Transforming Tomorrow 18 If only one part of an organisation is talking about sustainability, positive change is unlikely. The Pentland Centre is involved in the wider Lancaster University conversation on sustainability, and is part of a greater whole working towards sustainable practice. At Lancaster, we recognise that sustainability, the climate emergency and our environment are the responsibility of our whole community. Our commitments lead the way: Lancaster University is among the highest producers of renewable energy of all UK Universities, and since 2005 we have reduced our electricity and heating emissions by 50%. There is more we must do, which is why we are committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2035. Our community is committed to tackling the climate emergency by embedding sustainability into all areas of university life: our research is future led, with many academics working on globally significant sustainability projects; our curriculum continues to centre teaching around current events, and sustainability is a huge part of that. Day-to-day, we are committed to evolving our working practices and environment to address the climate emergency from within. How we are making a difference Our carbon footprint can be calculated by scope 1&2 emissions (energy use) and scope 3 emissions (travel and procurement emissions). Here is a summary of some of the ways we are working to reduce emissions and encourage sustainability. Energy Our wind turbine on campus provides 15% of our electricity, and we have gained planning permission for a new solar farm at Forrest Hills, which will provide 40% of all energy on campus. We are also upgrading our district heating system to be able to switch all gas boilers to efficient electric heat pumps. Transport and travel One of the biggest changes is introducing flexible working, reducing staff and student commuting emissions by 50% since 2006. We encourage public transport use, cycling and electric vehicle use through investment in infrastructure and staff discounts. To reduce emissions from business and academic travel, we worked with academics in the Lancaster Environment Centre and the travel procurement team to produce the travel decision tree to ensure sustainable travel options are encouraged. Departments can access emission dashboards to see how they compare to others. Student and staff engagement Green Lancaster is a partnership between the University and the Students’ Union to allow staff and students to participate in practical solutions to the climate emergency, such as planting trees and wildflowers on campus, growing fruit and vegetables in our on-campus allotment, and helping our Don’t Ditch It project to upcycle unwanted items from student housing. Find out more at www.lancaster.ac.uk/sustainability Sustainability at Lancaster University
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