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University's green claims hit by survey



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Published Date: 07 July 2008
A UNIVERSITY which boasts that its new campus "leads the field" in energy efficiency has been ranked among the lowest in the UK in a survey of green higher education institutions.
Queen Margaret University has come 93rd in the People and Planet Green League, which examined the eco-friendly credentials of 119 universities.

The university, which opened its new £105 million environmentally friendly campus on the outskirts of Musselburgh last year, is said to be the third greenest in the UK, creating "a new benchmark in sustainable design".

It was officially opened by the Queen yesterday, but the producers of the Green League, published in the Times Higher Education magazine, criticise it for not having an environmental policy, a full-time member of environmental staff or Fairtrade status.

A university spokeswoman said: "QMU has not yet been based at its new campus for one full year. Therefore, key performance measures will have been based on statistical information from our former campuses."

Edinburgh University dropped eight places in the Green League, coming in at 26th place, while Napier University ranked 56th and Heriot-Watt came 67th.





The full article contains 191 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 07 July 2008 10:09 AM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Environment
 
1

geekpie,

forfar 07/07/2008 12:35:00
As far as universities are concerned, recycling, switching off computers and the like are really a distraction from the main issue: they are massive generators of car-trips, and many continue to tie up their valuable land in large car-parks while unable to grasp the nettle and charge staff to park.
2

Ian down under,

Kawerau 07/07/2008 21:45:02
This 'green' college was built on what used to be highly productive agricultural land. I remember as a child and teenager walking the roads and paths around 'Lowe's fields' as we called it and there were always crops of turnips, cabbages, sprouts and sometimes barley. How 'green' was it to turn this local productive land into concrete and steel buildings.
The railway yards at Millerhill are half disused and the college could have been built there instead. I would actually rate Kinnaird Park as being greener because it was at least built on a 'brownfield' site and mainly the old Newcraighall pit and brickworks.
Milerhill is also next to the reopening railway to Galashiels and therfore the college could still have had a direct rail link to Edinburgh.
3

Mr Fuzzy,

Edinburgh 22/08/2008 23:11:39
#1
This was discussed during the last time the council tried to impose a parking tax on university car-parks.

Not everyone at university lives within walking distance of a bus route, let alone a frequent one. Many bus routes only run half-hourly during office hours, or even only run at peak hours (No. 45 to Jewel and Esk). And radial bus routes (No.38) don't synchronise with the arterial bus routes through the use of waiting period for transferring passengers. Some don't even run the whole route after 8pm (tough luck to anyone working late on their courseworks). Many students can't afford city rents and so live outside the city boundary. Some students even take the train from Glasgow and take a bus out to the edge of the city.

You want fewer people to use cars? Make sure there is an safe shared transport for staff/students alternative that is as fast and as convenient as having your own car. One way would be to have dial-a-shuttle-bus schemes that serves areas not accessible by the
4

Mr Fuzzy,

Edinburgh 22/08/2008 23:11:58
existing public transport system.

 

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