Newly appointed University Environmental Manager, Lynne Richards.
We are a new team and are looking forward to working together and helping the University's green agenda move forward
Lynne Richards.
The University of Derby has consolidated its position in the top 25 places of a national Green League table for environmental performance in the sector.
And its new Environmental Manager says that the University is in a position to build on this result in the next year as a series of current projects reach fruition.
The University was awarded a 2:1 award and positioned joint 21st in the Times Higher Education magazine's People and Planet League.
It is the third year in a row it has registered a top 25 position out of more than 130 institutions nationally, finishing 22nd in 2007 and 14th last year.
Lynn Richards has just joined the University from AMEY, where she had been its regional environmental manager, based in Chesterfield, and joins Energy Officer Anne Downes, and Paul Ruane, Head of Estates Development, in the Estates management department to manage the environmental strategy at Derby.
And she set out some of the current projects with environmental benefits which are set to reap rewards for the University in the next 12 months:
- The University has just had its Carbon Management Plan to reduce its carbon footprint by 2013 approved by the Carbon Trust
- The current £13.5m refenestration project and the installation of new windows on the three main towers at Kedleston Road will help save energy and heating costs from as early as this winter
- Further development of the University's Transport and Travel strategy, overseen by James Brown, Transport and Travel Manager, to promote sustainable travel
- Plans to introduce mini wind turbines and solar photo voltaic panels to the roofs of some of the University's campuses to help generate electricity.
Lynn said: "We are in a good position in the Green League table and it is a great time to be joining the University. We are a new team and are looking forward to working together and helping the University's green agenda move forward.
"The projects currently in progress are all set to make a difference which we hope can be reflected in next year's Green League table."
In the Green League table, each university was ranked on 12 environmental and related categories including green policies, how staff followed them through, Fairtrade status, ethical investment, waste recycling, carbon emissions and water consumption. Derby scored 43 points out of a possible 60.
Lynn's former role in industry championed best practice and innovation, aspects of the role she hopes to introduce at Derby.
The University is also looking to build on the bronze and silver EcoCampus awards it has already achieved and go for gold next year. This will guide us through the successful implementation of an environmental management system helping us to drive environmental excellence.
And Lynn is also looking forward to working alongside staff and students, including some of our 50 environmental champions, on various environmental projects. If you have any ideas contact Lynn via email on l.richards@derby.ac.uk