Maynooth Green Campus Committee
Strategic Plan 2018-2022 submission
Aim:
- Make Maynooth University an internationally recognised model in relation to environmental sustainability and environmental justice in its planning, operations, teaching and research and public engagement.
Objectives:
- Make MU a model in relation to energy use and conservation;
- Make MU a model in relation to waste reduction, recycling;
- Make MU a model in relation to water management;
- Make MU a model in relation to travel and transport management;
- Make the campus a model site for promoting biodiversity;
- Make MU an internationally recognised centre for promoting climate justice;
General Actions:
- Continue to collaborate with SPCM and Trócaire in pursuing environmental goals and climate justice;
- Invest in a planned ducting system that integrates underground services (electricity, gas and water) into a system to serve existing and new buildings on the campus;
- Promote the mainstreaming of good practice through University structures;
- Promote the themes of environmental sustainability and related social justice concerns across the board in teaching, learning, research and public engagement at the University;
- Work with local community groups to harmonise efforts in sustainability for Maynooth as a whole
- Support efforts to achieve and retain the An Taisce Green Campus Flag;
Thematic Actions:
Energy Management
- Achieve all required public targets in relation to energy reduction of 33% per FTE student by 2020;
- Obtain and operate ISO50001 standard energy management system for this purpose;
- Mainstream best practice protocols for energy conservation in the everyday operation of insulation, lighting, heating and electrical equipment buildings, offices, labs – building by building;
- Do feasibility studies for renewable energy: a) a significant wind power project and b) a significant solar power initiative and c) explore the potential for geothermal sources;
- Continue to improve heating efficiency and replace inefficient plant;
- Utilise common ducting system for as called for above;
Waste Management
- Consolidate projects on improving waste stream management;
- Improve bin labelling and educating and motivating staff and students;
- Continue to develop new smart bins and other projects;
- Continue to improve data on waste in conjunction with waste recycling contractors;
- Promote new imaginative projects, particularly in relation to plastic bottles, non-recyclable disposables in the catering area;
Water Conservation
- Upgrade water pipes and eliminate leaks from the system;
- Utilise the common ducting system (proposed above) to enable proper diagnostic and immediate response to leakages;
- Find imaginative ways to incorporate storm-water retention basins for new buildings into lakes to provide landscaping for environmental, social and aesthetic benefit, instead of beneath buildings;
- Promote use of rainwater and grey water where appropriate within buildings and in grounds management;
- Promote the use of re-usable drinking bottles and the elimination of single-use plastic bottles ;
- Provide more goose-necked water fountains on campus and maintain and clean existing ones daily, provide attractive signage & continue promotions like the offer of a reusable MU drink bottle to all new students);
Sustainable Travel and Transport
- Promote cycling through infrastructure (cycle-ways on and off campus; secure, sheltered bike racks; accessible shower facilities, repair and sale services on campus);
- Promote walking and review and redesign pedestrian pathways;
- Promote better access by bus services (e.g., bringing Dublin Bus services beyond Maynooth town to the North campus);
- Promote reduced car use, car-sharing;
- Redesign the routing of cars so as to eliminate pedestrian-motorist intersections;
- Significantly reduce the distance an average car drives on the campus each day – (the circular one-way system on the North Campus is exactly one mile in length!);
- Review the siting of parking so as to reduce or minimise pedestrian road-crossing give way to pedestrians (in particular the major busy crossing near the School of Education;
Biodiversity
- Link the rich biodiversity of our campus to wider global issues of biodiversity, such as pollination, food security;
- Embrace and promote the participation by the University in the All Ireland Pollinator Plan (AIPP), as initiated by the Maynooth Green Campus Biodiversity working group;
- Highlight exciting participative learning events such as annual Biodiversity Week and the Bio-Blitz events;
- Develop the biodiversity theme in promoting the campus as a site for public engagement,
- Engage with municipal, county and regional agencies in promoting the rich cultural and environmental heritage of the University and surrounding area for visitors and tourists;
Climate Justice
- Sustain the leadership position that MU has achieved in recent years through its work on climate justice;
- Organise events to highlight the importance of action against climate change via mitigation and adaptation;
- Continue to lead in relation to ethical investment and divestment campaigning nationally.