How could EcoCampus help my institution to reduce its carbon emissions?

EcoCampus will help your institution to implement an Environmental Management System (EMS) that will provide an integrated and overarching framework within which you can identify and manage your environmental risks and improve your overall environmental performance.

By implementing the EMS you will manage all the components of your institution’s activities that produce carbon emissions and therefore reduce your contribution to Climate Change.

The EcoCampus EMS is a phased approach to continuous environmental improvement; firstly you review your institution and plan how it can be improved; next you implement the plan and once the system has been fully implemented you check if it is functioning effectively.

The EcoCampus (Loreus) suite of tools will enable you to carry out a baseline review of your environmental performance and help identify all processes and activities that significantly impact on the environment, including those that produce carbon emissions and highlight current carbon management best practice.

Your institution’s commitment to reducing its overall environmental impact on the environment, including its contribution to climate change, can be expressed through a publicly available environmental policy.

The implementation of the EcoCampus EMS will also ensure that you comply with the requirements of all relevant environmental legislation, such as the Climate Change Levy by initiating and keeping an up-to-date legal register. This could also help prepare for forthcoming carbon legislation such as the Carbon Reduction Commitment through developing an environmental programme containing specific environmental objectives and targets.

All of your operations resulting in significant environmental impacts will be managed under the EcoCampus EMS. These include all activities that contribute to Climate Change.

The EcoCampus EMS requires objectives and targets to be regularly reviewed by senior management. By successfully working towards or meeting these targets you will improve your environmental performance and this will contribute to reducing your carbon footprint and therefore your contribution to Climate Change.

If your institution has already been involved with the Carbon Trust to develop a Strategy and Implementation Plan (SIP), you can build on the experience gained and integrate your SIP into an EcoCampus EMS. To find out more about how this can be achieved, please click here.