Sustainability

Biodiversity

Projects to increase biodiversity and improve adaptation to climate change resulted in the University winning a "Campus of the Future" Award at the annual Green Gown Awards.

Campus mapping

Wild flowers University estate Jonathan Long

The University has been implementing innovative projects such as green infrastructure mapping of University campuses and city parks. In February 2021, the University was awarded silver accreditation as a Hedgehog Friendly Campus.

News: Creating a Hedgehog Friendly Campus

Student placements have mapped green spaces at Pollock Halls to trial the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Natural Capital Standard tool, which considers the importance of green and blue infrastructure for adaptation and biodiversity, as well as mitigation.

This tool has been developed, with student input, into an app for use by staff (management and when considering estates development plans - in discussions) and students (engagement), and is now being applied to the city in a pilot as part of the Edinburgh Council-led FPA project, Thriving Green Spaces; the tool is being used to give GI Factors to green spaces, to understand how good they are for adaptation and biodiversity.

Blog post: Volunteering to map green infrastructure in Edinburgh

Adapting to climate change

The University has responded with adaptation actions to past extreme weather events that affected campus buildings. The University has experienced flooding, high winds, complaints of overheating in buildings and high snow fall over the past ten years. A flood risk assessment was undertaken for critical engineering infrastructure and a snow management plan developed, with actions being implemented by Estates.  

The University has demonstrated a solid understanding of how to implement measures in landscaping to address adaptation, including provision for biodiversity conservation. Sites such as Pollock Halls exemplify a successful approach to adaptation in landscaping. Sustainable drainage systems using natural land contours have also been employed to reduce flood risk, as can be seen at the Easter Bush campus.

Adapting to climate change

Partnership

The University works in partnership on adaptation with local organisations such as the City of Edinburgh Council, which leads Edinburgh Adapts, and with members of the Edinburgh Living Landscape (ELL) Partnership. These partnerships link the University to wider city and regional contexts.

Edinburgh Adapts launched its adaptation action plan for the city at the end of 2016, including a list of projects that the University supports as part of its own actions. Collaboration through ELL Partnership to trial their Natural Capital Standard has led to development of our GI mapping app, How Green is Your Campus, and partnership working with CEC on GI mapping for the Thriving Green Spaces project.

The University aims to expand partnerships, considering European and international collaborators.

Topic: biodiversity