Sustainability Annual Report 2019-2020
Contents A word from our Vice-Chancellor..................................................... 2 Scope of the report............................................................................... 3 Effective environmental and energy risk management........... 4 Leading action on the SDGs .............................................................. 6 Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) ......................... 8 Research .................................................................................................. 9 Excellence in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)..................................................................... 10 Climate and ecological crisis............................................................. 12 Energy and water use................................................................. 13 Estates development............................................................................ 16 Nature........................................................................................................ 18 Responsible procurement................................................................... 20 Waste......................................................................................................... 21 Food............................................................................................................ 22 Travel and transport............................................................................. 24 Staff and student engagement ........................................................ 28 Impact on society................................................................................... 31 Sustainabilty Team training and development........................... 31 Looking forward..................................................................................... 32
Foreword by John Vinney, Vice-Chancellor, Bournemouth University This has been an unprecedented year and we, like everyone else, have been forced to adapt to the impacts of Covid-19. But we also know the climate and ecological crisis has not gone away. We must continue to reduce our emissions and empower our students and staff to play their vital role in tackling the crisis. We recognise our leadership role and I’m proud to announce the launch of our Climate and Ecological Crisis Action Plan (CECAP) in 2021, the year the UK chairs the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties, COP26. This is a pivotal year for environmental action and we need, as an international community, to agree to binding net zero emissions targets by 2050 at the latest to avoid the worst effects of climate change As the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres said, “There’s no vaccine for the planet”. This report highlights the action we have taken over the most recent academic year to help deliver a fairer and better world for everyone. Professor John Vinney Vice-Chancellor Bournemouth University
Bournemouth University Sustainability Annual Report 2019-2020
Scope of the report Sustainability is at the heart of BU2025 and the Fusion model of uniting education, research and professional practice. BU2025 is underpinned by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). This report summarises the progress made against BU2025’s sustainability outcomes and actions, covering the period 1 August 2019 to 31 December 2020, unless otherwise stated. Covid-19 has had a major impact on our operations and where possible the trends prior to lock down in March 2020 are presented. The key BU2025 outcomes for sustainability are: We are a catalyst for sustainable social, environmental and economic growth and development We enrich society by having a significant impact on challenges world-wide
The key BU2025 actions are: Support our staff from all parts of BU and
44 students to take a responsible approach to
the environment and sustainable development Take a leading position on our own
45 environmental impact
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Bournemouth University Sustainability Annual Report 2019-2020
Effective environmental and energy risk management After external audits, our integrated EEMS was re-certified to the International Standard ISO14001 and EcoCampus Platinum and, for the first time, we achieved the energy management standard, ISO50001 certification. No non-conformities were identified against either standard, and this is a superb outcome that demonstrates BU’s continual improvement ethos to minimise its impact on the environment whilst also seeking opportunities to enhance the learning and research environment.
One of BU’s proud achievements this year was to become one of only a handful of universities to achieve a double certification for its environmental and energy management system (EEMS). Jim Andrews, Chief Operating Officer, said: “Gaining this double certification is a great achievement and demonstrates yet again how committed we are to minimising our environmental footprint”.
Bournemouth University Sustainability Annual Report 2019-2020
The NQA auditor highlighted three areas of best practice: 1 Overall flow of managing risks and opportunities – linking BU2025 strategy commitments to measurable action on the ground; 2 Communication and engagement – The auditor said, “The variety of means and initiatives utilised and displayed by the university in this regard is exemplary. The dedication demonstrated to make this process as effective as possible is very inspiring.” Read more about our engagement on pages 28 and 29. 3 Sustainable Construction – the auditor said, “The manner in which the Poole Gateway Building was designed, developed and delivered, to ensure the building is as sustainable as possible, was very impressive”. Read more about our buildings on pages 16 and 17.
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Bournemouth University deployed a knowledgeable team, implements and maintains their management system to address continual energy performance improvement from head office and local levels. NQA auditor
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Bournemouth University Sustainability Annual Report 2019-2020
Leading action on the SDGs Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2020 The Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings is the only global benchmarking scheme that assesses universities against the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and it does so across three broad areas: research, outreach and stewardship. In its 2020 edition, in which 768 universities from 85 countries submitted, we were proud to be in the top 100 in the world for our action against the UN SDGs.
from across the institution, helping us celebrate all the great work that is going on. For the 2021 rankings, we have submitted evidence against all of the UN SDGs.
The Rankings provide us with a very useful tool for comparing our SDG action against universities around the world. We have used the rankings to collaborate with staff
14th in the UK Launched a formal partnership with Our Dorset Integrated Care System, with the aim of using innovation to drive forward improvements in healthcare outcomes for people across Dorset. SportBU, at our Chapel Gate sports site, provide support for grass roots sport and are a key part of the local community Participated in the national RowBritannia 2020 initiative Embedded wellbeing within the design standards of our new buildings
11th in the UK Our schools and colleges outreach programme promote opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) to all genders and challenge gender stereotypes SUBU lead an annual Women’s Liberation Campaign See our annual Gender Pay Gap and Equality and Diversity Reports (www.bournemouth.ac.uk/ about/professional-services/equality-diversity/equality-diversity-committee)
8th in the UK Read about our action for SDG7 from page 12.
16th in the UK BU academics helped unravel the centuries old mystery of where the sarsen stones used to build Stonehenge came SUBU’s Community Wardens scheme seeks to improve the sustainability of the local area by supporting the integration of students in their local area and tackling anti-social behaviour Read about our action for sustainable buildings on pages 16 and 17 and sustainable travel on pages 24-27.
Bournemouth University Sustainability Annual Report 2019-2020
10th in the world Read about our action for SDG12 on pages 20 and 21.
4th in the UK Hosted a 'green hub' at the Art By The Sea Festival 2019 Delivered a Fusion Professorial Lecture on Addressing the environmental crisis, held at the RNLI College in Poole Held a session at our Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Community of Practice on embedding climate change in the curriculum Read about our campus action for SDG13 from page 12 and ESD on page 8.
20th in the UK Sustainability and the UN SDGs underpin our university strategy, BU2025 Our Sustainability Committee contains membership from across the institution and is chaired by our Director of Estates We submit an annual sustainability report to the University Board to ensure transparency and accountability, as well as a range of benchmarking and certifications We have a Modern Slavery Policy.
9th in the UK We commit to sharing best practice on the SDGs through the SDG Accord BCP Council are adopting the UN SDGs within their regional sustainability action plans as a result of BU collaboration
SDG Accord BU retains its commitment to the SDG Accord, which has two purposes: 1. To inspire, celebrate and advance the critical role that education has in delivering the SDGs and the value it brings to governments, business and wider society 2. To be a commitment from universities to do more to deliver the SDGs, to annually report on each signatory's
progress, and to do so in ways which share the learning with each other both nationally and internationally In 2020, we again reported our activities for the SDG Accord and were featured as a case study in the summary EAUC report. (www.sustainabilityexchange.ac.uk/sdg_ accord_report_2020_progress_towards_the_glo)
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Bournemouth University Sustainability Annual Report 2019-2020
Learning for the future BU strives to support our students to become active, global citizens who have the knowledge, skills and attributes needed to address global challenges. BU2025 includes a commitment for sustainable development to be embedded in our courses, our projects and our research. In 2019/20, we have made fantastic progress against this commitment through the formation of two key groups who will lead on and deliver this action.
Sustainability Academic Network (SAN) In May 2020, the SAN was formed. The group is responsible for supporting and leading action to embed sustainability into education, practice and research at BU. It is a formal group which meets termly with a representative staff member from every academic department across our four faculties and reports to the Sustainability Committee. It helps support the ESD Community of Practice and aims to take direct strategic action for ESD.
Education for Sustainable Development Community of Practice The ESD Community of Practice was formed in November 2019 and has over 65 members from all four faculties within BU. It exists as an informal group, open to all BU staff and students, with the aims of networking and sharing passion, best practice and action on ESD. The group meets termly for topical discussions and short presentations which showcase great examples of ESD and has uncovered excellent practice and promoted greater collaboration. Read some examples of the best practice our academics showcase on page 10.
The three main areas of work the group has focused on since forming are: • Investigating how to measure ESD, for example through alignment to the United Nations ESD Learning Objectives • Setting up a pilot scheme for students to self-assess how their project or assignment contributes to the SDGs, and is due to report in summer 2021 • Laying the groundwork for more environmentallyfriendly research practices, including a reduction in business travel
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ESD empowers learners to take informed decisions and responsible actions for environmental integrity, economic viability and a just society, for present and future generations, while respecting cultural diversity. It is about lifelong learning, and is an integral part of quality education. ESD is holistic and transformational education which addresses learning content and outcomes, pedagogy and the learning environment. It achieves its purpose by transforming society. UNESCO (https://en.unesco.org/themes/education-sustainable-development/what-is-esd)
Bournemouth University Sustainability Annual Report 2019-2020
Research
65%
of research proposals are aligned to at least one of the UN SDGs.
The business case for research projects and other projects, principally Estates and IT, now includes a requirement for both a UN SDG impact statement and carbon impact assessment. This requirement supports the work to embed the UN SDGs within our projects. Living Labs is a concept that supports research using our university as a test bed. Focus groups for the Living Labs scheme were held in autumn 2019 to gather ideas on how it can best be developed and delivered. As a result, Living Labs projects are being shared with students from September 2020.
Living Labs: The carbon footprint of a UK university during the COVID-19 lockdown The COVID-19 pandemic has provided a unique opportunity to compare the carbon intensity of working/studying at home and on campus. Showcasing an example of Living Labs, Dr Viachaslau Filimonau from the Bournemouth University Business School and members of the Sustainability Team studied the carbon footprint of BU during the COVID-19 lockdown. The paper, peer-reviewed and published in Science of the Total Environment, a leading international journal in the field of sustainability and environmental management, is the first investigation of its kind and only the third attempt to assess the carbon emissions of UK higher education institutions. The study has found that working/studying from home may be less beneficial from the carbon perspective than originally thought. The carbon emissions produced by staff, but particularly students, at home are almost equal to the carbon footprint of their commute. Overall, there was a decrease in GHG emissions due to the shutdown of the university campuses. This research has important implications for higher education and the environmental benefit or dis-benefit of a blended teaching and learning approach, which may have low carbon efficiency. The team aims to advance this project by assessing the carbon intensity of BU on- and off-campus over the winter period.
2500000 3% 10%
2000000
1500000
1000000
40% 41%
13% 10%
66%
13% 9%
4% 3% 6%
500000 31% 0
2018
26%
21%
2019
2020
Electricity
Gas
Employee commute
Student commute
Business Travel ALL
Work from home (Academic Staff)
Work from home (professional and support staff)
Study from home (Students)
Read the full paper here: www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969720374957
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Bournemouth University Sustainability Annual Report 2019-2020
Excellence in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) For the fifth year, our Excellence in ESD Awards celebrated the innovative and inspiring ways our academics engage with their students on ESD. Eleven academics from across the four faculties were selected as finalists, with five being chosen as winners and these are summarised below.
Masters in Business Administration (MBA) Team, BU Business School The new MBA programme was underpinned by the UN SDGs and represents “a real shift in thinking” within the business sector. Commended by the revalidation panel for “Incorporating sustainability and responsibility into the curriculum”, many assignments were sustainability focussed and for their final projects, around half of the students chose to focus on the SDGs.
Judges’ comments: “Being the only group to enter this competition, the work of the MBA programme team is a leading example of how departments can work collaboratively to embed the SDGs in their teaching, not just as an add-on but as an integral part of the programme delivery and outcomes.”
Dr Fiona Cownie, Faculty of Media & Communication Fiona’s final year optional unit Relationship Marketing brings a future-facing outlook to organisations’ practice of marketing. Ethics have been at the heart of her teaching for many years; and 2019-20 saw environmental stewardship as a shared value informing its discipline and practice. As a result of this focus, students were encouraged to use sustainability to inform their practice as graduates, and 90% of students placed the UN SDGs at the heart of their unit assessment.
Dr Sukanya Ayatakshi Endow, BU Business School Sukanya’s third year unit Entrepreneurship and Business Ventures is centred on her belief of the power of enterprise in changing society. Facilitated via the BU Social Entrepreneurs Forum, students were expected to work in groups to support local socially-focused businesses develop their business model or business planning needs.
Student feedback on the unit: “Prior to this unit I had no idea what the UNSDGs were, I am so glad we covered this as now I am so aware of what they are and how to use them within my work and daily life. I’m glad this was a core part of the unit as sustainability”.
Judges’ comments: “Sukanya's module is an excellent example of how collaborative, applied projects focussing on the SDGs can instil a sense of global citizenship and inspire innovative action and showcases the range of methods that can be used to embed ESD.”
Bournemouth University Sustainability Annual Report 2019-2020
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Prior to this unit I had no idea what the UNSDGs were, I am so glad we covered this as now I am so aware of what they are and how to use them within my work and daily life. I’m glad this was a core part of the unit as sustainability. Student feedback on Relationship Marketing unit
Dr Louise Preget, BU Business School Louise’s online unit, Global Business Ethics, Social Responsibility and Sustainability develops students' skills in sustainable, responsible and ethical management practice within an institutional and global context. Feedback shows that every student on the course felt that they were developing as responsible business leaders.
Dr Stacy Wall, Faculty of Media & Communication Stacy’s final year unit ‘Community and Digital Engagement’ tasked students with identifying an issue, cause or problem affecting the local community, and developing a multi-media portfolio to support the work of organisations or charities working to combat this issue.
Student feedback on the unit: “Louise's unit with its aim to develop future-facing management practice that embeds social justice, ethics and global citizenship, represents an excellent example of how to engage students with these global challenges. Encouraging students to identify their own values ensures the course can influence personal, as well as professional, behaviours.”
Judges’ comments: “The Community Showcase revealed the impact of student projects on both the local community and the students themselves. The highly emotive presentations delivered by students were all well received by organisation key members. Each student at the end of the unit thanked me for the unique opportunity the unit provided to make a difference in the local community. Many students continue to volunteer with their partner organisations – they continue to make an impact on society by finding ways to help organisations better engage with their target community.”
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Bournemouth University Sustainability Annual Report 2019-2020
Climate and Ecological Crisis BU has spent this year preparing its third carbon management plan; the Climate and Ecological Crisis Action Plan (CECAP). In March 2020 we asked staff and students how BU should take action to address the climate and ecological crisis. We received 418 responses, and some key results were:
96% 66% 88% 92% 81%
are concerned or very concerned about the crisis feel confident that the actions they take will make a difference in addressing the crisis are willing to change their personal actions to address the crisis agree that BU has a responsibility to educate on the crisis agree that the crisis should be incorporated within all programmes
In the survey, we welcomed ideas about how we as a community can tackle the climate and ecological crisis. There were a range of fantastic suggestions, which have been used to inform our CECAP and direct our action.
Our CECAP target is to achieve net zero GHG emissions by 2030/31. This will require everyone to play their part. Implementation of this ambitious Plan aims to:
Educate and inform staff and students about the crisis and what they can do in their personal and professional lives to minimise their impact on the environment
Research new technologies and ways of living that minimise harm to the natural world, upon which we all depend for our continuing survival
Cut GHG emissions as quickly and as far as possible and then invest in gold standard offsets for the remaining emissions
You can read the CECAP here: www.bournemouth.ac.uk/about/sustainability
Strengthen partnerships with students, staff and external organisations to affect change across business and society
Bournemouth University Sustainability Annual Report 2019-2020
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions
53%
reduction in GHG emissions since 2005/06
10000 9000 8000 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Emissions from buildings (Tonnes)
Emissions from transport (Tonnes)
Further scope (waste, water and refridgerant gas) (tonnes)
Target
2017
2018
2019
In 2019/20, GHG emissions were 53% lower than those in 2005/06 reflecting the lockdown, increased on site renewable energy generation and further reductions in the grid electricity carbon factor. Our target is to reduce emissions by 40% by 2020/21. Between August 2019 and February 2020, when we were running the business as usual, energy GHG emissions were 4% lower than the same period for 2018/19. This decrease occurred despite the addition of Chapel Gate sports facility in May 2019 and Poole Gateway Building, which opened in January 2020, to our estate and is a great result. You can find out more about our GHG emissions in our Climate and Ecological Crisis Action Plan annual report on the website here.
Energy and water use In 2019/20, energy use across BU’s campuses decreased by about 6%, which equates to nearly a million kilowatt hours, compared to the previous year, despite the growth of the campus due to the addition of Poole Gateway Building (PGB) and Chapel Gate. The main reason for the decrease in energy use was due to the closure of most of BU’s buildings due to the Covid-19 pandemic. During this lockdown period, gas use and electricity use was reduced by 46% and 31%, respectively, when compared to the previous year.
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Bournemouth University Sustainability Annual Report 2019-2020
Energy and water use Pre-lockdown there was a slight increase in total energy (grid and on-site renewables) use compared to the same period in 2018/19, reflecting the addition of Chapel Gate sports facility and PGB to the estate.
Total estate energy consumption by type
BU’s gas and electricity consumption by year 12000000
18,000,000 Total estate energy consumption by type
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16,000,000 10000000
14,000,000 12,000,000
8000000
10,000,000 6000000
8,000,000 6,000,000
4000000
4,000,000 2000000
2,000,000 0
2018/19
2019/20
Electricity
Solar PV panel
Combined Heat and Power
Gas
Liquefied Petroleum Gas
Biomass
0
2005
Natural gas
2018
2019
Electricity
Ground Source Heat Pumps
Grid electricity and natural gas use (vs 2005/06)
-8% gas use year on year Gas use has decreased by 30% compared to the 2005/06 baseline year due to improved monitoring and controls of heating systems, investment in new energy efficient buildings and energy saving projects. In 2019/20, 8% less gas (natural gas and Liquefied Petroleum Gas) was used compared to 2018/19 partly due to the Covid 19 pandemic and partly due to the repair of the Poole House biomass boiler.
-9% grid electricity use year on year There has been a decrease of 26% in BU’s grid electricity use since the baseline year of 2005/06, despite the increase in estate size. This is due to due to improved monitoring and controls, investment in new energy efficient buildings and energy saving projects such as installation of PVs. There was a decrease of 9% in grid electricity use in 2019/20 compared to 2018/19, due to the Covid 19 pandemic and increased PV production with the addition of the PGB array in January.
Bournemouth University Sustainability Annual Report 2019-2020
On-site renewable energy generation and rainwater harvesting In 2019/20, our on-site generation of renewable energy has again increased. A recent national survey by energy comparison site uSwitch, found that, out of the universities compared, BU has the most on-site installations for renewable energy. www.uswitch.com/gas-electricity/guides/eco-friendly-universities Grid electricity and natural gas use (vs 2005/06)
+49% renewable electricity (2019/20 v 2018/19) At the start of 2020, 300 solar PV panels on our new Poole Gateway Building came online and increased our on-site renewable electricity generation from 300MWh last year to 450MWh. In 2019/20, our PV arrays supplied more than 5% of the total electricity used on our campuses; this is equivalent to the electricity used in 120 UK homes or the power needed to go around the world 69 times in a Tesla car. The solar PV array on Poole House met one-fifth of the total electricity demand in the building over the lockdown period. The micro Combined Heat and Power (CHP) unit in Fusion Building, which is an efficient way to burn gas in an engine to produce electricity whilst also collecting the heat for use in the building, is broken and beyond economic repair. We are considering what technology to replace it with.
+ 37% renewable heat (2019/20 v 2018/19) We use Ground Source Heat Pumps and our biomass boiler to generate on-site heat, and increased the total produced by over one-third due to better use of our biomass boiler. Nearly 900,000 kWh of heat was generated from on-site renewable sources, which provided 12.5% of the total heat used on our campuses. This is the equivalent of the heating and hot water for one year for 74 UK homes.
Water use
+3% potable water use year on year In 2019/20, there was a slight increase in water use compared to the year before due to the addition of Chapel Gate sports facility (which accounted for 19% of total water use) and PGB. 43,469m3 of water was consumed, compared to 41,810m3 the year before. We continue to closely monitor water use and fix any leaks. The annual usage of water is 57% less than in 2005/06 due to water saving projects and the type of buildings in the estate (BU has fewer residential buildings than previously).
Rainwater harvesting In 2019/20, 304m3 of water was used via our rainwater harvesting systems in The Fusion Building and Poole Gateway Building. This is the equivalent of 1,689 bathtubs full of water. However, this only accounted for less than 1% of the total water used. Less rainwater was used this year compared to the previous year due to a fault in The Fusion Building system that needed repair and to less water use overall in the buildings during the Covid-19 shutdown. The new rainwater harvesting system in Poole Gateway Building provided 95% of the water used in that building (167m3) in 2019/20.
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Bournemouth University Sustainability Annual Report 2019-2020
The sustainable development of our estate The Poole Gateway building opened its doors in January 2020. As per our Sustainable Construction Policy and through the dedication and commitment of our Estates team, we are proud the building is rated BREEAM Excellent.
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BU's commitment to sustainable development influences how we manage, specify, design and deliver building projects from the point of inception. I am immensely proud of the recent achievements of the BU project teams and our many external partners as this represents the culmination of many years work. Despite these achievements, we are not complacent, and we are committed to further enhancing our approach to sustainable development to ensure we play our role in supporting the achievement of BU's new CECAP." Steve Cox, Head of Estates Development
The buildings incorporate sustainability features, such as Ground Source Heat Pumps, solar PV panels and rainwater harvesting. The Christchurch House laboratories refurbishment Phase 2 is on track to achieve the BREEAM ‘Very Good’ standard and the design stage of the Studland House refurbishment phase 2 has been awarded BREEAM excellent. 87% of waste was diverted from landfill for all construction projects. The recycling rate, the preferred disposal route, was only 18%, as the majority of waste for the BGB project was sent for recovery rather than recycling. Overall other projects achieved a 96.7% recycling rate; a great success which we will be seeking to achieve on all future projects.
Bournemouth University Sustainability Annual Report 2019-2020
Case study: Poole Gateway Building
Poole Gateway Building is our new 5,000m2 building providing specialist media and computing facilities within a budget of £27 million plus equipment of circa £4.6 million. The new building brought together the Faculty of Science & Technology and the Faculty Media & Communications to facilitate greater collaboration in line with BU’s strategy and Fusion model. The strategic project brief was provided via the local area master plan (Talbot master plan and SPD) and BU’s Estates Development Framework (EDF). Willmott Dixon (WD), the principal contractor, was appointed via a two stage collaborative process, allowing BU to be involved in the selection of sub-contractors and approve proposals and final selections. WD has strong sustainability credentials, including policies and processes to manage its supply chain (certified by the Carbon Trust), and is certified to ISO14001. A BREEAM Advisory Professional was appointed to act as sustainability champion to offer advice on sustainable design throughout the design process.
Key elements for the project were: • The design brief specified the need to achieve BREEAM ‘Excellent’ and EPC A, which was achieved • The building’s specialist areas, such as a TV studio, sound stage and PC laboratories, require cooling which is controlled via the Building Management System to minimise energy use whilst maintaining a comfortable environment • A climate change adaption strategy appraisal was completed at design stage • Functional adaptability was considered at design stage, including the potential for refurbishment, plant replacement, adaptability etc • A pre planning public consultation process included statutory consultees assessing the environmental impacts of the building (Dorset Wildlife Trust, Natural England, RSPB and the Environment Agency)
• Ecologist recommendations were implemented including the use of native species for planting and provision of bird and bat boxes and habitat for dead wood invertebrates • Transport assessment and mitigation involved a separate infrastructure project which delivered a new bus hub, construction of adopted highway joining Fern Barrow to Boundary roundabout and the extension of BU's park and stride car park • Life cycle environmental impacts of materials were assessed against the BRE Green Guide • A TM54 energy use study was completed and energy efficiency measures included LED lighting with daylight dimming, an extensive solar PV array, and energy efficient lifts • A rainwater harvesting system was installed and accounted for 96% of water use in the building in the first 6 months of operation • A site waste management plan ensured waste was managed responsibly; over the three years of on-site works 99% of waste was recycled The process of fine tuning the operation of the building has only just started and BU is committed to optimising building performance for 3 years post occupation with a target to achieve DEC A. Unfortunately, this project has been delayed due to the impacts of Covid.
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Bournemouth University Sustainability Annual Report 2019-2020
Nature We depend on ecological services to support us so one of the key elements of the CECAP is to educate staff and students about nature to engender a connection and recognition of the vital role nature plays in both supporting our way of life and in mitigating, and adapting to, the climate crisis. Abagail Croker and JS Jones published a paper about the need for Nature-based Solutions and the Green New Deal to address the combined environmental threats of pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss (https:// theecologist.org/2020/apr/22/after-coronavirus). One of the benefits of the pandemic has been the reconnection of people with nature and the recognition of its importance for both physical and mental health and wellbeing.
During 2020, we have promoted activities that foster this including: • Delivered activities and awareness-raising campaigns for native species, including a Hedgehog-themed bake off and sharing tips to make gardens species-friendly • Activities during National Gardening Week • Encouraged cycling to enjoy a healthy, nature-based activity (see the travel section for more information). • Put stickers on strimmers to remind the grounds maintenance contractor about protecting hedgehogs when working.
Bournemouth University Sustainability Annual Report 2019-2020
Case study: Dorset Unlocked Professor Anita Diaz, has co-created with her students the Dorset Unlocked website (https://dorsetunlocked.com) where anyone can share where they enjoy nature or heritage. A team of students in ecology and archaeology partnered with staff to launch the website. Natalie Harris (pictured), a volunteer from our first year BSc Ecology & Wildlife Conservation degree course, manages the Instagram account. Anita said, “We hope the website inspires people to explore their local nature and heritage and spread a little well-being". Partnership working is the heart of Dorset Unlocked and our Dorset-based students and staff are currently providing lots of great contributions to the interactive map. "It’s rewarding to see Dorset Unlocked growing fast and getting over 100 views a day even during lockdown”. The team welcomes people across BU and the wider Dorset community to join in co-creating Dorset Unlocked.
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We hope the website inspires people to explore their local nature and heritage and spread a little well-being. Professor Anita Diaz
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Bournemouth University Sustainability Annual Report 2019-2020
Responsible procurement Procurement
Paper use
In 2019/20, 13% (£8.4 million) of our total non-manpower spend was with suppliers within a 50 mile radius of BU.
Between August 2019 and February 2020, we printed 16,418 fewer pages than for the same period in 2018/19, with 26% less black and white pages and 40% fewer colour pages printed mainly due to staff responding to communications to reduce unnecessary printing. As a result, the amount of paper ordered in 2019/20 halved compared to the previous year, to just over 5,000 reams (where a ream is 500 sheets of paper). Only 400 reams were ordered after March 2020 reflecting the campus lockdown.
In line with our Sustainable Procurement Policy, we continue to mandate a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) process to be completed for any purchases over £25000 to ensure environmental and social factors are considered as part of tender process. In 2020/21, we shall be investigating how to improve the LCA process and identify greater social and environmental value from this spend.
Re-use and redistribution 2019/20 was a year of large campus changes at BU, with the impending closure of Bournemouth House and Royal London House requiring the removal of all their furniture and equipment. The Estates team worked to ensure that as much of this was re-distributed by: • Hosting an open house furniture collection day in August 2019. Open to staff, charities and the local community, we redistributed over 150 items and raised around £230 for a local charity • Donating low quality furniture to Over 2 Hills to upcycle and give a second life • Using WarpIt to find new homes for unwanted furniture in the form of charities and organisations: 18.95 tonnes of furniture was donated, worth over £50,000
Bournemouth University Sustainability Annual Report 2019-2020
Waste In 2019/20 we produced 225 tonnes of waste, a 39% reduction from 2018/19 due to our campuses partially closing in March for the rest of the academic year. However, almost 13 tonnes of this reduction occurred pre-lock down, mainly due to Chartwells reducing food waste through, for example, finding innovative ways of using food scraps. Figure BU non-residential recycling rate Total Waste 500 450
Total Waste (Tonnes)
400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 2016-17
March-July
2017-18
2018-19
2019-20
August-March
In 2019/20, no waste was sent to landfill. However, our recycling rate fell slightly from the previous year, mainly due to the impacts of Covid-19 and an increased proportion post-lockdown of non-recyclable items. We had also planned to improve the recycling facilities on Talbot Campus to recycle more items but this project is on hold due to financial restrictions.
We will continue to focus efforts on reducing the amount of waste we produce and reuse/recycle what is produced. The CECAP includes an 85% recycling target by 2022/23 and 20kg/FTE for waste reduction by 2025/26. In 2018/19, we achieved 26.8 kg/FTE which is well below the sector average.
Annual recycling rates Target for 2020
80%
2017/18:
71%
2018/19:
76%
2019/20:
74%
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Bournemouth University Sustainability Annual Report 2019-2020
Food This has been an incredibly difficult year for both Chartwells and SUBU food outlets. However, prior to lockdown, we had made great progress in providing environmentally-friendly food offers and practice. Our Sustainable Food Policy was modified in November 2019 to include a commitment to promoting plant-based and low-carbon meals. Of the meals sold in Fusion Building (Chartwells main catered area) between August 2019 and March 2020, vegan and vegetarian dishes accounted for 57% of sales, with beef dishes accounting for only 11%. Across campus for the same period, including SUBU outlets, 43% of meals sold were vegetarian or vegan and only 7% included beef.
Meals sold across campus
Meals sold in Fusion Building
7%
11% 20% 25%
46%
12%
4% Vegan
18%
Vegetarian
Non-ruminant meat
35%
22% Fish
Vegan
Beef
Non-ruminant meat
Chartwells continue to shift to a plant-based offer and embed sustainable practices within their work (www.compass-group.co.uk/sustainability) and have taken the following steps to reduce their meat offer at BU: • Removal of all lamb dishes on menu • Removal of beef in any retail sandwich cassettes from café outlets or any in-house sandwich/baguette offer • Chilli and bolognaise recipes removed beef to become plant-based • Burger offer, previously fully beef, now rotates between beef and chicken • Meatballs in new Field meal offer halved beef content to become 50% beef, 50% bulgur wheat The team has also increased plant-based offers through their macro salad bar, vegan boxed salads and blitzer pots, as created by BSc Nutrition student Alice Evans and as reported in our 2018/19 annual report.
Vegetarian
Fish Beef
Bournemouth University Sustainability Annual Report 2019-2020
SUBU has also taken steps to become more environmentally-friendly, including: • Sourcing meat locally from a Dorset butcher • Reducing beef content in burgers by 12.5% per serving • Installing doors on the display refridgerators in the shop to reduce energy use • Installing the first loose serve snacks in shop to move towards zero waste packaging • Achieving a ‘light touch’ refurbishment of the shop reusing the counters and equipment and installing new UK manufactured shelving
We also introduced a 10p tax on water bottles to discourage the use of single-use plastic. To balance this, we’ve installed three new water points on Talbot Campus to ensure that staff, students and visitors can access free water. Between August and February, 24055 water bottles were sold on campus, and these changes aim to reduce this figure from now on.
Coffee cups and single-use plastics
We once again celebrated Fairtrade Fortnight at BU in February 2020. This years’ campaign featured a range of delicious discounts across our outlets and an excellent event hosted by Mandy Gardner from the Fairtrade Foundation entitled ‘Climate, Economic Injustice, and Fairtrade’. Throughout the year, Chartwells ran a series of campaigns promoting Fairtrade and ensure Fairtrade products are available and accessible at all outlets.
In 2020, we redesigned our BU reusable mugs. They are now made of sustainably-sourced bamboo with a new colourful design to encourage their purchase and use. In order to promote the use of reusables, we increased the tax on disposable mugs to 30p across SUBU and BU. Between August 2019 and February 2020, 31% of hot drink sales were in a reusable mug.
We have been collecting the funds from the reusable mug and water bottle taxes to re-invest into sustainability initiatives.
Fairtrade
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Bournemouth University Sustainability Annual Report 2019-2020
Travel and transport Public Transport The UNIBUS service was on target to provide a record number of passenger journeys to our campus sites in 2019/20, with an additional 100,000 trips provided between August 2019 and February 2020, compared to the same period in 2018/19. UNIBUS cumulative patronage by month: 2019/20 vs 2018/19 (August to March)
Total accumulative UNIBUS tCo2e: 2019/20 vs 2018/19 monthly
1000000
450
900000
400
800000
350
700000
300
600000 500000
t/Co2e
Number of passenger journeys provided
24
400000 300000
250 200 150
200000
100
100000
50
0
August September October November December January
2019/20
February
2018/19
The impact of Covid-19 meant that the UNIBUS service was suspended from the end of March 2020 for the remainder of the academic year. This resulted in a 14% reduction in passenger journeys for the year when compared to the previous year. Passenger satisfaction remained well above the 90% threshold standard for the period August 2019 to March 2020, when the evaluations were cancelled, reflecting the high quality service provided to passengers. For the period August 2019 to March 2020, the fuel used by the UNIBUS service increased by 4.5% as a result of increased bus services. The suspension of the UNIBUS service resulted in a 20% reduction in fuel use in 2019/20 compared to the previous year, producing a GHG saving of 86 tonnes CO2e.
0
Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Total 2019/20
Total 2018/19
Jul
Bournemouth University Sustainability Annual Report 2019-2020
Better by bike In February 2020, the staff Cycle To Work scheme limit, for the cost of bikes available, was raised to £3,000 to further promote the use of bikes and e-bikes as a sustainable travel mode. Between May and June 2020, £30,000 of bikes were ordered using the scheme; reflecting the increase in threshold, increased communications to promote cycling and national trends of high interest in cycling during lockdown. We always offer a comprehensive range of support for staff and students wanting to travel more sustainably and after March 2020, we focused on promoting and supporting cycling: • A series of articles were published on the benefits of cycling as well as a step-by-step guide for staff and students wanting to start cycling for the first time. • The content of the BU Cycling webpages was updated, including an updated active travel map, highlighing the safest and quietest cycle routes to get to campus. • In June 2020, staff took part in the Love To Ride Challenge for Bike Month. Our goal was to reach a total of 500 rides collectively, a total we surpassed by cycling 650 rides and a total of 7,350 miles! • A ‘Bring Your Bike’ campaign was launched to encourage new and returning students to bring their bikes with them to Bournemouth when returning in the autumn.
“
It was excellent and I learned a lot , especially how to navigate busy roads and junctions. I definitely feel more confident now cycling around and I am jumping on my bike a lot more. Amanda, BU staff member on taking part in our free cycle safety course • Beryl Bikes (local cycle hire company) offered 1,000 x 200-minute free ride bundles to BU students and staff. In the first three months of the promotion, over 900 students and staff have benefited from the scheme, resulting in 10,000 kms of cycling to support the BU population to travel actively, sustainably and safely aroudn the local area. • A number of national standard cycle safety training courses were organised in September 2020 aimed at students and staff who were either keen to start cycling, or hadn’t ridden in a while. Although the numbers of participants was less than hoped, those that did the course found it very beneficial. • A full programme of monthly Bike Doctor sessions was delivered to repair bikes and additional Dr Bike safety check sessions were provided during the student arrivals period in September 2020 to ensure student bikes were road safe. • New cycle pumps were purchased and installed in the secure compounds on campus.
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Bournemouth University Sustainability Annual Report 2019-2020
Staff travel survey In August 2020, staff were asked questions to establish pre-Covid travel patterns to benchmark the progress of the BU Travel Plan and to find out staff travel plans for the forthcoming term. 627 (36%) staff responded. Pre-Covid travel patterns The Pre-Covid travel data provides evidence of a significant increase in the proportion of staff choosing to travel to both Lansdowne and Talbot Campus sites by car alone, when compared to the 2018 staff travel survey data. There is evidence to suggest that the frequent wet weather conditions experienced in the autumn and winter of 2019/20 may have been a contributing factor, which resulted in a mode switch from active travel (walking and cycling) to driving alone. The predicted warmer, wetter winter weather and more extreme weather events due to climate change may pose a risk to active travel in the future.
Staff travel patterns for Semester 1 (September 2020 – February 2021) The survey results provide evidence of a significant decrease in planned staff travel to campus during 2020’s semester 1 when compared to Pre-Covid staff travel
patterns. Prior to lockdown, 96% of staff declared they travelled to work on campus 3 days per week or more. During the new semester, only 18% of staff planned to do so. Nearly a quarter of all staff don’t anticipate travelling to campus at all in Semester 1. Of those staff planning to travel to work on campus during Semester 1, 63% plan to drive by car alone as their preferred travel mode. This mode share proportion is greater than the Pre-Covid period due to some staff shifting their travel mode away from public transport use to the car. It is estimated this reported change in commuting patterns would reduce GHG emissions by 22 tCO2e each week during Semester 1, compared to pre-COVID emissions It would also help reduce air pollution and congestion in the area. The Wallisdown Road, which is the main connection route between Poole and Bournemouth and which connects the Talbot and Lansdowne campuses, is a known pollution hot spot due to congestion and poor air quality.
Bournemouth University Sustainability Annual Report 2019-2020
Business travel Unsurprisingly, business travel in 2019/20 declined steeply (by 77%) compared to 2018/19. Staff took 2,333 business journeys, of which only four occurred after 1 January 2020. However, it should be noted the amount of travel was lower than previous years before the travel bans were introduced. Before 28 February 2020, only 2,329 journeys were taken, compared to 4,001 in the same period the previous year.
BU will review its Business Travel Policy to ensure the gains made by using the proven technology to reduce the need to travel, with the cost and GHG emission savings, are embedded in the operation of the business.
Fleet travel In 2019/20 67% of the BU vehicle fleet comprised of Low Emission Vehicles (Electric or Hybrid). Total emissions (tCO2e) from BU fleet vehicles reduced by 2.5% in 2019/20 compared to the previous year.
Business Travel: Number of journeys and GHG emissions
9000
1800000
8000
1600000
7000
1400000
6000
1200000
5000
1000000
4000
800000
3000
KgCo2
Number of journeys
Business Travel: Number of journeys
4000 3000
600000
2000
400000
1000
200000
0
2017-18
March-July
2018-19
August-February
2019-20
Flights
Rail
0
7000 6000 5000
2000 1000
2017-18
March-July
2018-19
August-February
2019-20
Flights
Rail
Number of journeys by mode
As a result GHG emissions from business travel reduced by 73%. We expect these low levels of travel to continue in 2020/21 due to the continuing travel restrictions.
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Bournemouth University Sustainability Annual Report 2019-2020
Staff engagement Staff engagement has increased in our JUMP 'Green Rewards' programme, which rewards staff for taking positive steps for their own health and wellbeing and the environment. In 2019/20 we reframed our monthly themes around the UN SDGs, which received high praise and integrated social sustainability issues such as inequality and justice further into the platform. We also added new features such as quizzes and photo competitions. We set up the Green Rewards Advisory Group for Green Rewards ‘Champions’ to help design the monthly activities and support cross-department collaboration.
The highlghts for 2019/20 were:
54% of staff were signed up to Green Rewards Staff completed 73,365 (+3,458 on last year) positive actions such as walking and cycling to work, going meat-free and volunteering in the local community 77.2 tonnes CO2e emissions were avoided, mainly due to use of active (75,100 miles) and public transport (138,347 miles)
£1,000 was donated to local charities by winning teams
When the national lockdown took place and staff began working from home, we quickly adapted Green Rewards and our sustainability communication to support wellbeing. This included promoted activities to do at home such as eco-friendly crafting, work from home best practice and encouraging time in nature.
Bournemouth University Sustainability Annual Report 2019-2020
Student engagement Sustainability Challenge
Sustainability Team activities
Six teams took part in the first ever BU-SUBU Sustainability Challenge. The dragons den-style competition challenges students to come up with an innovative idea to make BU more environmentally sustainable, with the team coming up with the best idea winning £500.
The Sustainability Team once again delivered sessions as part of programmes and extra-curricular activities at BU. Sessions included: • Seminar for Responsible Project Management • Introduction to sustainability in engineering • Co-delivered the Global Mindset session as part of the Global Talent Programme • Our first session at BU Careers Week, to share that every career is a sustainability career • Stall for energy-saving tips at the SUBU Housing Fair • Sustainability stall during SUBU’s Green Day in October, which hosted a range of local sustainability groups and companies.
Unfortunately the national lockdown came into force one week before the Final so the ideas were not presented to the panel of judges this year. However, the Challenge will return in 2021.
SUBU Sustainability SUBU again achieved SOS-UK Green Impact ‘Excellent’ for their efforts to minimise their impact on the environment. SUBU’s commitment to the UN SDGs is reflected in the activities of its clubs and societies. To showcase this, at the 2019 Freshers Fayre we hosted an SDG bingo in which students sought out the societies which address each SDG. The Fayre also hosted a dedicated ‘Green Zone’ with BU and SUBU sustainability staff, local groups and environmental societies.
BU recruited a group of students to take part in the ViSION programme, aimed to help direct BU’s action and priorities over the coming years. In March 2020, the Sustainability Team led a workshop with the group on the climate and ecological crisis. The students discussed and shared the values they most associated with effective action and suggested steps for us to deliver this. The student engagement was very valuable in shaping our CECAP. As a result of these and other initiatives, over 1000 students have engaged with sustainability over the year.
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Bournemouth University Sustainability Annual Report 2019-2020
Students want sustainability The annual SOS-UK survey, held in November 2019, again showed BU students appetite for sustainability:
991 54%
students took part from all four years and four faculties. The highest number in the UK.
81%
of students strongly agreed/agreed that the topic of sustainable development should be incorporated and promoted within the course (up from 80%)
79%
of students agreed or strongly agreed that universities should be obliged to develop student’s social and environmental skills as part of their course (up from 78%)
67%
of students say when considering jobs it is important for them to work in a business/organisation that makes a difference to social and environmental issues (down from 74%)
of BU students strongly agreed/agreed the university’s approach to the environment is important when choosing where to study (up from 43%)
Bournemouth University Sustainability Annual Report 2019-2020
Impact on society The Sustainabilty Team continue to work in partnership with internal and external stakeholders to deliver positive outcomes for society: • Hosting two work experience students who spent the week with various members of the Sustainability and wider Estates teams to learn more about sustainability, our work at BU and careers in the field. The students contributed to our communication efforts during the week and gained in confidence and knowledge • In July 2020, members of BU Sustainability Team and BU Schools Liaison team delivered a workshop session to a group of young people, hosted by Brighter Futures for Children (BF4C). BF4C is a not-for-profit company, owned by, but independent of, Reading Borough Council responsible for all Children, Education and Early Help services in the area. The group were secondary school pupils who were passionate about environmental action and the session introduced them to careers in sustainability before a question and answer session to support their environmental action • The Team supported the creation of the Explore Your Options online toolkit for schools by introducing what it’s like to work in sustainability
• Contributed as a panel member to the Suez higher education webinar on 5th August 2020 to talk about the risks and opportunities for waste management at BU • In conversation with Edie (an on-line sustainability news forum) on 6th May 2020 about behaviour change during lockdown (www.edie.net/news/7/-SustyTalk-Bournemouth-University-s-Neil-Smith-on-sustainablebehaviour-change-during-lockdown) • The team delivered a presentation on carbon reduction at a BCP Senior Management Climate Change and Emergency event in Nov 2019 • The team collaborated with colleagues from AUDE and the EAUC to share best practice and talk about planning and delivering a sustainable campus at Wonkfest 2019.
Sustainability Team training and development • Talk for Health peer counselling qualification Sustainability is ever-changing and our – to improve support, particularly when team aims to keep up to date and engaged addressing eco-anxiety with the movement beyond the BU • Attended NUS Sustainability Conference campuses. To do so, members of our team • Attended the annual EAUC conference. in 2019/20 took part in: Leadership and governance • Climate Reality Leadership Corps Global Training – provided further knowledge and expertise of the climate and ecological crisis • Sustainable Futures course, offered by the University of Bristol – helps understanding of different ways of ESD and engagement • LiveWell Dorset’s 5 Ways to Wellbeing training – which supported delivery of Green Rewards
The Sustainability Committee is responsible for overseeing the delivery of the sustainability actions identified in BU2025. The committee is chaired by Stuart Laird, Director of Estates, and reports to the University Leadship Team and the Board. The membership represents academics, students and professional services.
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Bournemouth University Sustainability Annual Report 2019-2020
Looking forward 1
Launch of the CECAP in spring 2021 and continue to rapidly cut greenhouse gas emissions and engage staff and students in protecting the natural world.
2
For 2020/21, the need to increase ventilation and heating in our buildings in line with COVID-19 requirements is likely to result in higher utility, cost and GHG emissions.
3
Continued engagement with academics through the SAN and ESD CoP to support embedding the UN SDGs and the climate and ecological crisis into courses, research and profesional practice.
4
Embracing the risks and opportunities afforded by significant changes to the estate, principally the opening of Bournemouth Gateway Building; completion of Christchurch House labs Phase 2 and Studland House Phase 2 and the exit from Royal London , Bournemouth and Melbury Houses.
5
Continued implementation of the Travel Plan, focusing on reduced capacity of the UNIBUS service, promotion of active travel and encouraging continued use of technology to support working from home and virtual meetings.
6
Continuing staff and student engagement to help them make a difference in their personal and professional lives
10602-01/20
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