Green Gown Awards 2019

11th July 2019

Northumbria University has been shortlisted for two Green Gown awards, recognising its exceptional sustainability initiatives.

The Green Gown Awards celebrate sustainability excellence by universities and colleges across the UK and Ireland.

Northumbria was shorted as a finalist in the ‘Benefitting Society’ and ‘Campus of the Future’ categories, with results to be announced at an awards ceremony in November.

The University’s campus transformations, such as the £10 million Student Central, the £8.3 million Computer and Information Sciences building and the new £7million Architecture studios, have secured the nomination in the Campus of the Future category for placing the student experience at the heart of campus development as well as embedding innovative low carbon solutions.

Northumbria's student law clinic, the Student Law Office, has been shortlisted in the Benefitting Society category for facilitating access to justice in the North East. The office offers free legal services to the general public, business and community groups. In the last 10 years alone, the service has represented over 2,500 clients recovering over £1.5 million.

As a signatory of the Sustainable Development Goals Accord and a member of United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI), Northumbria has an ongoing commitment to supporting the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.

Katie Ridley, Sustainability Adviser, says: "The UN Sustainable Development Goals set a framework for sustainability by identifying key priorities such as environmental management, education, equality and wellbeing. Sustainability is relevant to all of our activities at Northumbria, from our research and teaching to our operations.

“These award nominations reflect this and demonstrate the multiple benefits derived from such activities. Shaping the campus not only improves efficiency but also enhances the student experience and supports teaching and research, and our fantastic Student Law Office is supporting access to justice across the community as well as providing hands-on learning experiences for our students."

This success builds on a number of significant sustainability achievements this year. Northumbria’s academics continue to shape the future through working with the UN and policy makers. The University's Environmental Management System has received ISO 14001 certification one year ahead of target, and we have reduced our carbon emissions by over 30% against a 2005/06 baseline.

For further information visit northumbria.ac.uk/sustainability