Greenlines Issue number 35, July 2013
The sustainability newsletter for the University
How to stay cool during the heatwave This hot summer has had us at the Environment and Energy Section scratching our heads – as well as fanning our faces. Our mantra goes: “dress appropriately for the weather”. An easy job in the winter - just pile on the layers. The heat, though, presents a different problem. There are only so many layers we can shed. The University is reviewing its official policy on thermal comfort. It is recognised that as this is such a subjective matter it is impossible to keep everybody at their ideal temperature all the time. However, the
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Inside this issue: How to stay cool Meet the new team Lord Sainsbury recognises energy savings Environment and Energy Coordinator Network Recycling rates Sustainable Retrofit Challenge winner
main aim of the new policy will be to clarify the temperatures ranges between which the working environment for staff and students is considered to be reasonable. If conditions go outside of these parameters for a certain amount of time then Estate Management would need to take some action. The University has a policy against comfort cooling – we believe it is better to use a fan for a few days in the summer than to use air conditioning all year. So, for your relief, we have listed below some helpful pointers to keep cool in future: • Get out of doors to catch every random breeze. Most modern Wi-Fi has a large range that may reach into the car park and beyond. Hold your meetings under a shady tree rather than a stuffy board room. • Ignore the old wives’ tale that drinking a hot drink cools you down. Tea and coffee may give you a boost of caffeine but they are dehydrating, which you need to avoid in the heat. Keep the fridge well stocked with cold water and fresh fruit to keep your hydration levels up. • See if your manager will let you dress down in shorts and t-shirts!
Summer at Centre for Mathematical Sciences. Photo credit : Sir Cam
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• Heat comes from the sun. It sounds obvious, but people still have the blinds and shades wide open to let the air in.
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Keep them shut wherever you can to keep the heat out. • Computers, printers, scanners and servers all generate heat so try to use them as little as possible. It’s easier said than done but be clever about how you use them. For instance, do the big print runs in the cooler part of the day. • Think about in which direction your fan faces. Most people will have them facing towards them to get a breeze but perhaps it is better to have them facing the window – pulling in the cooler air and blowing out the warmer air. • The efficiency for the average light bulb is about 10%. The other 90% of energy it uses is pumped out as heat. Not a problem in the winter, but in hot weather it is even more of a reason to switch them off as much as possilbe. • Change at the office. Commuting in office clothes on hot and crowded public transportation can create heat stress before the working day even starts. Consider travelling to work in your lightest summer kit and changing to more suitable business clothes once you arrive. • Cooling your wrists, ankles and neck with ice can cool your whole body. One ice cube applied to the wrist for about a minute can cool you down by a few degrees for as much as an hour.
Tops taken from Accounting Visions http://www.accountingvisions.co.uk/
www.admin.cam.ac.uk/environment : environment@admin.cam.ac.uk : @CambridgeSust
Greenlines Issue number 35, July 2013
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Meet the new Environment and Energy Section In Spring 2013 a new section was created within Estate Management. This team has been created to support the University’s commitment to reduce emissions across its Estate and
encourage sustainable behaviour across academic, teaching and administrative functions. Now with a fully staffed section, this team hopes to really make a difference across the institution.
So let’s meet the team and find out a little more about who will be working.
Joanna Simpson - Head of Environment and Energy
I have a BSc in Geography from the University of Nottingham and a MSc in Integrated Environmental Studies from the University of Southampton. I am a Chartered Environmentalist and a Full Member of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment.
across the institution.
How long have you been in this position? 3 months. Before this, I was the University’s Environmental Officer for 10 months.
What were you doing before joining the Environment and Energy Section? I was Senior Policy Adviser for Sustainable Development at HEFCE, leading the development and implementation of HEFCE`s sustainable development strategy and action plan, working on projects to promote good practice and advising government and higher education organisations.
What does this position entail? Leading the new Environment and Energy Section within Estate Management. I provide strategic direction to the University and am responsible for developing and implementing long-term plans to reduce the University’s carbon emissions and improve its environmental sustainability. What is your educational background?
What are you most looking forward to getting your teeth into in the coming academic year? Having a fully staffed section that can really make a difference
Interested in getting involved? See page 5
What gets you out of bed (and into work) in the morning? Knowing that there is a lot to do. What is your environment and energy pet hate? Wasted resources, particularly energy and food. What did you want to be when you were growing up? An air-hostess or physiotherapist. Do you have any hobbies? I enjoy walking and cycling and I play korfball. Korfball is a mixed team sport with Dutch origins. There are four females and four males in a team and the aim to throw a ball through a basket that is 3.5m high.
Paula Ellis - Administrator How long have you been in this position? One month.
I used to work in the Security Section of University.
What does this position entail? Administrative duties for the Environment & Energy Section and Personal Assistant to Joanna Simpson.
What gets you out of bed (and into work) in the morning? My English Bull Terrier - Poppy.
What is your background and how did you get here? I studied normal ‘O’Levels and then went to Secretarial College, after that I have been doing part-time Secretarial/Admin roles most of my life. What were you doing before joining the Environment and Energy Section?
What is your environment and energy pet hate? Litter. What did you want to be when you were growing up? Shorter (I was very tall for my age and all the boys were smaller). What do you think is the biggest environmental challenge?
Over population leading to lack of world resources. Tell us one little known fact about yourself. I have stroked a killer whale - and they feel like rubber. Who is your inspirational figure (real or fictional)? Cinderella – she cooks and cleans all her life, gets dressed and ready to go out in a few seconds and bags herself a Prince!!
www.admin.cam.ac.uk/environment : environment@admin.cam.ac.uk : @CambridgeSust
Greenlines Issue number 35, July 2013
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Paul Hasley – Energy Manager How long have you been in this position? 9 years. What does this position entail? 3 things. Conservation, Compliance and Contracts. I help the University use energy more efficiently in its operational buildings, comply with all the relevant rules and regulations and make sure it doesn’t pay more than it has to for its gas, oil, electricity and water.
higher degree in Energy Conservation and Management. Some voluntary work to get started on an 8 year career in energy management for various public and private sector organisations which led to my job here at the University. What gets you out of bed (and into work) in the morning? My wife - I need to make her a cuppa otherwise she won’t give me a lift!
What is your educational background and how did you get here? A physics degree from Manchester and then a
What is your environment and energy pet hate? Over production of paper documents. I try to print stuff half size
Catrin Darsley – Environmental Coordinator
What is your background and how did you get here? I’ve always been interested in the wider environment, but came to sustainability through a communications and administrative route. I’m due to finish my MSc in Environmental Management later this year.
How long have you been in this position? 3 years What does this position entail? I support the Environmental Officer in working to reduce Cambridge’s environmental impact. I oversee the University’s Environmental Management System (EMS), which acts as an umbrella structure for procedures, training, and monitoring.
What are you most looking forward to getting your teeth into in the coming academic year? Achieving the Gold award for the University’s EMS, and getting our new website live. What is your environment and energy pet hate? People thinking it’s all about
and double sided and only if it is really needed but this still creates a small mountain. What animal would best suit your personality? I was born in the Chinese year of the Rooster so I must be loyal, honest and trustworthy. I will take that. Who is your inspirational figure (real or fictional)? The hummingbird from the story of the hummingbird and the forest fire.
bins and drains and hand driers, (although, sometimes, it can be!) What did you want to be when you were growing up? I still want to be an astronaut when I grow up… What do you think is the biggest environmental challenge? Originality. Who is your inspirational figure (real or fictional)? Kath Grainger, Olympic Gold medalist, Rowing.
Sally Pidgeon - Carbon Reduction Manager How long have you been in this position? My first day at the University will be 6 August. What does this position entail? Working with others from across the University to develop and implement projects and initiatives that will reduce carbon emissions from the University’s estate. What is your educational background and how did you get here? I have a degree and PhD in Environmental Science from the University of East
Anglia. I have got to where I am today by sticking to what I believe in and working hard to achieve results. Plus a bit of good luck and help from my friends along the way! What were you doing before joining the Environment and Energy Section? Working as Climate Change Officer at Cambridge City Council. What did you want to be when you were growing up? A ballerina.
What gets you out of bed (and into work) in the morning? My two very noisy young children and a good cup of tea. What animal would best suit your personality? I guess I would say a dog. I am very loyal but once I’ve got my teeth stuck into a particular ‘bone’, I can be very determined! Hobbies? My husband and I are going to ballroom and Latin dance classes, so look out for me on Strictly.
www.admin.cam.ac.uk/environment : environment@admin.cam.ac.uk : @CambridgeSust
Greenlines Issue number 35, July 2013
Claire Hopkins Living Laboratory for Sustainability Coordinator How long have you been in this position? 10 months. What does this position entail? I manage the Living Laboratory for Sustainability. This entails supporting and facilitating student and academic research into sustainability on the Estate.
What is your background and how did you get here? While doing my degree in communications at the University of Massachusetts Amherst I simultaneously worked for the University’s Sustainability Initiative. I managed students completing sustainability internships as well as worked on my own projects which included setting up a bike share programme for the University. Once I graduated, I completed a fellowship at Yale in their Sustainability Office. What gets you out of bed (and into work) in the morning? My alarm….and I have
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a nice cycle ride to work and it is a great way to start the day. Tell us one little known fact about yourself. I took opera and classical music lessons for 5 years as a teenager. I was real popular….. Hobbies? In my spare time I CrossFit. Crossfit is a cross between olympic weightlifting and gymnastics.
Xiang Cheng - Building Energy Manager How long have you been in this position? I am new here as I started on 8th July. What does this position entail? To identify potential energy saving projects at a number of University buildings to improve the building’s energy performance. How did you get here? I hold a Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering, was recently awarded Certified Energy Manager designation by the Association of Energy Engineers. I am also a member of the Institution of Engineers of Ireland. I suppose moving on to a new phase in my
Leila McElvenney Sustainable Behaviour Assistant How long have you been in this position? One week less than Claire. What does this position entail? I work on encouraging positive environmental behaviour at the University, looking at the small actions that can add up to make a big difference. I am responsible for Green Impact. What is your background and how
career and the unique experience this job can offer essentially motivated me to relocate and take up this job. What were you doing before joining the Environment and Energy Section? Prior to taking up this role, I worked with Cork City Council in Ireland for eight years as an Energy Engineer. I was responsible for energy management of the Council’s various operations, including public buildings, housing and maintenance, water services, public lightings etc. I also managed some large capital energy efficiency retrofit projects.
What gets you out of bed (and into work) in the morning? Thinking of the work (or the potential work) on my desk, and the excitement and achievement of getting the actual results. What did you want to be when you were growing up? A medical doctor. Tell us one little known fact about yourself. I pursue perfection but never succeeded.
did you get here? I was always really interested in science, nature & systems. I combined these three topics in a BSc in Environmental Science. I then went on to study a MSc in Sustainability Science at in Sweden. After so much time studying I was keen to put it into practice, so I was very pleased when I got that opportunity at Cambridge.
hate? That people would prefer to pick the one example where something has failed, or cling on to one contradicting article out of hundreds to give them an excuse for doing nothing.
What are you most looking forward to getting your teeth into in the coming academic year? Getting more students involved with Green Impact.
What did you want to be when you were growing up? A farmer.
What is your environment and energy pet
What animal would best suit your personality? I like to think I would be a fox, adaptable in both the town and country.
www.admin.cam.ac.uk/environment : environment@admin.cam.ac.uk : @CambridgeSust
Greenlines Issue number 35, July 2013
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Lord Sainsbury recognises energy savings On 20 June, The Chancellor, Lord Sainsbury of Turville visited the Gurdon Institute to promote and celebrate the impact of sustainability throughout the institue and to learn about the research undertaken. During his visit he heard about the Institute’s successes in the recent Green Impact awards and spoke to internal Energy Champions to commend them on their effort to lead the way in reducing the University’s £14.5 million energy bill. Gurdon Institute is one of 5 Energy and Carbon Reduction Project (ECRP) pilot departments. They rose to the challenge of reducing their energy and carbon reductions by holding a 3-day exhibition
Lord Sainsbury, Chancellor visiting Gurdon and speaking to Green Impact team. Photo credit: Richard Etteridge
to promote energy awareness, and launched an inter-lab energy reduction competition. The Brand Lab reduced its energy use by 52.8% winning a cash prize and setting the challenge for the other labs. The
Institute saw a reduction in energy use of 19% in their working space. The team behind the success have been keen to share their successes and have recieved nationwide recognition for their work.
Are you interested in becoming an Environment and Energy Coordinator for your workplace? With the new team in place at the Environment and Energy Section there are a lot more resources and power to enact positive environmental change at the University. But with such a large task at hand, we cannot do it alone. We are now calling out for more hands on deck in the form of a new network of staff
Previous Environmental Coordinator training.
champions to coordinate environmental programmes within departments. This network of Environment and Energy Coordinators will act as our eyes and ears in departments, providing a local focus for environment and energy thinking and activity. Their role may find them directing environmental initiatives in departments such as Green Impact, answering environmental queries, or simply encouraging their colleagues to make small changes to everyday work practices that will collectively make a difference across the University. Volunteers will be supported by the Environment and Energy Section and will also join an active network who share ideas, practices and information from across the University.
Prof Jeremy Sanders, Pro VC for Institutional Affairs has sent a letter to all Heads of Department informing them of the network launch and requesting their active support. In addition, he has asked them to liaise with, or nominate, one or more members of staff to fill this position. Interested in becoming an Environment and Energy Coordiantor for your workplace? Please contact environment@admin.cam.ac.uk to discuss it further. We are looking for someone with an interest in environment and energy issues and the drive to help implement change. Specialist knowledge of is not essential but individuals should be willing and interested to undertake the role.
www.admin.cam.ac.uk/environment : environment@admin.cam.ac.uk : @CambridgeSust
Greenlines Issue number 35, July 2013
Recycling rates up: another year This summer’s dry weather has produced smiles all around the Environment and Energy Section – but the results of our mixed dry recycling scheme have left us grinning. The University’s recycling rate has continued to improve over the last 12 months, rising from a cool 41% between April 2011 and March 2012 to a balmy 43% for the subsequent year. Our mixed recycling system, managed by Cambridge City Council, has had a great impact on the amount that the University is recycling, and the steady increase in the proportion of our waste being recycled is a promising sign of increasing environmental awareness across the University. The top-performing individual Department for the second year running was the Fitzwilliam Museum: last year they recycled 73% of its waste, now up to an impressive 75%. Alison Kingsbury the Environment Coordinator at the Fitzwilliam Museum said : “We decided that if we were going embrace the concept of recycling, we
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were going to do it properly and uniformly throughout the museum. We had a number of internal discussions and also benefitted from the support of the Environmental and the Facilities Management teams at Estates Management, who helped us understand the resources available to us. We look on recycling as a crusade which must be won!”
Top performing department: Fitzwilliam Museum. Photo credit: Sir Cam
The introduction of the mixed recycling system proved to be a great venture for the University. Following the switch, our recycling rates increased by around 58%, moving from a trashy 24% to 41% in a single year, and we’ve seen the rise continue into this year. Waste management is a priority environmental issue at the University, with the Council removing over 2.3 thousand tonnes of waste from the University last year – and we recycled over 1 thousand tonnes of it! Our increased recycling rate across the University hints at some of the positive work that’s been happening to encourage more efficient waste management. It’s great to see even small positive changes, from both departments and sites: well done to the Centre for Mathematical
Sciences, who climbed from 45% to 53%, and to the Old Addenbrooke’s site, up from 33% to 37%. Stories like these show encouraging signs that sustainability is climbing up the agenda in departments and across the University. Meanwhile, there are some slight drops since last year. For example, the Downing Site has gone down 1%, and the New Museums down 2%. If you’re on one of these sites, what can you do to help shift the balance? All-in-all, the signs are positive for the future growth of the proportion of waste we recycle. How can your Department improve its use of the University’s waste programme? Email environment@admin.cam.ac.uk for a link to the Waste Handbook and for posters!
Sustainable Retrofit Challenge 2013 winners Last term, student teams from across the country competed to propose retrofit solutions to Cambridge’s Chemistry building as part of the Sustainable Retrofit Challenge. The winning team from the University of Bath received a £1000 cash prize for their innovative solutions for the building. Team SEDT proposed an integrated façade renovation strategy that would significantly improve energy efficiency whilst adding
value to the street character of Lensfield Road.
Finally they rounded out their proposal with the use of photovoltaics on the roof.
Included in their proposal was a strategy that replaces the existing inefficientT8 fluorescent lighting system with sensor controlled LED lamps. In addition they proposed an occupant energy literacy scheme with recurring competitions, led by rotating Energy Champions to engage student and staff and drive occupant engagement.
All proposals from teams that competed are being considered for possible implementation as part of the ECRP. The Sustainable Retrofit Challenge was a collaborative event between GreenBRIDGE and the Living Laboratory for Sustainability. It was a successful two day event that used friendly competition to produce practical results.
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