Humanities have started to integrate sustainability into & Social Science Foundation year, with Robin their teaching programmes. In 2011/12, the Bell (English Language Unit). School of Pharmacy started a module called Sustainability and sta development ‘Sustainable Pharmacy’ as a third year option The Staff Sustainability Survey showed that module as part of the MPharm degree, and only 15% of academic staff respondents felt have since further embedded sustainability they had undertaken any training related to into core teaching for a wider number of sustainability. There are an increasing number pharmacy students. This year, the single of sustainability-related staff development honours chemistry route introduced a module opportunities at Keele, including a session on called ‘Sustainable Chemistry’. Other recent ‘Higher Education for Sustainable Development’ sustainability-focussed modules across as part of the Teaching & Learning in Higher diff erent disciplines include a new History Education Programme undertaken by all module entitled ‘Nature, Society and the Past: new academic staff . A workshop on ‘Keele’s An Environmental History of the Western sustainability activities and vision’ is run as part World 1800-2000’ and ‘Environmental Ethics’ of the Keele Knowledge Programme from the run from the School of Politics, International Learning & Professional Development Centre Relations & Philosophy. and is repeated throughout the year, along Consultation and communication with bespoke training events as requested 2013 has seen the continuation of regular by programme areas. In January 2014, Keele sustainability consultation events for staff and will host a workshop as part of the Higher students through a ‘Sustainability Forum’ held Education Academy’s Thematic Seminar series during Green Week in February and again in entitled ‘New to ESD: Integrating Education for November. This provides an opportunity to Sustainable Development in teaching and the discuss ideas for sustainability improvements student experience’. in the overall staff and student experience, New sustainability programmes and and for students to feed these directly to developments those with responsibilities for environmental 2013 saw the start of a new dual honours BA and sustainability activity at Keele. Minutes in Environmental Studies run by the School of from these meetings are available from the Politics, International Relations and Philosophy. Green:Keele website. The programme is designed for students with Throughout 2013 the Green:Keele website environmental interests who do not want to has been further developed to provide a cover the scientifi c aspects of the subject, and summary of sustainability-related activities it complements the existing two undergraduate at Keele; 2013 has also seen the start of a programmes run from the School of Physical tri-annual Green:Keele newsletter, circulated & Geographical Sciences – the dual honours/ electronically to all staff and students, aiming Major route BSc in Applied Environmental to keep the Keele community up-to-date with Science, and the highly interdisciplinary single sustainability initiatives around the University. honours BSc in Environment & Sustainability. The occasionally published ‘Keele Times’ Both the Applied Environmental Science and newspaper also carries sustainability-related Environment & Sustainability programmes articles in each issue.

11 SUSTAINABILITY IN THE CURRICULUM AND STUDENT EXPERIENCE (CONTINUED)

Sustainability and problem-based learning This year saw the end of a major three-year HEA-funded project in collaboration with the Universities of Manchester and Staff ordshire, entitled ‘Hybrid PBL: A scalable approach to sustainability education’. This project investigated the potential for using online technologies to deliver problem-based learning (a method we coined as ‘hybrid PBL’) for sustainability education. To disseminate the results of the project, four day-long workshops were held across the country, at Keele, Glyndwr University (near Wrexham), University of Gloucestershire, and London South Bank University; over 100 delegates attended these workshops, and a toolkit was produced which is available for download at: http://www. heacademy.ac.uk/assets/documents/ntfs/ projects/Final_Report_Keele_Hybrid_PBL.pdf Future developments Much of 2013 has been spent planning for new developments, including piloting the inclusion of discipline-specifi c sustainability issues as a vehicle for generic skills development as part of the Distinctive Keele Curriculum. For example, 1st year physiotherapy students will practice their note-taking skills at a mock NHS Sustainable Development Unit conference. The overall aim is to embed sustainability into many diff erent areas of activity in the University so it truly becomes part of every staff and student’s experience at Keele and part of the very culture of the institution. For further information of sustainability curriculum developments and projects at Keele contact Dr Zoe Robinson: [email protected]

12 RESEARCH

In 2013 Keele has continued to strengthen a large £500k interdisciplinary project. It was its reputation as a broad-based research-led one of only seven proposals funded jointly University, with a further signifi cant increase by the ESRC and EPSRC under their ‘Energy in research grant income on the previous and Communities’ collaborative programme, year’s record level, and further growth in with a project team consisting of Professors postgraduate research student numbers Andy Dobson and Mark Ormerod, and Drs creating a vibrant research environment. In Phil Catney, Sherilyn MacGregor and Zoe 2013, we also saw Keele make its submission Robinson, which combines our expertise to the 2014 Research Excellence Framework in social and natural sciences, as well as (REF 2014), the UK government’s research the Marches Energy Agency (a nationally assessment exercise held every six to seven renowned third sector energy awareness years, and we made a submission under an organisation). The project has just fi nished, environmental Unit of Assessment for the and has compared four communities within Dr. Sherilyn MacGregor, part of fi rst time. Newcastle-under-Lyme and Shrewsbury the RECCKN project with diff erent socio-economic profi les, and Several large collaborative research grants in particular working with households within in the sustainability area, four of which are these contrasting communities to identify how briefl y described below, have contributed information and knowledge about energy is signifi cantly to Keele’s research grant income shared and circulated between people and and external research profi le, as well as a organisations within these communities. The large number of smaller research grants project has produced some really interesting across many diff erent disciplines. One and important fi ndings, which have been of Keele’s real strengths in sustainability presented at a number of major conferences, research is both its interdisciplinarity and through three publications to date in Energy multidisciplinarity, involving academic staff Policy and Local Environment, and through two from many Schools and disciplines, including: videos aimed at communities and policymakers environmental science, earth science, and stakeholders. physical and human geography, life sciences, chemistry, mathematics, computer science, More information is available at: psychology, politics and international relations, http://www.recckn.org.uk/ law, sociology and social policy, education, By investigating these ‘knowledge networks’ economics, business and management, English the team has shown that trust is a key and history. Across the university, over 60 issue, and that to increase people’s energy research students and research assistants knowledge and change their energy behaviour, are engaged in a wide range of exciting existing networks that they trust are really research projects in the area of environment important, and a move away from the idea and sustainability. that energy information provision should Within the Research Excellence Framework always be a one-way top-down process is there is no distinct Unit of Assessment (UoA) required. With reducing energy use and the for sustainability, with units of assessment price of energy being key political and societal being largely on single discipline lines. Thus issues, the fi ndings from the project have huge staff undertaking research in diff erent areas of relevance to future energy policy, including sustainability formed part of the submissions the Green Deal, end use energy reduction and to ten of the seventeen UoAs to which Keele fuel poverty. made returns, most notably the submissions Dr Sami Ullah (Environmental Science) is to Earth Systems & Environmental Science, part of a large £2.5 million NERC consortium General Engineering and Politics & International grant, “Analysis and simulation of long-term/ Studies. These submissions included a number large-scale interactions of C, N and P in UK of strong impact case studies based around land, freshwater and atmosphere”, involving Keele sustainability research, which has had eight partners – Keele University, Liverpool signifi cant societal, political or economic, as University, Lancaster University, University well as environmental impact. College London, NERC’s Centre for Ecology In the 2012 Sustainability Report we covered and Hydrology, British Geological Survey, our RECCKN project, ‘Reducing Energy Rothamsted Research and the James Hutton Consumption through Knowledge Networks’, Institute. Dr Ullah and his research group are

13 RESEARCH (CONTINUED)

investigating the impact of landscape position Maria Heckl (Applied Mathematics), who and land use on soil denitrifi cation rates in the was promoted to Professor of Engineering Ribble and Conwy River watersheds in the UK. Mathematics in 2013, is leading a large The research is highly relevant to both global European consortium Initial Training Network change and food security, and has signifi cant grant entitled ‘TANGO’. It is a multi-disciplinary ecological and socio-economic implications. project that provides training for research Understanding the impacts of fertilizers and students in fl uid mechanics, thermodynamics, land use on the amount of nitrogen in the soil is mechanical and control engineering, all from of critical importance in informing us how best an analytical, numerical and experimental to deploy fertilizers in the future. perspective. The consortium has been chosen so as to bring together complementary skills Professor Mark Ormerod, Professor of from internationally-renowned experts from Clean Technology (Chemistry – Sustainable both academia and industry. In recent years, Energy and Materials) is leading a large, the development of clean combustion systems multidisciplinary £1.4M UK-India collaborative with reduced emissions and environmental project funded by Research Council’s UK pollution has become a priority. However, Energy Programme and the Indian Department devices such as gas turbine engines and of Science & Technology, ‘Modelling domestic burners are particularly prone Accelerated Ageing and Deactivation in to combustion instabilities, and there is an Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs)’ (MAAD- urgent need to understand the physical SOFC), involving Keele, Birmingham and processes responsible so that methods to Loughborough Universities and the Indian predict and prevent these instabilities can be Institutes of Technology in Madras, Hyderabad developed. The TANGO project is taking a and Delhi. The three and a half year project multi-disciplinary approach to address these is investigating deactivation and ageing in issues. Fundamental studies are giving insight solid oxide fuel cells, developing, testing and into the three-way coupling between sound, modelling new SOFC materials running on a combustion and vortices in a combustion range of hydrocarbon fuels (including biogas), chamber, while on the applied side, active with the aim of gaining greater insight into the and passive control methods to allow safe various deactivation and ageing mechanisms operation of gas turbines on a variety of fuels in SOFCs, and ultimately developing more and operating conditions are being developed. tolerant and durable SOFCs. Our research strengths and expertise In related research, Dr. Richard Darton and in environment and sustainability have Professor Ormerod have discovered a series continued to underpin successful research- of entirely new catalysts, based on novel related enterprise activities and interactions perovskite materials made by a hydrothermal with business, and our outreach and public synthesis method, which show excellent engagement activities, in both of which we activity and very high selectivity for the have a nationally leading reputation and reforming of waste biogas. The catalysts have won signifi cant external recognition and show dramatically improved resistance to awards. More detail on this is covered in the undesirable carbon formation, which leads to following sections. catalyst poisoning, compared to conventional supported catalysts. Two patents have been successfully fi led covering these novel materials, which off er genuine potential for the conversion of waste biogas, which is currently largely vented wastefully and detrimentally into the atmosphere, into useful chemicals and energy.

Dr. Sami Ullah, part of a team investigating the impact of landscape position and land use type on soil denitrifi cation rates in the Ribble and Conwy River watersheds.

14 OUTREACH

Halloween at the Hub year it attracted over 300 visitors to the Physicubes After its success last year, Halloween was Hub to buy locally and sustainably produced The Ogden Trust is a charity that supports again the focus of a spooky science event goods. The event also featured a ‘Swish’, a range of initiatives, programmes and called Spooktacular, and that attracting where guests could bring their unwanted projects to promote the teaching and more than 200 participants. Visitors listened clothes and swap them with other guests – learning of physics. Dr Sharon George to a lecture about the strange history and this helped to raise awareness about waste, received £10,000 funding from the Trust to traditions of Halloween, and the scientifi c keep materials out of landfi ll, and provided design a range of interactive physics displays theory that could provide the answer to the people with some fantastic swaps. called Physicubes. The seven eye-catching mystery of the Salem Witches. They then and interactive portable stations are easy to Getting a buzz from sustainability had fun with hands-on activities during use and can be aimed at most stages from A geocache called ‘Trees, Bees and Student which they handled snakes and reptiles, nursery to A-Level education, and include Fees’, organised by Dr Rachel Westwood learned about habitats, made fake wounds, a Stirling engine, a robot arm, solar PV and and Dr Sam Toon, took place at the prepared slime and took part in craft solar thermal displays, a light experiment Sustainability Hub in March 2013, where sessions using recycled materials. Pumpkin and activities highlighting conservation of members of the public used GPS to take recipes were given out during a pumpkin- energy. A further grant of £10,000 per year part in a treasure hunt around the campus. carving workshop, and visitors solved crimes for up to three years has been secured, This was one of a number of trails that are using science. The event received such to fund an Ogden Science Offi cer role to available from the Hub, allowing people positive feedback this has now become an establish a partnership of local teachers, and to discover the amazingly diverse wildlife annual activity in the diary. to ensure that the Physicubes are rolled out around the campus. to schools free of charge. After dark, the Hub took a turn for the Biodiversity all around us sinister as staff and MSc students put on a The Sustainability Hub hosted a Summer Murder Mystery production: ‘Keeled Over’ for School for 60 pupils from Charlton 50 guests. This was set in 1949, the inaugural Secondary School, where students spent year for Keele University. Staff acted out a two full days learning about plant nutrients, plot involving deceit and ambition around fertilisers, and soil tests; they also carried out energy development, and guests had fun ecological surveys in the Wildfl ower Meadow solving the mystery using forensic science and the development site around the Hub techniques in the Earth Observatory. looking at plant zonation, insect diversity Science by Stealth and ecosystems. Pupils particularly enjoyed The University has engaged the public looking at bee and moth species. and even this year through the fantastic facilities set a moth trap overnight. at the Sustainability Hub, with families Science for Sustainability making use of the Hub Family Fun Days The popularity of the Science for every Wednesday throughout the school Sustainability (SfS) outreach activities summer vacation period. These sessions continued to grow. SfS focuses on were designed under the popular “Science development of sustainable approaches by Stealth” banner, with families looking for to our future energy and societal needs. mini-beasts in the Hub’s Wildfl ower Meadow, To date, the group has delivered over learning about dinosaurs, encountering birds 300 workshops for schoolchildren, of prey, making bottle rockets from recycled schoolteachers and community engagement materials, and even learning about senses events, directly reaching over 9,500 school with our messy barefoot walk featuring mud, children from the ages of 5 to 18, 550 sand and baked beans. schoolteachers, and 17,000 members of the Chemistry at work wider public. The bicycle-powered smoothie Keele University Sustainability Hub hosted maker was added to the existing range schools and colleges this year as part of of hands-on activities and proved to be a its wider outreach activities. Particularly popular attraction, including at Bestival, a successful was a one-day ‘Chemistry at festival on the Isle of Wight that’s attended Work’ event funded by the Royal Society of by around 50,000 people. The group has Chemistry, attended by around 150 pupils, also developed educational packs on waste with local employers from Johnson Matthey, for Veolia Environmental Services, and on Dermal Technologies Ltd and Erigal taking waste electrical and electronic equipment part in the event. for Valpak, a provider of environmental compliance solutions; these packs will Green Christmas Fayre be used to deliver school environmental The Green Christmas Fayre has now become education workshops throughout the region. an eagerly awaited annual event, and this

15 ENTERPRISE

Sustainable Futures Summit • What does sustainable capitalism look Internships The Sustainable Futures Summit was a business like? Where will growth come from? supported led event, hosted at Keele University, exploring • What if growth doesn’t return, if fl at or the actions needed to take to create a contracting is the new normal? sustainable future for local communities across • How do we build resilience, prosperity and by Santander the UK. The event was nationally relevant economic participation opportunities now with high profi le speakers, and was a joint and in the future? continue to be production between BITC in England West, hosted by Keele University and supported Santander Universities awarded by by business partners. The conference built On Thursday 13 June 2013, Keele University on previous Mayday Summits convened hosted the Santander Scholarship Reception the University by Business in the Community (BITC), and at Keele Hall, and welcomed a number of explored the 9 billion challenge and the risks Santander representatives for the signing of to a wide and opportunities for local economic prosperity a new three-year agreement between Keele and resilience in relation to key aspects such University and Santander Universities UK. The range of local as food, water and energy. It also provided a agreement signifi es ways in which Santander forum to develop practical, action orientated will support Keele students across a range small and ideas that promote innovation, collaboration of employability, internationalisation and and leadership towards a sustainable future. enterprise provisions, including environmental medium sized projects. Amongst those provisions are paid The purpose of the event was to bring together internships for Keele graduates, building businesses. leaders and provide cutting-edge thinking on the highly successful ‘Destination Green’ that enabled people to debate the key issues programme that provided project placements that need to be addressed to enable the with local businesses and other organizations. UK’s growing population to live high quality sustainable lives now and into the future. Graduates and employers who have already The event identifi ed potential for innovation benefi ted from Santander’s internships were and collaboration that can enable businesses present at the event and were very positive and communities to maximise the economic about the scheme. Internships supported by opportunities and build local resilience. Santander continue to be awarded by the University to a wide range of local small and The conference featured inspiring and medium sized businesses. For more information challenging speakers including Jonathan contact [email protected] Porritt, Founder of Forum for the Future and Chancellor at Keele University, Dr Alan Knight, Marketplace Sustainability Director at Business in the Community, Chris Shearlock, Sustainable Development Manager at the Co-operative Group, Chris Matthews, Head of Sustainability at United Utilities, Fiona Stark, Corporate Aff airs Director at E.ON and Joan Walley MP. It focussed on these topics:

16 Enterprise ‘bootcamp’ #keeleready4biz was set up for the event and a Budding entrepreneurs received a crash-course delegate from Pro-Hire Plc tweeted “Internships in starting their own business in August, thanks are a fantastic opportunity for graduates to the Student Enterprise Team who developed venturing into the working world” Keele Launchpad, the fi rst ever FREE 2-day Social Enterprise business bootcamp at Keele. A total of seven awards from a HEFCE/ Participants learned the essentials about UnLtd seed fund have been allocated to business planning, fi nancial planning and nascent social enterprises at Keele, including record-keeping, tax, marketing, sales and more. the nationally recognised CLOCK project in Law. Keele’s Social Enterprise programme is The event proved extremely popular with regarded as highly collaborative and is well- 45 attendees, many of whom are returning regarded nationally by UnLtd and HEFCE, graduates from MMU, Chester University, and we have successfully bid for more £25k Sheffi eld Hallam, Royal Holloway, Winchester, additional funding for 2013/14, supported by DeMontfort University and more, along with 17 Santander have agreed to provide an element exhibitors and key speakers, including Howard of match-funding. Social enterprises addressing Tomlinson, co-creator of the popular game environmental concerns will be eligible Bejewelled, from Astraware Ltd and ex SPEED for support. student Kath Warrilow of Cupcake Yourself. Keele University is “Ready for Business” Over 70 delegates enjoyed a breakfast networking event on Wednesday 2 October at Keele Hall, with around 40 local companies represented. The event was organised by the Employer Engagement Team within Research and Enterprise Services. Spotlight presentations were given on areas such as student placements, graduate internships, accessing the University’s expertise, workforce development and the Science & Business Park. Simon Pooler from Interlock Digital, a local employer who benefi ted from employing a recent Keele graduate, delivered a short presentation to the audience and was overwhelmingly positive about his experience of dealing with Keele University. He explained that the Santander funding that he received via Keele University enabled him to try out Daniel’s potential without a huge fi nancial commitment, and he has now been able to off er him a permanent role.

17 KEELE UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABILITY HUB

The Sustainability Hub is a centre facilitating NIMBY© is an interactive team game developed education, research and demonstration in at the Hub that teaches principles of confl icting sustainability and clean technology. Since interests and impacts in renewable energy its opening in October 2011, it has continued development. The game involves taking to attract a growing audience of visitors, confl icting roles within a community, within with around 10,000 visitors a year attending the context of a village applying for funding workshops and public lectures, outreach for a low carbon project. The concept has events, business events and activities. been used with schools and colleges, including international student groups from Poland and The courtyard has now been fi tted with Japan, and with corporate audiences as part of accessible, attractive raised beds in three CPD events. The aim was to highlight principles themes: edible; pollinator-friendly; and of green technology development, but also to sensory. Visitors this year were surprised to make people more aware of the importance of see tomatoes, gooseberries, sweetcorn, fennel, understanding the confl icts that can arise when beetroot and parsnips among the plants on “An unusual and interesting managing sustainable development. display. The community group Grey Matters, concept on how the University based at the Hub, received a £500 grant from The Hub also supported sustainability-focussed is using on site “State of the the Cooperative Community Fund this year careers this year by hosting two 8 week Art” facilities to work positively to support a project called “Bee Friendly” in placements for the Pioneers into Practice with the local community the Hub courtyard. This project facilitated the Programme 2013. The Pioneers, Ágnes Portik relating to horticulture and the establishment of the bee-friendly area at the from Hungary and Lukas Müller from Germany, environment.” Hub and supported the donation of pollinator- worked as part of the Sustainability Hub team Phil Meeson, ‘Newcastle in friendly plants and fl owers to ten schools and developing the outreach programme and Bloom’ Judge 2013 nurseries. The project was awarded Silver in organising a Green IT event. the local ‘Newcastle in Bloom Community Business links to the Hub have been crucial Projects’ category. to the success of the public engagement As the energy demands of a growing activities and the education programmes at population squeeze our planet’s limited the Hub. The MSc had input from Schott Solar resources, engaging the public in discussion UK, Siemens, McCamley UK Ltd, Dorothy Clive about sustainability and energy has never Gardens, Wardell Armstrong and Marston’s. A been more important. The awareness and collaborative project on Waste Minimisation education role of the Hub has been a major and Behaviour Change with Newcastle part of its activity during 2013. Public lectures Borough Council and Keele University have proven popular with students, staff and academics evaluated targeted resident- the public alike on relevant topics from bee specifi c interventions. conservation to fracking. Topical public talks The Sustainable Hub has become the venue have been delivered on a range of themes by of choice, not just for teaching and business both academic research staff and external meetings. A wide range of audiences are representatives; for example, alumnus John now using the Hub for activities from student Mosesson (Chairman of Stramit International) Think:Green Society events to Geoconservation gave a talk on sustainable construction, UK meetings and local Parish Council meetings. whilst other presentations been given by the Staff ordshire Badger Conservation Group, Siemens, and Schott Solar UK.

R. Burgess, 2013

18 19 PROJECT CAMEOS

‘Student Action for Sustainability’ conference The Student Action for Sustainability “Heading On 29th and 30th October 2013, Keele Conference succeeded in off ering a platform University hosted the ‘Student Action for the debating and sharing of ideas about home from the for Sustainability’ conference, funded by how student actions can achieve sustainability the Higher Education Academy. UK and across universities and how this can be Sustainability international students, staff and professionals supported. One delegate’s ‘tweet’ summed up from an array of universities and other the conference: organisations shared experiences and ideas on Conference “Heading home from the Sustainability student action projects for sustainability. Conference feeling invigorated, enthralled and feeling Keynote speakers from other European empowered. Thank you to all involved” countries gave the delegates an insight into Walled Garden invigorated, projects carried out by students abroad. These 2013 has seen the real take off of food included the student-initiated and run centre, growing at Keele, through the development enthralled and Cemus, at the University of Uppsala, where of allotments in the Walled Garden and since the 1990s students have co-designed the establishment of the Student Eats food empowered. their own sustainability courses; the student- growing society. The year has seen many led Green Offi ce from Maastricht University developments... Thank you to all which coordinates and runs sustainability initiatives within the University, and the The spring was marked by exploration and involved” student-run World Student Environmental creativity – most students had not grown Summit. Further presentations included, food before and had the opportunity to start amongst many others, student sustainability planting early on in the greenhouse before activism within the visual communication moving to the raised beds outdoors. This set curriculum, the use of online worlds in the stage for the “Year of the Tomatoes”, an student sustainability activism, partnership accidental surprise of hundreds of tomato working across institutions, and student seedlings! experiences of establishing community While many students left for the summer, food growing projects. Presentations from some stayed behind, and they were joined the conference can be found here: http:// by postgraduate students, campus staff and www.keele.ac.uk/greenkeele/events/ residents (and even a local Scout group) who studentactionforsustainabilityconference/ all pitched in and lent a hand. Distributing the delegatespresentations/ produce was a challenge given that most of

20 the hungry students were gone, and one of the As was hoped, many students have already solutions was selling it outside the Students’ gained valuable skills and knowledge about Union on a trial basis. The challenges were food growing. But Student Eats has also overcome, including achievement of a food been a success in providing a space for hygiene certifi cate. The selling of food was a building a sense of community on campus, hit, but the garden couldn’t produce enough to as well as supporting students developing make it a regular event. (But maybe next year!) project management skills and teaching the importance of taking initiative. The prospects Autumn ushered in the ripening of the for 2014, with a greater degree of knowledge tomatoes – but not all of them. A vast quantity and more time for planning, are bright and of green tomato chutney was produced, hopefully abundant! much to the joy of the students living in the Sustainable Student Bungalow. It was also Sustainability Champion fi nalist many students’ fi rst brush with canning to Dr Zoe Robinson, Director of Education for preserve produce over the winter. The students Sustainability, was shortlisted as a fi nalist in were also recognised for their hard work over the new ‘Sustainability Champion’ category the summer by the Royal Horticultural Society, of the high profi le Green Gown Awards, which receiving a Level 2 ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood celebrate sustainability achievements across Award’. the higher and further education sector. The judges said: “The breadth of scale and A visioning workshop was held in October, innovation led by Zoe is inspiring and to be giving students, staff , and community members celebrated”. This recognition refl ects the many participating in the food growing initiatives on wide-ranging initiatives Zoe has led and/ campus an opportunity to take part in shaping or inspired, to embed sustainability in the future developments in the Walled Garden. curriculum and student experience at Keele, As we have slowly progressed into winter, and the impact that this is having on the Dr Zoe Robinson, Finalist for the Staff ordshire Wildlife Trust has hosted student population. the Sustainability Champion workshops about what you can do in the Award, 2013 garden during the off -season. The garden has also become a focus of students’ academic work, including a project by eco-psychology students about how gardening aff ects well-being.

21 PROJECT CAMEOS (CONTINUED)

Sta Survey A staff survey about sustainability was 6. The most popular area of support to help How important is developing the carried out in September/October 2013. This staff engage with sustainability in their ‘sustainability literacy’ of the students within your School at the moment? survey aimed to fi nd out the level of existing teaching was an intranet site of discipline- sustainability expertise within the current specifi c resources, suggesting a priority staff base; to give staff a voice about the area of work to develop. areas that they would like to see improvement 7. Staff were asked to state their desire for in and would like support with; and to help future investment/ focus on set areas of direct future sustainability developments at sustainability projects at the institution. Keele. The survey was completed by 582 staff , Energy effi ciency was the area that representing 28% of all Keele University staff . was most highly prioritised, followed A total of 287 ‘non-academic staff ’ (25% of by recycling, renewable energy, water all non-academic staff ), and 295 ‘academic effi ciency, maintenance of green spaces, staff ’ (32% of all academic staff ) completed and allowing staff to work from home. this questionnaire. Please prioritise on a scale of 1-5 to indicate your Key fi ndings preference for (further) investment in/focus on the following initiatives on the University 1. There is a strong interest in sustainability from staff – 70% of academic and 65% Enabling staff to work from home of non-academic staff stated they were Sustainable food options available interested in sustainability. However, only on campus

30% of academic and 18% of non-academic Car sharing arrangements staff felt confi dent in explaining sustainable Employee behaviour incentives, development as a concept. Only 15% e.g. cycle to work. How relevant do you see your subject area of academic responses and 9% of non- Maintenance of green space in helping society move towards a more academic staff have undertaken training sustainable future - Three Main Faculties Increasing biodiversity relating to sustainability, showing that there is a need to increase the availability of Staff and student allotment areas

training for staff . Changing and washroom facilities 2. Over 60% of respondents see opportunities for them to support the institution to Secure bicycle storage become more sustainable. Incorporation of sustainability criteria into procurement guidelines 3. 78% of responses stated that they believe we should be developing the Water effi ciency ‘sustainability literacy’ of our graduates. Renewable energy Despite this, developing the sustainability Energy effi ciency literacy of students is not seen as a very Recycling initiatives Faculty of Health important area within many Schools at the Faculty of Natural Sciences moment (Fig 1) Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences 4. The majority of responses felt that the best way of delivering sustainability This survey has highlighted that there is education was through embedding it a good level of existing expertise about within existing core modules, followed sustainability in the institution. Further work by embedding sustainability in existing needs to be undertaken to understand the option modules, followed by embedding sustainability skills and experience already within the development strand. However, within the staff at Keele, allowing the creation a wide range of diff erent approaches to of a strong institutional network to draw from embedding sustainability were supported when needed. In order to help programmes by academic staff . embed sustainability into their core teaching, 5. 67% of academic staff believe that further training opportunities for staff need their subject area is ‘highly relevant’ or to be made available, as well as a database of ‘relevant’ in helping society move towards discipline-specifi c resources, , alongside the a more sustainable future, and only 2% of existing one-to-one support. The full report respondents believed that sustainability will be available online from Green:Keele Web was irrelevant to their subject area. pages in 2014. 22 A STRATEGY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

The overarching strategy is summarised at the The people leading on these topics can top level through the University’s Strategic be found in the list of members of the “But the crucial Map, which identifi es environment and ‘Environment & Sustainability Steering sustainability (E&S) as one of its 6 key aims in Group’ (on the next page), which meets question is the 2010-15 Strategic Plan: every three months to review progress across the University, and agree new initiatives or how the high- STRATEGIC AIM 5: To develop an foci. It should also be recognized that the environmentally aware and sustainable appointment of our three Sustainability Project level strategy outward-facing campus community Offi cers (Philippa Calver, Giulia Mininni and STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES Bekki Laycock) has been a huge boost to is actually taking forward a whole range of initiatives, • To provide models of innovation and good and especially the way that we are embedding implemented practice in environmental sustainability sustainability in the curriculum; they support a through all our activities wide range of projects, initiatives and activities, around the • To unlock the potential of the University many generated by our enthusiastic and Estate so that it underpins the attainment committed students. We have also identifi ed campus.” of our vision task-and-fi nish groups to make step changes • To share and provide the University’s in key areas – in 2012, the recommendations expertise in environment and sustainability of ‘cycling’ and ‘allotments’ groups were being to local, regional, national and implemented, and their fruits are apparent in international communities and partners 2013. Three new task-and-fi nish groups have been set up in 2013, on ‘transport’, ‘sustainable But the crucial question is how the high-level procurement’ and ‘student engagement’. strategy is actually implemented around the campus. There are several components to However, we do need to review regularly, this, and a key underpinning mechanism has and sometimes radically change, the overall been by identifying infl uential players to lead strategic direction or emphasis of key on the sustainability agenda in their specifi c University themes. The 2015-2020 Strategic part of the University, and the 11 areas (slightly Planning process is now underway, and we are modifi ed since last year) comprise: taking a long, hard look at whether we have the correct vision, strategy and processes in • Student Engagement place to meet the challenges of being able • University Carbon Management Plan to claim that our campus is an exemplar of • Renewable and Low Carbon Energy sustainability. It is likely that there will be a • Estates Developments signifi cantly revised strategy in place this time next year and, if so, this will have been driven • Waste and Recycling forward by input from both staff and students • Procurement and Catering who form the Keele community. • Sustainability in the Curriculum & Student Experience • Research • Outreach • Enterprise • Keele University Sustainability Hub

23 ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY STEERING GROUP

Professor Patrick Bailey Pro Vice-Chancellor (Environment and Sustainability) and Dean, Faculty of Natural Sciences

Kelly Montana-Williams Faculty Business Manager and Research Institute Manager, EPSAM

Ally Bird Vice President, Education, KeeleSU

Philip Butters Director of Estates and Development

Emmanuel Blondel President, Keele Think: Green Society

Philippa Calver Sustainability Project Offi cer

Professor Andrew Dobson Professor of Politics, SPIRE

John Downing Head of Grounds

Huw Evans Environmental Manager

Dr Sharon George Sustainability Hub Manager and Lecturer, School of Physical and Geographical Sciences

Dr Peter Hooper Head of Research and Enterprise Services

Lisa Ironside President, KPA

Rebecca Laycock Sustainability Project Offi cer

Daniel McCarthy Stott Vice President, Welfare, KeeleSU

Dr Sherilyn MacGregor Senior Lecturer in Politics, SPIRE

Giulia Mininni Sustainability Project Offi cer

Professor Mark Ormerod Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research and Enterprise

Andy Parry Head of Operations, Estates and Development

Paul Richards Senior Operations Manager, Estates and Development

Dr Zoe Robinson Director of Education for Sustainability and Senior Lecturer, School of Physical and Geographical Sciences

Chris Stone Media and Communications Offi cer, MAC

Professor Peter Styles Professor in Applied and Environmental Geophysics, School of Physical and Geographical Sciences

Linda Sutton Procurement Manager, Finance

Victoria Taylor President, KeeleSU

Lavinia Ioana Udrea KeeleSU Environmental Representative

Susan Warrender Head of Catering and Retail

Dr Joanna Wright Sustainability Hub Co-Ordinator and Lecturer, School of Physical and Geographical Sciences

24 ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY KEY FACTS IN 2013

1. Donations to the British Heart Foundation recycling points have resulted in over 2 tonnes of waste being diverted from landfi ll, raising over £7,000 2. More than 60% of the University’s waste is recycled 3. Introducing a 5p charge at the campus store has resulted in 34,000 fewer bags being purchased 4. Keele University is one of the fi rst Universities to be certifi ed to the Energy Management System (EnMS) standard, ISO 50001 5. The University has achieved a NUS national record, with 28 teams in specifi c buildings and departments ‘signing up’ to the Green Impact scheme 6. The allotments schemes have engaged dozens of people in growing their own food, and the ‘Student Eats’ project was awarded has already achieved Level 2 in the RHS It’s Your Neighbourhood awards 7. The Post Room electric van travelled 4,800 miles delivering mail, and saved 1.2 tonnes of CO2e compared to a conventional vehicle

8. We installed three 50 kW Solar PV arrays, thereby saving over 60 tonnes of CO2e per annum 9. Funding gained from Revolving Green Fund for energy saving projects = £343,000, mainly for fi tting out the library with low energy LED lighting 10. Cycling improvements and activities have been funded through the Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF), and 28 University employees have used the cycle-to-work scheme 11. We awarded an honorary degree to Deborah Meaden, TV celebrity and green campaigner, who talked to students and visited the Hub on her degree day 12. The Keele University Sustainability Hub hosted a total of 11,110 visitors during 2012/13 and was the venue for 530 separate events (123 more than the previous year)

To learn more about the University’s commitment to the environment and sustainability visit: www.keele.ac.uk/greenkeele

25 Report prepared by the ‘Environment and Sustainability Steering Group’, December 2013