Green Labs | 100% Gold certification in Bristol Medical School

The Medical School is now the second school to achieve Gold Certification with the Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF) in 100% of its laboratories. This follows on from the Veterinary School achieving Gold in August 2023.

LEAF is a certification scheme, developed by UCL, that aims to improve sustainability and efficiency in labs in a range of areas including waste and chemical management, procurement, equipment efficiency and many others. The Sustainability Team has set a goal to reach 100% Silver LEAF certification across all 900+ University labs in 2024.

Professor Chrissie Thirlwell, Head of School, said “I am absolutely delighted that the Medical School has achieved 100% Gold LEAF status. This really reflects the hard work and commitment that the Technical and lab staff and the wider sustainability team have demonstrated in order to work towards Net Zero 2030 and beyond.”

Bristol Medical School has a longstanding history of integrating sustainable practices within their research. In 2020 and 2022 labs within Bristol Medical School won their respective categories in the Freezer Challenge, saving an estimated 548 kWh/day and 243 kWh/day, respectively. The School has also been making significant headway on their Climate Action Plan and have appointed a number of individuals who are working to implement sustainable operations in several areas of sustainability including travel, education, green spaces, labs, offices, computing and research.

The School would like to thank its Technical Teams and lab users in Southmead Learning & Research, Oakfield House, Dorothy Hodgkin and Level 7 BRI buildings who were instrumental in achieving the 100% Gold Certification.

How we’re driving down emissions with our new electric fleet

Fleet transport operations at the University of Bristol are on the road to Net Zero thanks to a major investment in new all-electric vans and e-cargo bikes. 

This month the University is expecting the delivery of its biggest ever order for electric vehicles (EVs), 13 Toyota vans worth a total of around £490,000.  

This exciting delivery represents a big step forward for the Cleaner Fleet Programme, managed on behalf of the University by the Sustainability team, which aims for an all-electric road vehicle fleet by 2025-26. 

The University first introduced EVs to its fleet in 2016, and (with the new delivery) now has a total of 42 all-electric vans and 7 hybrid electric vehicles, out of a total road fleet of more than 90 vehicles. In the past year the University has also established a fleet of 10 e-cargo bikes, helping to cut transport emissions still further.  

The EVs and cargo bikes replace older diesel and petrol vehicles used by schools and departments across the University for a range of activity including campus operations, research fieldwork and business travel. The Cleaner Fleet Programme also aims to increase vehicle-sharing within and between departments to help reduce the size of the overall fleet. 

James Ryle, Transport Special Projects Manager, is leading on the project and reflects on the undertaking:  

“Moving to an all-electric fleet is a big challenge for any organisation – sourcing new vehicles and installing charge points are significant projects in their own right. But it’s also an important way of limiting the climate and health impacts of transport, so it’s  very rewarding to see the new electric vans and cargo bikes take to the road.”  

The investment is funded by the University as part of its commitment to achieving a net zero campus by 2030, with grant contributions from the Energy Savings Trust towards the cargo bikes. Staff can find out more about the University’s Cleaner Fleet Programme visit the Sustainability Sharepoint site 

Our journey to net zero | Reviewing 900+ carbon saving actions

The University is committed to reaching carbon neutrality from its buildings by 2030, and departmental Climate Action Plans (CAPs) are integral to achieving this. Each CAP is designed by members of the School or Department, enabling them to pinpoint areas of highest impact. By empowering teams in this way, the Sustainability Team can provide expert support where it’s needed and monitor progress over time.     

In January, 26 Schools and Departments submitted plans for an initial review, detailing over 900 committed carbon-saving actions that are either in the pipeline, in progress or complete. Actions are selected under four themes: buildings, circular economy, transport and advocacy, with the online planning tool prompting relevant steps to reduce carbon emissions. The Sustainability Team’s managers for Transport, Energy, Circular Economy and Sustainable Science reviewed each CAP, and provided feedback to enable effective implementation of plans.  

Climate Action Plans will now be reviewed annually, and progress recorded and reported to the Sustainability Strategic Monitoring and Implementation Group. With the first round of reviews complete, the Team has a solid benchmark for progress across the University. 

 Anna Lewis, Sustainable Science Manager, led the review process and said: 

“It’s so important to review the Departmental CAPs so that we can provide specialised feedback and offer support for the planned actions over the coming years. Innovative activities and plans are highlighted, which allows for peer learning as well as a consistent approach across the University.”

A recent survey of CAP coordinators has enabled the Sustainability Team to identify new ways to support CAP working groups (or committees, as they’re sometimes referred to). One outcome is to facilitate peer-to-peer learning opportunities, and the Sustainability Team will soon host a session in which coordinators will be able to review other CAPs, share ideas for improvement, and collaborate on future projects. 

CAP working groups continue to benefit from bi-monthly CAP Clinics, hosted by the Sustainability Team. These clinics focus around the four themes within the planning tool, but are also a space for coordinators to share any questions or challenges with the wider network.  

Overall, 62% of Departments have submitted a Climate Action Plan, with 83% of all Departments successfully engaged in the process. CAPs will continue to be an important resource to help the University achieve its ambitious net zero targets, as well as to continuously demonstrate its commitment to sustainability and climate action for many years to come. 

For more information visit the Sustainability website or contact sustainability-comms@bristol.ac.uk.  

Recognition at the Green Gown Awards 2022

Established in 2004, the Green Gown Awards recognise the exceptional sustainability initiatives being undertaken by universities and colleges across the world. Bristol University was recognised in multiple categories at this year’s ceremony, including Campus Health, Food & Drink, Next Generation Learning & Skills, and Sustainability Student Champion.

Student Champion – Carlos Shanka Boissy Diaz – Winner

During his time at the University of Bristol, Carlos explored multiple aspects of sustainable development and forged strong working relationships with sustainability stakeholders across the University. He represented the University at COP26 and aided work towards embedding sustainability into courses by successfully calling for paid student ‘Sustainability Champion’ roles. He also presented the “Invest for Change” campaign to the University’s Chief-Executive team in April 2021, successfully challenging the eight-figure endowment fund policy to divest from unethical investments. The judges called Carlos “the very definition of a sustainability champion”. We look forward to seeing what he does next!

Campus Health, Food & Drink – Source – Ethical and sustainable food practices at the centre of campus life – Highly Commended

Source Cafés and Bars strive to offer well-balanced, healthy, and sustainable catering. Over the last 12 months, Source has been working to reduce its carbon footprint and environmental impact by eliminating single use plastic and incentivising re-use. For example, offering 30p off hot drink to those using a reusable cup. Source is also working to reduce food waste and encourage plant-based food choices by displaying carbon emissions on menus.

Source was recognised at the Green Gown awards for its holistic approach to sustainability. Professor Evelyn Welch Vice Chancellor and President said It’s fantastic to have the Source team’s hard work recognised. Bristol’s food and drink spaces are at the heart of our campus and we’re proud to be leading the way for sustainable campus catering.”

Next Generation Learning & Skills – Finalist

The SU’s Sustainability Champions initiative was also recognised at the Green Gown awards for working towards making sustainability a core competency of the University of Bristol education by mobilising the curriculum. With support, coordination and guidance, students have worked closely with academics in their schools to represent their peers, identify the changes needed in the curriculum and create opportunities for students to address global challenges through their learning and research.

 

Martin Wiles, Head of Sustainability, said “We’re really pleased to have been recognised at this year’s Green Gown Awards. Our achievements in these categories demonstrates the commitment to sustainability across all areas of campus.”

You can read more about the Green Gown Awards 2022 here.

The Freezer Challenge: improving energy efficiency in labs

STEM buildings are responsible for 40% of the University’s energy consumption, and the numerous freezers in labs contribute to this figure. A single ultra-low temperature freezer (ULT) can use as much energy as an average household each day. Ways to reduce the energy consumption of freezers that were encouraged by the challenge include defrosting freezers, vacuuming freezer coils, creating a cold storage inventory, space sharing, using room temperature storage whenever possible and adjusting ULT temperatures from -80°C to -70°C.

From January to July of this year, the Bristol Bioresource Laboratories demonstrated a commitment to more sustainable research by competing in and then winning an award in the 2022 Freezer Challenge.  The challenge, run by My Green Lab and the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories, aims to achieve greater energy efficiency, sample integrity and access and cost savings all while promoting best practices in cold storage management. This year’s challenge saved a total of 6.732 metric tons of carbon, with 1,200 labs from 27 countries taking part, the highest recorded number of participants yet!

The Bioresource Labs from Bristol Medical School won the award for the best ‘medium size lab’ within the Academic Sector Category and in doing so saved on average 283.4 kWh/day, an amazing saving for the lab and the University as a whole! Their dedicated efforts included defrosting 53 freezers, cleaning the filters of 39 freezers, retiring 4 ULT freezers and replacing them with energy-efficient models and fully auditing 51 freezers (49 of which were ULT models).

The Bristol Bioresource Labs will be awarded their certificate at the IS2L conference and will be featured in Lab Manager Magazine. When asked about whether they would participate in the 2023 challenge the said they would aim for the Winning Streak Award, given to labs that beat their energy savings from the year before.

We look forward to seeing if the Bristol Bioresource Labs achieve their goal, if you want to join the Bioresource labs in the 2023 Freezer Challenge register your interest here!

 

How students are helping local organisations go green

Climate Action Bristol (CAB) is an innovative project placing University of Bristol student volunteers with local organisations to develop and implement Climate Action Plans.  

The volunteers help assess the sustainability of an organisation with the aid of the University’s bespoke on-line tool, supporting organisations to explore their impacts and therefore set out a wide range of actions, from energy use through to advocacy, to take climate action. The project, led by Bristol Hub and the University Sustainability Department, began in October 2021. The initial phase focused on developing action plans, before moving on to delivery.  

So far, students have partnered with a range of Bristol-based organisations including Boomsatsuma, Unique Voice, St Peters Hospice, Voscur, Acta Theatre, South Gloucestershire and Stroud College, Beyond the Bean, Watershed and Wecil.  

The first cohort of Climate Action Bristol volunteers are now coming to the end of their projects and recently reflected on their learnings and achievements through a showcase event, organised by BristolHub.  

Izzey Bowker is a student volunteer working closely with creative education center, Boomsatsuma. Izzey and teammates Madleen Grohganz and Daniel Walsh found conducting a travel survey to be the best starting point.  “We wanted to find out what improvements could be made to make it more sustainable to get between their numerous locations,” Izzey explained. “We uncovered students are unable to access student discounts on bus tickets and are put off cycling by a lack of facilities, which are things that Boomsatsuma can now address.” 

When trying to reduce an organisation’s emissions, the energy efficiency of the building is often paramount. Shivali Agrawal, along with teammates Poppy Pearce and Christabel Hamer, worked with local independent cinema and social enterprise, Watershed, to explore the potential costs of the changes required to make the building more energy efficient.  

“We looked at things like the windows and insultation, and assessed the impact and costs, to include the infnormation in an application for a Green Business Grant through West of England Combined Authority” Shivali shared. 

Some students discovered that developing a greener pathway is often not so straightforward due to financial or property constrictions.  “Unique Voice has the challenge of being situated in a rented office, with little control over things like lighting and heating,” Alice Brion, student volunteer, highlighted. “Our recommendations focused on creating learning opportunities for staff, publishing their climate action plans and building their local network to share best practice.” 

Working with independent living charity, Wecil, Hannah Munro discovered the importance of making sustainability inclusive.  “Our focus was on engagement. We brought employees on the journey, as well as looking at community engagement through workshops and publishing of the sustainability report. We also reviewed and expanded their ‘Green Team’ objectives, making its statement and goals inclusive for everyone.” 

Oliver Jones, Director at Acta Community Theatre, said the process of working with students enabled the Theatre to work more strategically.  “We weren’t sure at first what we wanted the students to focus on, other than improving what we do doing around the environment to support with funding applications. After the student’s audit, we developed a plan that includes short term and long-term actions around electricity, water, heating consumption and our website content. Dan, Syndy and Gillian each focused on distinct aspects of the plan, depending on their areas of interest, which worked really well.”  

Martin Wiles, Head of Sustainability at University of Bristol reflected on the showcase event, explaining that sustainability is not an easy path to follow.  “Learning to work around the obstacles you uncover is really valuable. Challenges will arise whether it’s a big, small or rich organisation. It’s not an easy path to follow, but it is essential to meet the City’s 2030 net zero carbon target.” 

 

If you are a student interested in working with a local organisation to help develop its Climate Action Plan register your interest for 2022/23 volunteering here.  

If you’re a local business looking for support with writing a Carbon/Climate Action Plan, please email Sorcha Young at manager@bristolhub.org. 

 

Thanks to the following volunteer teams: 

Watershed 

  • Shivali Agrawal 
  • Poppy Pearce 
  • Christabel Hamer 

BoomSatsuma 

  • Izzie Bowker 
  • Madleen Grohganz 
  • Daniel Walsh 

South Gloucestershire and Stroud College 

  • Mitchell Norey 
  • Zara Shilakis 
  • Eliza Joynson 

Acta Theatre 

  • Dan Green 
  • Gillian Capen
  • Syndy Liew 

WECIL 

  • Hannah Munro 
  • Holly MacDonald 
  • Tayyab Jawed 

Unique Voice 

  • Alice Brion 
  • George Mayenga 

Voscur 

  • Ahra Nam 
  • Oliwia Kuden 
  • Miles Fenner 

St Peters Hospice 

  • Holly Ward 
  • Micol Greta Giannelli 
  • Rowan Browning 

Beyond the Bean 

  • Amy Cotterell 
  • Stephen Pearson 

Sustainability achievements in 2021

As a University, we’re committed to becoming net-zero carbon by 2030. We’re on a challenging but exciting journey to transform our estate into a beacon of environmental sustainability. 

While we still have a long way to go, it’s important to celebrate the wins along the way and keep everyone up-to-date with the progress being made. Here are just some of our sustainability achievements from the past 12 months: 

1.Upgraded our Energy Management System 

To help us understand and improve energy usage around the campus, we upgraded our Building Energy Management System. These smart control systems help us understand the impact of environmental conditions on different buildings and see where we’re overconsuming, particularly in laboratories and our larger halls of residence.  

2. Helped over 100 staff to buy a new bike  

We launched a new Cycle to Work Scheme in April, offering a wider range of bikes including e-bikes. The increased scheme limit of £2,500 can be used at Halfords, Tredz, and participating independent bike shops, helping even more staff buy a bike to travel to work sustainably.  

3. Secured investment for an electric fleet 

In May, the University allocated a £235,000 investment for new electric vehicles and e-cargo bikes for campus transport operations and electric pool bikes for staff business travel. Once in place, this new electric fleet will improve efficiency and environmental performance in transport operations, helping us align with Bristol’s planned Clean Air Zone, as well as our net-zero target.  

4. Became a Fairtrade University 

The University became a Fairtrade University in June, recognising the work done to embed ethical and sustainable practices in our curriculum, procurement, research and campaigns.    

5. Donated 12.5 tonnes of food to local charities 

In June the University also won a three-star Zero Waste award representing several years of hard work from the University’s catering and sustainability teams. In the last 12 months we donated 12.5 tonnes of food from across the University and Students Union to local charities through the Trussell Trust and FareShare South West, supporting those living in food poverty and reducing methane caused by food waste. 

6. Became the first university in the world to gain 100% Green Lab Certification 

All of the University’s 990 laboratories gained at least a bronze certification in the Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF). Hundreds of staff within the STEM community were involved in implementing actions to improve energy efficiency, waste management, sustainable procurement and research quality.   

7. Recycled 14 tonnes of student items through the Bristol Big Give 

Our end-of-term re-use scheme in student accommodation, The Bristol Big Give, reused over 14 tonnes of materials and generated up to £24,000 for local charities, diverting countless unwanted items from landfill and supporting the circular economy.  

8. Installed 80 new recycling facilities 

Over the Summer we partnered with Reworked UK to install over 80 internal recycling facilities for even more single use plastic items including crisp packets, confectionary wrappers, single use non-hazardous PPE such as face masks and Lateral Flow Test kits.  

9. Saved nearly £0.5m through Sustainable Science & Green Labs initiatives 

STEM Laboratories at the University of Bristol account for 40% of our energy and waste budget as well as 32% of our annual water bill, but only occupy 6% of our space. The Sustainable Science & Green Labs initiative in 2020/21 helped make savings of nearly half a million pounds, through energy, water, waste, behaviour change and procurement projects. 

10. Joined IEMA as corporate members  

We’ve taken out corporate membership and gone through a rigorous process to become an Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) approved training centre so we can deliver sustainability skills for managers courses for staff. In addition, 45 students benefitted from free membership for the month of November, giving them access to events, learning resources and networking opportunities.  

11. Reused nearly 8 tonnes of furniture  

We collected and reused furniture from around the campus, with 80% repurposed within the University and the rest going to local schools, and charities such as SOFA Project. This saved the University £43,800 on buying new furniture and 13 tonnes of carbon it would’ve taken to manufacture new items. 

12. Introduced Climate Action Plans 

Each school and Division have been asked to write a plan and to nominate a contact for the University Sustainability team to work with in writing the plans. To date, about 70% of departments have nominated a coordinator, with 50% starting a plan and 25% moving onto implementing actions. We’re currently recruiting a CAP Officer to support with the rollout in the new year.  

On the heels of COP26, engagement and conversation around the topic of sustainability is at an all-time high. Now more than ever we need to work together to build momentum and continue creating change across the University.  

On a smaller scale, you can start to make a positive impact today by joining the 1,800 staff and students taking part in Be the Change. Register here to complete carbon saving activities and start earning points to be in with a chance of winning one of many £10 vouchers up for grabs each month.