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Sustainable buildings

We aim to build environmentally sustainable buildings and embed sustainability into the management of our estate.

Any new building or refurbishment is planned, built and occupied to ensure the greatest energy and water efficiency and lowest carbon emissions possible. The Eastern Gateway Building (completed in May 2012) was rated BREEAM Excellent.

Campus Services aims to promote a sustainable future through leadership and good practice by:

  • reducing energy use and carbon emissions by investing in cost effective efficiency measures
  • ensuring operational staff are suitably trained and are updated as necessary to achieve the best possible return on investment in energy efficiency measures
  • exploring the opportunities for exploiting alternative fuels and new technologies
  • seeking to achieve BREEAM 'excellent' or 'very good' ratings for new University buildings, incorporating energy efficiency measures into annual building maintenance and refurbishment programmes where practical.

Current Initiatives

  • programme of internal and external lighting upgrade projects across campus
  • provision of enhanced thermal insulation to flat roofs during the periodic replacement of roof coverings
  • continuous improvement of utility sub-meter across campus

Practical measures

  • land use: materials from demolished buildings are recycled to minimise landfill
  • aggregate use: specification of recycled aggregates for new concrete structures and recycling of excavation for landscaping
  • water conservation: recycling rain water for toilet flushing
  • sustainable building materials: the use of materials with low embodied energy and glazing with low E coating materials are selected for high durability and low maintenance. Prefabricated elements are used where possible to cut down wastage
  • energy efficient design: the use of natural ventilation, reduced glazed areas and orientating buildings to minimise solar gain
  • renewable energy technologies: feasibility studies undertaken to assess alternative energy systems such as solar PV cells, heat pumps and wind turbines