Campus looks to set a green example

Staff at Nottingham Trent University’s Brackenhurst campus have launched eco-friendly schemes in a bid to reduce its carbon footprint.

The university is ranked as the most eco-friendly in the country but environment manager Mr Grant Anderson said they were still trying to do more to boost its rating.

At the Brackenhurst campus, recent initiatives include installing a bike shed with bikes that can be borrowed by students and staff.

What is believed to be the largest number of roof-mounted solar panels on a building in Nottinghamshire will be installed on the university’s equestrian centre in the next few weeks.

The university is also growing miscanthus, or elephant grass, which can be turned into a bio-fuel and used to power a generator that will provide power for the site.

It is also looking into installing an anaerobic digester, which will convert food waste from the university and businesses into energy.

Mr Anderson said the plans complemented subjects taught on the campus.

He said: “It ties in so well with the environment courses we teach and we will be able to use the schemes for teaching and research.

“We want to become a centre to test these ways of generating energy.”

Mr Anderson said plans to install two wind turbines were part of the university’s aim to reduce its carbon footprint and research renewable energy.

Mrs Julia Davies, academic team leader for the school of animal, rural and environment studies, said they hoped the campus would be able to demonstrate as many methods of generating green energy as possible.

She said: “It links with what we want to teach and research and it will benefit the education of students.”

Mrs Davies thought Southwell residents would appreciate the university’s efforts to become more environmentally friendly.

She said: “There is an awful lot of interest in Southwell in renewable energy and reducing energy consumption.

“We have got quite a clued up population and the town is already looking into these issues through its transition group.”

Mr Anderson said the university was not only looking into generating renewable energy but was also looking at reducing its carbon footprint in other ways as part of its Carbon Elephant project.

He said: “Last year we spent £1/2m on new software for computers that shuts them down if they are not used for 15 minutes. That will save us about £100,000 each year.

“We have also installed energy-saving lightbulbs and are looking more at the way we use the hundred buildings we have to see if they can made more energy efficient, or if some could be used less.”