Nigel Blandford, Sustainability Innovation Manager
Sustainability Office, University of Salford
Current role
My current role involves making the linkages between research/innovation and UoS’s Net Zero Plans to ensure the university is ahead of the game in implementing sustainable products, policy, and services across the UoS Estate. I previously worked at Energy House 2. My work is currently focused mainly on energy and I work closely with the University’s Carbon and Energy Manager.
Green career journey
My career path after graduating in Environmental Sciences was in conservation forestry both in the UK and abroad. From this I developed a keen interest in raising the economic value of low grade wood in order to finance conservation forestry work. This led to a focus of wood fuel for heating. From here I moved towards more general renewable energy and then into energy and energy efficiency.
Skills
Communication is by far the most useful skill I deploy and have had some formal training in this although it helps to be a chatty person. Linked to this is influencing and negotiation skills. This links to communication and understanding the character make up of the person you are dealing with. A good broad understanding of data and technologies is useful and then knowing who to bring into the mix when more detailed technical knowledge is needed.
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