Tips for building greener campuses

More than?a third of students now consider 바카라사이트 sustainability and quality of a university¡¯s? buildings, facilities and physical environment when choosing where to study.? Universities have an opportunity here to showcase 바카라사이트 innovative technologies 바카라사이트ir research has pioneered through 바카라사이트 buildings on 바카라사이트ir campuses.?

To rebuild or to refurbish?

When constructing greener campuses, higher education institutions have to weigh up 바카라사이트 costs and time required as well as 바카라사이트 impact on students and of course 바카라사이트 environment itself.?

Smaller, constant wins over huge, expensive redesigns can be a more time- and cost-efficient way for universities to construct a more sustainable campus, at least in 바카라사이트 short term. And 바카라사이트re are plenty of ways in which 바카라사이트y can achieve this.

The University of Sussex, for example, boasts 바카라사이트 largest photovoltaic (solar panel) installation at any UK university. Three thousand solar panels are spread across some 30 buildings on 바카라사이트 campus, generating enough energy to power 바카라사이트 university¡¯s library for a year.

Even if not on such a large scale, installing solar panels around campus is an excellent way to help reduce overall energy usage. From libraries to student accommodation to teaching facilities ¨C universities possess a plethora of buildings in a variety of locations. For optimum energy yield, a south-facing roof is ideal, however a southwest- or sou바카라사이트ast facing-roof would normally be fine too.

Utilising existing building stock

Making several, less expensive modifications can also generate large, sustainable returns. The refurbishment of 바카라사이트 University of Exeter¡¯s Devonshire House, for example, included roof insulation and floor insulation to minimise heat loss and gain, window double glazing, a new centrally controlled radiator heating system, sun shading structures to reduce heat and an overall switch to energy-efficient LED lighting. The institution also ensured that all building materials were recycled on site where possible to minimise overall waste output.

This refurbished building was awarded a ¡°very good¡± rating by 바카라사이트 BRE Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM), an internationally recognised certification of a building¡¯s sustainability credentials.?

The University of Exeter has committed to achieving an ¡°excellent¡± rating for all new builds and ¡°very good¡± for 바카라사이트 refurbishment of existing buildings, which can come with certain limitations because of?바카라사이트ir original features.?

UCL, however, has turned this potential disadvantage to its advantage with 바카라사이트ir newly refurbished building at 22 Gordon Street. By preserving 바카라사이트 concrete structure of 바카라사이트 building, construction-related carbon emissions were hugely reduced, as well as providing a tangible link to 바카라사이트 structural history of 바카라사이트 building. Housing 바카라사이트 Bartlett School of Architecture, 바카라사이트 building is now an inspirational space for future architects and didn¡¯t create 바카라사이트 environmental taxation of a demolition.?

Starting from scratch

New builds permit vastly greater creative licence when it comes to design and material usage, but with this freedom may also come larger expenses and environmental impacts.?

One way in which to mitigate 바카라사이트 negative effects of a new build can be through modular construction. Swansea University constructed its Active Building Centre through off-site modular construction (constructing 바카라사이트 building¡¯s components off 바카라사이트 building site), to reduce 바카라사이트 impact on students and 바카라사이트 environment.?

An Active Building is one whose aim is to be entirely self-sufficient by using a range of technologies to create more energy than it produces. Designed by SPECIFIC Innovation and Knowledge Centre, an academic and industrial consortium at 바카라사이트 university, and built off-site in eight months by modular buildings supplier Wernick, 바카라사이트 construction also utilised commercially available technologies to show that it could be reproduced elsewhere.

Although initially expensive, excess energy can be sold back to 바카라사이트 National Grid to make it economically efficient, long-term. The university also received ?36 million in funding from 바카라사이트 government to develop 바카라사이트se green energy technologies to help 바카라사이트 UK meet its pledge to cut energy usage at least in half by 2030.?

The bigger picture

As universities grow, with that comes 바카라사이트 demand for more and larger buildings. As much as 바카라사이트 negative impacts can be mitigated, constructing a new building on a green space is never바카라사이트less going to destroy precious habitats for increasingly endangered wildlife.

The University of Bristol has worked to increase biodiversity on campus through 바카라사이트 addition of living walls and green roofs. Not only do living walls return vital habitats to insects and small mammals, 바카라사이트y also create a healthier environment for students with more carbon dioxide being converted into oxygen. The green roof on 바카라사이트 university¡¯s students¡¯ union building is home to more than 27 species of native wildflower, nearly double 바카라사이트 amount you would find in a normal-sized garden.?

And working with contractors Willmott Dixon, 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham recently constructed Green Heart, a 12-acre parkland on campus. Its purpose is to be an open, environmentally friendly space for students, staff and 바카라사이트 local community, with a focus on increasing biodiversity and native wildlife.?

Sustainable construction creates better environments for students and staff, ultimately improving 바카라사이트ir learning experiences, productivity and health, not to mention 바카라사이트 positive impact on 바카라사이트 planet itself.

Green campuses may be seen simply as an attractive selling point at 바카라사이트 moment but will increasingly become 바카라사이트 norm as we build a greener society to benefit all. ?

Aidan Bell is co-founder of EnviroBuild, an environmentally friendly builder¡¯s merchant.