Submitted by Catrin Darsley on Tue, 2014-07-08 00:00
The Green Gown Awards are an annual celebration of sustainability success across the UK tertiary education sector. The University of Cambridge has been shortlisted in two categories, joining 60 other HEIs across the UK in vying for this prestigious recognition of best practice.
Research and Development Finalist - A platform for research and action: The Living Laboratory for Sustainability
The Living Lab’s goal is to improve the sustainability of the University by using the estate to test and research real world environmental problems while improving our students' educational experience.
Through the Living Lab, students and staff use our estate as a practical resource or test bed to research real-world sustainability issues. It not only provides an opportunity for students and staff to research ways to reduce environmental impacts, but an opportunity for staff and students to better engage with their university.
Technical Innovation for Sustainability Finalist - 'Of Engineers and Occupants': Energy efficiency through innovative ventilation control
The Hutchison/MRC Research Centre undertook a multi-faceted approach involving building occupants and engineering expertise to reduce its environmental impact, enhance its energy saving culture and crucially reduce costs and wastage, to protect the 'science budget'.
Driven by corporate, social and financial needs, with support from the Medical Research Council (MRC) and University of Cambridge partners, the installation of an innovative demand ventilation control system has enabled these goals to be achieved. Improved environmental performance has resulted in highly significant saving of utilities costs with a project payback of <2 years.
The Green Gown Awards Ceremony will take place on Monday 3 November 2014 at the stunning Whitworth Hall, The University of Manchester.