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Sustainable Campus

We are committed to achieving a carbon-neutral campus by 2038 through a range of impactful initiatives. By implementing energy-efficient technologies, decarbonising our buildings, promoting sustainable travel, and enhancing biodiversity, we aim to create a campus that serves as a living lab for sustainability.

  • Net Zero Carbon and Buildings Decarbonisation plans: Our Estates and Facilities team lead efforts to improve energy and water efficiency, reduce waste, and minimise resource use. Our Environmental and Energy Management System (EEMS) is certified to both ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 50001:2018 standards, highlighting our commitment to ongoing environmental improvement. Our Energy, Water, and Carbon Management Plan guides our work, setting clear goals for reducing energy consumption and transitioning to renewable energy sources. We are actively working to decarbonise campus buildings, including the elimination of avoidable single-use plastics and implementing sustainable construction practices for new projects and refurbishments.
  • Sustainable Transport: We are dedicated to reducing emissions from transport by encouraging sustainable travel options like cycling through our Cycle to Work scheme, walking, public transport, car-sharing, and decarbonising our own fleet.
  • Sustainable food policy: Our Sustainable Food Policy is designed to promote healthy, sustainable, and ethical food choices on campus. By prioritising locally sourced, seasonal, and responsibly produced ingredients in collaboration with our in-house catering services, we reduce our carbon footprint and support local suppliers.
  • Biodiversity and Green Spaces: Our commitment to a green campus extends to preserving and enhancing biodiversity on our grounds. Through habitat restoration, litter picks, and creating spaces for local wildlife in collaboration with the Salford Ranger Team, we work to protect the natural environment. Our efforts are aligned with regional initiatives such as the PlasticFreeGM pledge, aiming to reduce single-use plastics across Greater Manchester and promote broader environmental stewardship, in addition to the Hedgehog Friendly Campus scheme, within which we hold platinum accreditation.
  • Waste Management and circular economy: By following the principles of the waste hierarchy, we aim to minimise waste on campus and encourage sustainable resource use, guided by our Waste Management Plan. Our ethical and sustainable procurement system ensures that environmental and social impacts are considered in all purchases, from supplies to services.

Fossil-Free Friday gets (and gives) some love at Uni House!

On Valentines Day, Friends of the Earth ran a ‘Fossil-Free Friday’ event at University House, to mark People and Planet’s fossil fuel divestment campaign. Students and staff wrote Valentines Day cards to local MPs to refuse donations from the fossil fuel industry and spoke to FoE volunteers about the current fracking plans at Barton Moss near […]

Success and tea for GreenCSE!

The Green CSE team, who share an office in Newton Building, won our recent Go for Gold Week prize of a tea party, despite some stiff competition from other teams (congratulations in particular to The Green Machine in the Sports Centre, to the SURF and SURGE teams and to everyone who completed actions during the […]

Energy House Team makes start on Green Impact

Guest post by Richard Fitton, Applied Buildings and Energy Research Group With the new year coming the team have made it their new year’s resolution to start trying to ascend the Green Impact league.  As a unit that prides itself on cutting edge energy research, we feel that it is a natural step for us to […]

Greening SURF

Guest post by Dr Vicky Simpson, SURF The Centre for Sustainable Urban and Regional Futures (SURF) has always regarded sustainability as a key focus of its work. The SURF Centre is committed to reducing its environmental impact and helping to make the planet more sustainable and responsible. In November SURF signed up to participate in […]

Meet the S.U.R.G.E team!

Guest article by M. Spahiev (Green Impact Project Assistant for S.U.R.G.E) Green Impact is a scheme which encourage staff and students to reduce their environmental impact. Although the program is in its fifth year nationwide, this is the first year it will run at The University of Salford. My first day as a Green Impact […]

Achieving Bronze: Green Impact workshop tips for those who missed out!

We’re almost at the end of Go for Gold Week, and today’s workshop ‘How to Achieve Green Impact Bronze’ by Sophia Perkins of the NUS deal with a number of Green Impact’s aims: bringing people together, discussing challenges and finding solutions. For those unable to attend, here’s a summary of the contents: Working the workbook: […]

Greening your Impact this Christmas (and an update!)

Green Impact is in full swing, and we’re nearly at the *final deadline* for teams to sign up (18th December), so to be in for a chance of winning an award for your office (and making it cosier as well as more sustainable), get in touch ASAP (c.spring@salford.ac.uk). We have a team of trained-up student […]

University achieves a First in green league table

The University of Salford has shot up the annual People and Planet Green League Table of universities thanks to a series of initiatives which have seen students and colleagues pitch in to reduce their environmental impact. Salford moved from 51st up to 17th place in the league table which independently catalogues factors such as water […]

New Secure Cycle Facilities Installed

Two 40-space secure cycle facilities have been installed at Cockcroft and Clifford Whitworth buildings. The facilities are the latest part of the University’s Travel Plan strategy, which is aimed at encouraging and facilitating sustainable travel. Andy Binder, Travel & Transport Officer, Environment & Sustainability, said: “Access control on the shelters is now in place. Anybody […]

New cycle storage facility at Maxwell

A new 48-space cycle storage facility has recently been installed in Maxwell Well to provide additional cycle storage for the Maxwell Building. The facility, which can be used by employees and students, provides covered cycle parking with easy access to Maxwell Building and Hall and the Gilbert Rooms.  It is located near to male and […]