Warwick well on its way for “environmental sustainability”

Vision 2015, the strategy set out by the University to coincide with its 50th birthday, includes a range of commendable ambitions, not least that of significantly improving the ‘green’ status of the establishment.

“We intend to make the Warwick campus a living demonstration of the principles of environmental sustainability,” the strategy declares. This strategy, which was published in the last academic year, has since wielded some impressively concrete results.

In December, the new Indoor Tennis Centre, which is located at Westwood, and also the Warwick Digital Laboratory, near the Maths and Statistics building, were formally awarded ‘Excellent’ ratings in an environmental assessment conducted by the Building Research Establishment.

BREEAM, as this system of assessment is called, awards points to those constructions which have taken positive action in reducing their carbon emissions. The inspection team was very impressed by such inclusions to these buildings as natural ventilation systems and promotion of sustainable transport.

Other recent successes have come from some serious student effort. Fourth year engineering students have created designs for a more eco-friendly halls of residence. Some of their design ideas have been incorporated into plans for a new Tocil Lakes residence.

Other students have surveyed buildings across Warwick University campus concerning energy consumption, the results of which are being directly used in energy conservation initiatives.

Furthermore, a group of MBA students have been “making an impact” with their campaign to raise awareness of carbon management; “high profile” events are scheduled for Term 2, according to the University’s latest environmental E-bulletin.
Beyond these achievements, this year’s most prominent environmental progression is the recycling service, which is now underway is every halls of residence on campus.

Last year, according to Heidi Willis, the university’s recycling rate grew by 22 per cent. However, further progress may be inhibited, if the sterling efforts of the above mentioned individuals are not reflected across the wider student body.

First year students asked about the introduction of in halls recycling responded encouragingly. Dominique Esseen-Jayes said “Everyone uses it” but that “different bins would be useful.”

Other first years claimed that the recycling is “easier at home”, due to the lack of clear instructions in halls, the inadequately sized bins and the fact that bins were often not placed in the kitchen but instead in the corridors.

Third year students, living on campus for a second time, were likewise keen on the idea, but not the execution. Wilson He explained “I believe in it in principle but I don’t think the system works. It lacks organisation and without organisation the system just breaks down.”

Lulu Liu pointed out that the extent of recycling instructions provided by Warwick Accommodation is a small poster on the notice board of every kitchen, which is nowhere near the recycling bin itself.

Several third year students were confused about why the cleaners did not take out the recycling with the rubbish. In other kitchens, some cleaners did take out the rubbish, despite the rules stating that this is the students’ responsibility.

Jess Raw, Environmental Campaigns Officer for Warwick Student Union, explains that there is“incoherence within Warwick Accommodation” about the halls recycling scheme.

A recent kitchen-to-kitchen survey of campus halls recycling conducted by ‘People and Planet’ has discovered that in 50 per cent of kitchens the cleaners have been taking out the recycling.

However, she pointed out that only 18 per cent of kitchens didn’t do it at all and that in most kitchens there was steady improvement in the quantity and quality of recycling.

People and Planet exec member Sarah Reader stated that recycling at Warwick “hasn’t become institutionalised” and that for the scheme to work “it’s got to be so easy you don’t think about it”.

She also added that “Warwick Accommodation is proud of its recycling, but bins are not enough.” According to Heidi Willis, a battery recycling campaign is due to start this January, and will be implemented in all buildings on campus.

Due to the success seen so far, Warwick Environment is aiming for an improvement of 40 per cent by 2010/11.