Environmental Review of Telford Court

By Matthew Wheeler

Introduction.

Importance of Environmental Review.

• Green Image, reputation

• Save money on electricity and water bills

• Allows environmental policy to be reviewed and Influence how environmental performance is measured

• A University may have similar usage of resources as a Medium sized city, University’s job is to educate people

Importance of Environmental Review Continued.

• University of Hertfordshire teaches 24,000 students and employs 2,500 members of staff

• Large impacts on local environment

• Schemes to minimise impact include a zero waste programme.

University of Hertfordshire Environmental Policy

• Structured to follow legislation

• Implemented and monitored by regulators

• Drawn up using scientific evidence

• Aims to protect the local environment through a number of different methods.

• Environmental management system in place

• Environmental team aim to teach staff and students

University draft waste and resource

management strategy 1. (K. O’Brien, pers. Comm.)

• 6 year vision from 2008/9 to 2013/14, 90% waste recycled, 50% reduction in waste.

• Manage resources more sustainably, promote recycling, reuse and waste prevention, reduce costs, comply with legislation

• Waste managed by department of estates working closely with the university environment team

University draft waste and resource management strategy 2.

• Principles of waste management strategy based on waste hierarchy, prevention more effective than treatment (Figure 1)

• Waste diverted from landfills to recycling

• 3 phases, short term, medium term and long term (Figure 2)

Figure 1. Waste Hierarchy

Figure 2. 3 phases of management strategy

Phases of Management Strategy

• Short term - Maximising recycling, new waste management system

• Medium term - Waste prevention and minimisation techniques

• Long term - 100% waste diverted from landfills, reuse of materials and waste prevention

Figure 3. Waste management targets

Figure 4. Waste management performance in recent years

Monthly variations in waste

• Figure 5 - increases in waste production start of new term, during summer term, peak between June and July

• Figure 6. Recycling 30% past 3 years, peak between June and August

Figure 5. Amount of waste produced in tonnes per month for 2005/6, 2006/7, 2007/8

Figure 6. Graph comparing levels of recycling per month for 2005/6, 2006/7, 2007/8

University draft waste and resources

management strategy 3. • 2 year contract with waste management company,

may extend to 4 years

• Waste sent to company, 35% recycled

• Three bin system in halls of residence, one for mixed recycables, one for glass, one for general waste

• Food collection initiative to be launched, textile recycling facilities in place

• Records kept of movement of waste on site

University draft waste and resource

management strategy 4. • Waste transfer note accompanies non-hazardous

waste, consignment note accompanies hazardous waste

• Investment in on site recycling facilities

• Two groups established to monitor waste management. Waste steering group meets monthly, waste working group bi-monthly

• Campaigns promoting material re-use and waste prevention to be undertaken.

Telford Court waste in figures

• August 2008 - 1.149 tonnes waste produced, 0.285 tonnes recycled, 25% compared with University’s 52%

• September 2008 - 2.9195 tonnes waste produced, 0.4575 tonnes recycled, 16% compared with University’s 71%

• October 2008 - 4.5525 tonnes waste produced, 0.6675 tonnes recycled, 15% compared with university’s 68%

Study Area - Telford Court

• Telford Court Student Accommodation, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane Campus

• Older of the two main University Campuses

• Built in 1994, contains 82 6 bedroom flats and 2 3 bedroom flats.

• 498 students living in Telford Court each academic year

• Situated close to Student Union and Lecture halls

Map of Telford Court.

Bateman. pers. Comm..

Aims.

• Carry out Environmental Review of Telford Court

• Assess University’s Environmental Policy

• Consider issues such as waste management, water and electricity uses, noise pollution, chemical use etc.

Objectives• Review Policies, Laws and Guidance

• Information/Data Collected through observation, monitoring and speaking to people in charge of Telford Court

Rationale

• Previous studies have looked at lecture halls, students attitudes towards recycling (Kelly et al, 2006) and emissions from student travel (Rory et al, 2008).

• Little work on student accommodation

• Compare policy aims with reality

Methodology

• Develop Environmental checklist to help with observations

• Gather information from the University Environment team regarding practices at Telford Court

• Carry out an Environmental review site visit

• Meet with the energy manager for Telford court

Methodology Continued

• Shriberg (2000) suggests a 5 step approach, used with his study at the University of Michigan

• Step 1. Survey the environmental impact

• Step 2. Analyse current environmental initiatives

• Step 3. Propose a long-term sustainability vision

• Step 4. Recommend actions to move towards the vision

• Step 5. Suggest indicators of success or failure

Environmental Checklist Questions.

• Recycling - Types of waste recycled, techniques, amount etc.

• Water usage in and outside of flats - Type, amount etc

• Transport - Cars, bicycles, motorbikes etc

• Chemical waste in and outside of flats - Types, amount, treatment etc

• Litter - Amount, Ttypes etc

• Waste management - Techniques, type of waste, amount etc

Environmental Checklist Continued

• Noise pollution - Amount, sources etc

• Electricity usage - Amount etc.

Meeting with University Energy Manager

• Find out who is responsible for each of the management issues at Telford Court

• Find out about how energy use etc is monitored

Wider Implications

• Possible implications for other areas of the University, other Universities, organizations which have a large number of people living in close proximity

• Cause organizations to review their Environmental policies

• Change practices

• Environmental Reviews are generally found to increase an organization’s environmental awareness and to encourage them to be more environmentally friendly (Sinclair-Desgagn & Gabel, 1996).

References.• Bateman, R. pers. comm. 19th January 2009.

• Bonnet, J., Devel, C., Faucher, F., Routurier, J. (2001) Analysis of electricity and water end-uses in a University Campus: Case-study of the University of Bordeaux in the framework of the Eco-campus European Collaboration. Journal of Cleaner Production. 10 pp. 13-24

• Cagno, E., Di Giulio, A., Trucco, P. (1999). A Methodological framework for the initial environmental review in EMS implementation. Journal of Environmental Assessment, Policy, and Management. 1 (4) pp. 502-532

• Eco-schools. (2007). Formal Review. [Online] Available at: http://www.eco-schools.org.uk/getting-started/environmental-review.aspx. [Accessed 27th October 2008].

• Envirowise. (2004). Environmental Audits. [Online] Available at: http://www.envirowise.gov.uk/page.aspx?o=119479. [Accessed 27th October 2008].

• Kelly, T. C., Mason, I. G., Leiss, M. W., Ganesh, S. (2006). University community responses to on-campus resource recycling. Resources conservation and recycling. 38 (4) pp.257 - 269

• Mason, I. G., Brooking, A. K., Oberender, A., Harford, J.M., Horsley, P.G. (2003) Implementation of a zero waste program at a university campus. Resources Conservation and Planning. 38 (4) pp. 257-269

• O’Brien, K. pers. comm. 23rd December 2008.

References Continued• Panaramio. (2007).Telford Court in College Lane Campus University of Hertfordshire.

[Online] Available at: http://www.panaramio.com/photo/1813115. [Accessed 6th January 2009].

• Probert, S. D. (1995) Environmentally and Energy responsible Universities. Applied Energy. 50 (1) pp. 69-83

• Prof Wilson, R. J. T. (2007). University of Hertfordshire Environmental Policy. [Online] Available at: http://sitem.herts.ac.uk/sustainable/env_policy.htm. [Accessed 7th October 2008].

• Scott, E.M. (2007). Setting and evaluating the effectiveness of Environmental Policy. Evironmetrics. 18 (3) pp. 33-343

• Shriberg, M. (2000). Toward sustainable management: The University of Michigan Housing Divisions approach. Journal of cleaner production. 10 (1) pp. 41-45

• University of Hertfordshire. (2008) College Lane Campus. [Online] Available at: http://www.pan3sixty.co.uk/tours/uoh/qt-clmap.htm [Accessed 12th January 2009].