Halls of Residence Engagement

It is generally acknowledged that environmental awareness and recycling levels in halls of residence are below average and therefore present a significant opportunity to improve overall on-site segregation and reduce costs. 

Loughborough University – Green League Competition 

Project

In 2015/16 total recycling levels on campus were 50% – however, recycling in halls was only 32%, thereby affecting overall campus performance. In an attempt to improve the performance in halls, Loughborough University established the Green League. 

The Green League aims to tap into the natural competitive instinct of Loughborough students to encourage long-term sustainable behaviour change. The focus is on three main areas: recycling, energy-saving and proactivity. 

Run collaboratively by the University, Student’s Union, the Sustainability Team and elected student representatives for FREEC (Food, Residential, Ethical, Environmental and Campus Watch), the League calls for all 15 halls to support with the integration of this scheme and other sustainability-based initiatives.

Each term, a league table is produced showing where every hall stands in terms of their energy use, recycling, and proactivity toward sustainability issues. Halls are ranked according to these scores and the top three halls each term receive money toward their RAG (Raising and Giving) totals (£250 for 1st, £175 for 2nd and £150 for 3rd).

Halls’ recycling spot-checks make up part of the recycling score. Members of the Sustainability Team and Enva check a cross-section of waste bins in the halls and mark them on a set criterion to communicate to students what they’re doing right and areas for improvement. During normal working weeks, cleaners also provide feedback and a score so that long term monitoring of performance can be analysed.

Outcomes

• On-site recycling levels have risen on campus from 9% to 50% with the help of this initiative.
• 11/16 halls showed increased waste and recycling scores over the course of 2017/18.
• In 2017, a total of 2,844 bags of donated items were donated to the British Heart Foundation, raising £39,816. This is an increase as compared to 2015 where 2,467 bags raised £34,548.

University of Nottingham – Switch Off Scheme

Project 

For the Student Switch Off Scheme, the halls of residence compete to see who can save the most energy and recycle the most during terms one and two, by taking simple yet effective actions in the 15 on-site halls of residence. The hall which performs best wins an end of year party and Ben and Jerry’s ice cream for everyone in that residence.

As a trial, 3 of the 15 halls’ kitchens were audited twice throughout the last academic year for the use of their recycling facilities. They were given feedback and rewarded with Fairtrade chocolate if they were found to be using them to a high standard.

Throughout the academic year, the Sustainability Team engage with residents to motivate and empower them to take action to save energy and recycle. Contact takes place at the Fresher’s Fair and throughout the year via photo competitions, social media, halls visits and recycling audits.  

Outcomes

• 87,337 kWh saved in 117 days of analysis – 3% reduction compared to a baseline from 2015-16
• £8,734 financial equivalent saved (assuming 10p/kWh)
• 34 tonnes of CO2 saved
• 806 students signed up to the email list to receive regular communications with energy saving and recycling tips and opportunities to enter competitions
• 1,448 students took part in the online climate change quizzes 
• 41 students trained as Student Switch Off Ambassadors
• 7,793 students have visited the University of Nottingham Student Switch Off webpage, viewing information on energy saving advice and campaign activities
• The University of Nottingham Student Switch Off Facebook page received 103 new likes.

Over the next academic year more efforts will be put in to building on the successes which both Universities have enjoyed so far. As the schemes progress, the target will be to interact with more staff and students across all campuses along with gathering better data to analyse and improve performance further.