Release Date 25 April 2013

The University has received recognition for improving its green credentials by gaining the Platinum EcoCampus award.

EcoCampus is a scheme for the higher education sector which allows universities to identify, manage and improve their sustainability and environmental practises.

Reading's initiatives such as a commitment to reducing carbon emissions by 35% by 2015/2016, conservation and environmental awareness training, and waste minimisation were instrumental to the University attaining the award.

Reading has previously achieved the Gold EcoCampus award in 2012, with this year's platinum achievement highlighting the further improvements the University has made. These include having over 250 members of staff signed up as environmental champions who help encourage others to take small steps towards reducing their individual environmental impact.

Impressive eco-friendly statistics include:

• To avoid food waste going to landfill, we send it to a local anaerobic digestion plant where it is used to generate electricity
• We now divert over 50% of waste generated at the University away from landfill by various methods, including recycling, energy from waste and anaerobic digestion.
• The University has installed over 200 solar panels on building roofs which will cut our annual carbon footprint by 22,000 kilograms of CO2 per year
• We have achieved a Green Flag award for one of the best open spaces in the country
• We have successfully bid for £750,000 of funding to help run projects that are reducing our carbon footprint

Ian Cruickshank, Environment and Sustainability Manager, said: "Behavioural change is a large part of our ethos to continue to become more eco-friendly.

"Initiatives such as our annual Green Week which aims to make staff and students even more environmentally friendly, regular campus litter-picks and active involvement in schemes such as Earth Hour, are instrumental in the University becoming ever greener."

ENDS

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Notes for editors:

EcoCampus is the leading national Environmental Management System (EMS) and award scheme for the higher and further education sectors. The scheme enables universities to systematically identify, evaluate, manage and improve their environmental performance and practices.

The scheme was launched by HEFCE in 2005 and has since attracted approximately 30% of the sector. It provides the means to perform well in external reporting and benchmarking indices, such as 'Universities That Count' and the People and Planet Green League.