University wins prestigious EAUC Green Gown Award for sustainable laboratories
The Department for Social Responsibility and Sustainability are pleased to announce that the University has won an award at the EAUC Green Gown Awards ceremony in the category ‘Facilities and Services’ for their project ‘Sustainable Laboratories – sharing best practice through peer learning’.
On Thursday 26th November 2015, members of the Department for Social Responsibility and Sustainability travelled to Bristol to attend the prestigious EAUC Green Gown Awards.
The event brought together sustainability professionals from university and colleges across the UK, in addition to representatives the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), Scottish Funding Council (SFC), Association of University Directors of Estates (AUDE), Association of Colleges (AoC), Higher Education Academy (HEA) and The Association of Heads of University Administration (AHUA).
Over the course of the evening 16 winners were announced, with 22 entries highly commended.
University of Edinburgh was delighted to be announced the winner of the Facilities and Services Award for the project, Sustainable laboratories - sharing best practice through peer learning.
The judges were extremely impressed with this entry, remarking on how the 'University of Edinburgh have overcome obstacles to achieve change in academic areas, and demonstrate the ability to bring people together to work towards a common goal and sharing of information'.
SRS Director Dave Gorman, who was at the ceremony to collect the award, explained that, 'the success of Sustainable Labs project is the result of hard work and commitment from colleagues across the University. This fantastic award reflects the value in collaboration and sharing best practice within academic institutions and the wider sector'.
Edinburgh University was also proud to be a finalist in the Student Engagement category. This award went to Edinburgh College for the Edinburgh Community Gardens and Orchards. They also went on to win the International Student Engagement Award.
The department wish to congratulate all partners who helped to put together this submission and who have been doing great work in making the University’s labs more sustainable.
The University of Edinburgh is committed to being a leading socially responsible and sustainable university. We support our staff and students in delivering meaningful change and improving our own practices. Public recognition provides us with an opportunity to celebrate and reward their enthusiasm and hard work and we are delighted to win this Green Gown Award.
The Department for Social Responsibility and Sustainability delivers high quality and impactful programmes to catalyse action and collaboration across campus and support the University in achieving its Social Responsibility and Sustainability strategy and related commitments.
If you work in a lab and are interested in making your equipment more sustainable, make sure to read about our Labs Small Equipment Fund – the deadline is Wednesday 2nd December.
If you would like to know more about sustainability in a lab environment and how our department is supporting this, please contact Andrew Arnott.
Andrew Arnott
SRS Projects Coordinator (Labs)
Contact details
- Work: +44 (0)131 650 4064
- Email: Andrew.Arnott@ed.ac.uk
Availability
Andrew graduated from University of Aberdeen in 2006 and spent 18 months working in an environmental management role. Moving to Edinburgh at the end of 2007 he took up a role providing energy efficiency and renewable energy advice to businesses on behalf of the Energy Saving Trust. In 2010 he spent 9 months volunteering in Malawi, setting up environmental projects. Returning to the UK in 2011 he took a role in a consultancy firm providing energy efficiency, renewable energy and resource efficiency advice to public and private sector clients.