Our Performance

Aligning the University’s operations with the principles of sustainability can help us to increase our efficiencies, reduce our costs, and provide an environment within which the day-to-day experiences of students, staff and visitors reflect the University’s commitment to sustainable development.

The University has also received several awards and nominations recently for "exceptional initiatives", "leadership and innovation", "best practice" and "outstanding contribution to sustainable development".

Recent Initiatives

Some of our initiatives so far include:

• Energy efficiency efforts and the development of our Energy, Water and Waste Management Policy, in consultation with Cardiff University Students’ Union and with advice from the Carbon Trust;
• Waste strategies that include office recycling schemes and responsible disposal guidelines;
• Efforts to invest in the welfare and quality of life of people working within the University through investments in training and development; through the project and a range of policies relating to equality and diversity, work-life balance and health and safety;
• The University has undertaken a transport survey to identify opportunities to reduce the climate impact of University-related travel.
• The implementation of an Environmental Management System and ISO 14001 which has been undertaken throughout the University’s Heath Campus, and is also being trialled in three Schools within the Cathays Campus;
• Increasing procurement of local produce and Fairtrade produce through the University’s Residences and Catering Division, and a Nutrition Policy to raise awareness and actively promote healthy eating;
• The establishment of a network of ‘Eco Champions’ across the University's schools to promote sustainability initiatives.

We are currently working towards auditing and increasing our efficiencies of water and energy usage, recycling, green procurement, campus maintenance, and biodiversity. A key example of these is the a £1M grant given by the Education Funding Council for Wales to install 1,900 new energy meters, to reach a total of 3,000, and their automation system.

The University is also exploring the potential for alternative energy sources to meet its future energy needs with a reduced impact in terms of climate change.

Progress of Carbon and Water Reduction Against 2005/6 Baseline

Performance: The carbon emissions saving to date for the period 2006/7 to 2008/9 represents 20,678 tonnes of carbon saved, based on the 2005/6 baseline. 

Target: The University’s Carbon Reduction Plan, presented to the Carbon Trust in 2006/7 as part of the Trust’s Higher Education Carbon Management Programme anticipated 26,100 tonnes of carbon would be saved over the period 2006/7 to 2011/12. The University is currently on track to meet this target.

More detailed annual figures for Energy and Water use are given below:

Carbon Emissions for Gas and Electricity (Tonnes, based on 2009 carbon factors) 

Note: The above includes all University Residences but does not include carbon emissions included in the SLAs from the NHS.

John Newton, 22.3.2010