Find out about The Catalyst, Nursery and Forest School, and more...
We asked Staffordshire University for information about how sustainability is embedded in their latest building projects including The Catalyst and future Nursery and Forest School because sustainability matters to our students.
Find information on each of the projects below and if you have any questions about anything sustainability-related for the University or Union, submit your question/comment here »
The Catalyst
There are three areas this project approaches sustainability:
- The supply chain: All of the suppliers and contractors were chosen in reference to their Sustainability policy.
- The impact on the environment: From construction, to how the building will operate and how its waste will be managed, there have been several assessments into how the building's impact on the environment can be minimalised.
- The people: Part of sustainable development is making sure the people contributing benefit and the University has taken some steps to ensure students, alumni and local people's lives are "enriched"
The project group also holds regular litter picks which students, staff and local people can get involved in. To take part, email comms@staffs.ac.uk.
The Nursery and Forest School
This will be the first net-zero building on campus.
What this means is that "the total amount of energy used by the building on an annual basis is roughly equal to the amount of renewable energy created on the site" (source: Solar Ponics)
The project is also taking advantage of reused furniture donated by the University.
Elected Officer Tuesday reflected on this project earlier in the academic year:
"I think it’s an excellent commitment to sustainability and the community from the university. I also believe the way this nursery is going to work, is going to allow children to become more aware of the environment and nature, which will shape future generations into caring about climate change and their futures.
The university has recognised that a lot of students are parents and need child care places, and with the new Forest School, they have doubled the number of places for children, highlighting the importance of education not just for our students, but their young children too, which ties in nicely with the quote “Education is not a privilege, but a basic right of every child”
The River Trent restoration
For anyone who's taken a walk around the nature reserve or down past the playing fields, you will have seen a big change in how the river looks.
The area has been transformed to both reduce the likelihood of flooding and improve the space for wildlife biodiversity.
You can find out more about the European Regional Development Funded project here »
WildStaffs Project
As part of the University's Sustainability Challenge, Vice President Carter and your Students' Union submitted a project proposal to create space for wildlife on campus. Now we've teamed up with other nature-based projects to make the Stoke campus a haven for bugs, bees, and trees.
You can find out more about our collaboration work and the volunteers involved on our Sustainable Union page.
Sustainable Development Goal 12: We want our students to know more about responsible consumption and production at Staffordshire University.