Sustainability is key to success

The University of Greenwich knows sustainability is key to its success and that of its community and the wider planet. Over the last ten years we have made significant progress in our work in the area and have been recognised for our sustainability leadership through several awards.

In the last year alone we have successfully installed a large Air Source Heat Pump at our Avery Hill campus leading to a 55% reduction on gas consumption and carbon emissions on one of our major sites.

This work and other energy efficiency programmes is helping on our journey to meet the university’s Net Zero target by 2033

– given our size and the particulars of our estate, this is no easy task.

Currently our estate and fleet’s carbon emissions have reduced by 33% since 2018/19 whilst our student and staff numbers have increased significantly.

Our ambition is “sustainability excellence in everything we do” and this is being carried across our areas of work. In November 2024 the university launched its Sustainability Strategic Sustainability Action Plan which set out our ambitions to deliver sustainability across our TEF gold rated teaching, research and operations.

For example, we have developed resource reuse schemes meaning that furniture and other items are reused internally and where we can’t rehome them, they are donated to local hospitals, care homes, schools and charities.

We have given away over £110,000 worth of items since 2019 and in 2024, our students donated over £20K worth of clothing to local British Heart Foundation shops. These initiatives have saved significant amounts of carbon, saved money and waste in procurement and cut down on disposal charges.

Our work creating nature rich habitats have meant we now have endangered species thriving on our campuses including dormice, hedgehogs and birds of prey.

Sustainability is also about how we develop partnerships, sharing our ideas and deliver positive social and environmental outcomes.

We work closely with Charlton Athletic Football Club, its Charitable Trust as well as other organisations to deliver positive outcomes for our students and community.

Partnerships with large companies such RSK and IBM have led to national and local awards, including an innovative professional development programme for staff, and recognition locally for our net zero and circular economy achievements.

Net Zero and sustainability at the University of Greenwich comes with unique challenges. We have multiple campuses, listed building and shared spaces and well as large student and staff numbers. However, we are proud of the progress we have made and determined as ever to reach that net zero number.