De Montfort University's story
De Montfort University (DMU) is one of the greenest universities in Britain and has been consistently rated as First Class by the People and Planet student campaigning network.
One of the main ways that DMU is cutting carbon is by supporting, learning and training within the institution and within the community. They partner with organisations to deliver carbon literacy training, which aims to get people thinking about what they need to do to improve their carbon footprint. Their carbon literacy training is offered to students and staff to raise awareness of the impact of rising carbon dioxide levels, in order to empower people to take action as an individual and as an organisation.
DMU have also trained student volunteers to educate schools across Leicester about climate action. Evidence has shown that those taking the carbon literacy workshops reduce their carbon footprint by 5 to 15% afterwards.
DMU also have many other environmental initiatives:
- Using wood pellet boilers which are carbon-neutral.
- Fitting the leisure centre with air-source heat pumps.
- Using photovoltaic panels on DMU buildings to generate electricity.
- Using ground heat pumps in some buildings which draw heat from the earth.
- Travel policies which see 4 times the national average of staff cycling to work.
- Solar panels all across campus.
- Embedding sustainability into all teaching and learning.
- Giving away more than 21,000 free reusable mugs to staff and students.
- Gaining Carbon Literate Organisation status for the University.
- Growing food on campus for use in the DMU catering outlets.
- Award-winning catering offering a low-carbon diet.
- Fitting the leisure centre with air-source heat pumps.
- Embedding sustainability into all teaching and learning.
Useful learnings from De Montfort University
For universities looking to make a start on this, get a strategy together of what you want to achieve and make a big commitment to the process.
De Montfort University's metrics
Community engagement.
