All Sustainability courses

The University has made a commitment to establish and implement a University-wide Environmental Management System (EMS) in line with the international standard ISO 14001:2015.

We have been working with a consultant, Karen Gallagher, to develop the EMS. Work has been slowed by the Covid-19 pandemic but this year we hope to push forward with establishing the EMS. This will involve, amongst other things, understanding what processes and procedures we already have in place and signposting to these from the EMS; duty of care and compliance training for relevant operational staff; the continuation of internal audits tackling our areas of high risk first; and checking the competency of staff that have a role in the EMS and identifying any gaps in training needs.

Systemlink is a software programme with an online portal, which is used to record energy use in College buildings.

You can use this portal to monitor energy use in your buildings and potentially identify areas for improvement. This training will provide an overview of Systemslink and an introduction on how to use it. What you learn will help you get the most out of the new Service Level Agreement.

Learning Objectives:

• Recap of meter readings
• How to put meter reading data into Systemslink
• Review of the Systemslink dashboard and reporting options
• How to download and work with your energy data

Systemlink is a software programme with an online portal, which is used to record energy use in College buildings.

You can use this portal to monitor energy use in your buildings and potentially identify areas for improvement. This training will provide an overview of Systemslink and an introduction on how to use it. What you learn will help you get the most out of the new Service Level Agreement.

Learning Objectives:

• Recap of meter readings
• How to put meter reading data into Systemslink
• Review of the Systemslink dashboard and reporting options
• How to download and work with your energy data

Systemlink is a software programme with an online portal, which is used to record energy use in College buildings.

You can use this portal to monitor energy use in your buildings and potentially identify areas for improvement. This training will provide an overview of Systemslink and an introduction on how to use it. What you learn will help you get the most out of the new Service Level Agreement.

Learning Objectives:

• Recap of meter readings
• How to put meter reading data into Systemslink
• Review of the Systemslink dashboard and reporting options
• How to download and work with your energy data

Save the date!

Come along to the Lent term EEC get-together to catch up with other EECs and hear the latest from the University's Sustainability Team.

Full details of the event, including confirmation of whether this event will be held online or in-person, will be emailed to attendees ahead of the event.

Come along to the Lent term EEC get-together to catch up with other EECs and hear the latest from the University's Sustainability Team.

Following presentations from the Sustainability Team and a Q&A session, you will have the opportunity to join smaller breakout rooms with other EECs. This is our virtual substitute for chatting around cake and sandwiches so, whilst it is absolutely optional, we do hope you take the opportunity to really catch up and get to know each other. We estimate that breakout rooms will begin at 11:45 but there will be no cut-off time, meaning that you will be able to stay and chat for as long as you wish.

Full details of the event, including MS Teams meeting links, will be emailed to attendees ahead of the event.

Come along to the first virtual EEC get-together of Michaelmas term to catch up with other EECs and hear the latest from the Environment and Energy Section.

We will be joined by Rachel Steward, Environmental Manager, who is part of the team working hard to deliver a significant and measurable improvement in the biodiversity of the University's estate. Rachel will be providing an update on progress so far and highlighting action the University is taking to fulfil the 10-year vision set out in its Biodiversity Action Plan. This is a really exciting time for the University and we look forward to sharing progress with you.

After you’ve asked everything you can think to ask about biodiversity/sustainability, you will have the opportunity to join smaller breakout rooms with other EECs. This is our virtual substitute for chatting around cake and sandwiches so, whilst it is absolutely optional, we do hope you take the opportunity to really catch up and get to know each other – a lot has changed since we were all last together! We estimate that breakout rooms will begin at 11:45 but there will be no cut-off time, meaning that you will be able to stay and chat for as long as you wish.

Full details of the event, including MS Teams meeting links, will be emailed to attendees ahead of the event.

Do you know about environmental legislation that you need to comply with in your University role?

The University has committed to developing an Environmental Management System (EMS) in line with the international standard ISO:14001. As part of this, a programme of audits will soon take place, to determine compliance of University buildings and sites with environmental legislation. In this briefing session, we're providing relevant University staff with an overview of some of the key areas of environmental legislation that a typical EMS audit would cover, including practical tips and actions for staying compliant.

• To inform staff of the University's environmental commitments and to give staff the knowledge they need to contribute to meeting these targets

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• As a University we have environmental impact in the resources we use and also in the sustainable research that we do. This webinar will give you an introduction to some of the efforts the University is making to improve environmental performance and you will learn how you can get involved in this effort.
• The same content will be covered in session 1 and 2

• This hour-long session provides an introduction to the sustainable innovations happening across the University
• The course introduces staff to the sustainability targets that University staff and students are working towards

Join us for this lunchtime talk, which is part of the Environment and Energy section's Spotlight on Energy month. This event focuses on the fantastic energy research being carried out across the University; research into how we produce energy, research on how better to design buildings to use less energy and finally, research on human behaviour when it comes to energy use.

• Speakers: Arfa Karani of the Department of Physics, Dr Ruchi Chaudhary of the Department of Engineering, Rebecca Ward of the Department of Engineering and Dr Christina Pensaco of POLIS.

Book your place before midnight on Thursday 29 October

The 2020 Green Impact launch event will give you all the information you need to start making an environmental difference in your department, lab or College. Last year, 43 teams completed over 2,400 actions to encourage sustainable behaviour in their workplaces. Don’t get left behind! Join us and help create a sustainable University.

The event will take place on MS Teams and attendees will be emailed a full agenda, including meeting links, nearer the event itself. For now, brief details of the event can be found below:

• We’re delighted to announce that the 2020/21 Green Impact year will be officially launched by Joanna Chamberlain, Head of Environment and Energy and Dr Emily Shuckburgh, Director of Cambridge Zero. Come along to hear more about sustainability at Cambridge, the successes and the challenges, and how staff and students can be a part of the progress.

• A presentation on the nitty-gritty of Green Impact – what is it, how does it work and how can you get involved? Whether you’re new to Green Impact or have been with us since the beginning, we’ll make sure you have all the information you need to get stuck in. If you’re not sure what Green Impact could look like for you then not to worry – we’ll be showcasing lots of highlights from our 2019/20 departmental, lab and College teams to give you plenty of inspiration!

• After the presentations, you will have the opportunity to dial into themed breakout rooms hosted by a member of the Environment and Energy Section. If you have a question on Green Impact, or just want to hear more about sustainability at Cambridge, we’ll be there to help.

We expect the presentation section of the event to take between 45mins and 1hr, this will then be followed by the option of themed breakout rooms to answer any questions that you may have. Full timings and details of the event will be emailed to attendees before the event so stay tuned!

If you can't make the event then please still sign up as we will be sending the event recording to everyone who has registered on this page.

For more info on Green Impact please visit https://www.environment.admin.cam.ac.uk/green-impact/2019-2020-award-winners and if you have any questions about the event please contact greenimpactteam@admin.cam.ac.uk.

This training is aimed at staff and students who want to take part in Green Impact this year as part of a laboratory team. It's aimed at those who are new to Green Impact, who are interested in getting a Labs award. We'll briefly show you how to log into the Green Impact 'workbook' and set up a new team, run through the requirements of a Labs award, and give a brief overview of some of the actions in the 'Labs' tab.

Click on the 'other dates' to the left for our Bronze, Silver, and 'Archive workbook' sessions.

We know that laboratories use lots of energy, water and resources. We know they produce mountains of waste. We know we can do better. But where should we invest our efforts to improve things?

In this workshop we will help you become more conscious of the carbon flows in your labs and help you identify the worthwhile improvements that you can make.

Please only sign up to one of the sessions. The content will be repeated. Up to 15 participants for each session.

• Central Cambridge - 11:00-12:00 Mon 17th February 2020, Gurdon Institute, Tennis Court Road
• Cambridge Biomedical Campus - 11:00-12:00 Tue 18th February 2020, Clinical School
• West Cambridge - 11:00-12:00 Fri 21st February 2020, Maxwell Centre, JJ Thomson Avenue

We know that laboratories use lots of energy, water and resources. We know they produce mountains of waste. We know we can do better. But where should we invest our efforts to improve things?

In this workshop we will help you become more conscious of the carbon flows in your labs and help you identify the worthwhile improvements that you can make.

Please only sign up to one of the sessions. The content will be repeated. Up to 15 participants for each session.

• Central Cambridge - 11:00-12:00 Mon 17th February 2020, Gurdon Institute, Tennis Court Road
• Cambridge Biomedical Campus - 11:00-12:00 Tue 18th February 2020, Clinical School
• West Cambridge - 11:00-12:00 Fri 21st February 2020, Maxwell Centre, JJ Thomson Avenue

We know that laboratories use lots of energy, water and resources. We know they produce mountains of waste. We know we can do better. But where should we invest our efforts to improve things?

In this workshop we will help you become more conscious of the carbon flows in your labs and help you identify the worthwhile improvements that you can make.

Please only sign up to one of the sessions. The content will be repeated. Up to 15 participants for each session.

• Central Cambridge - 11:00-12:00 Mon 17th February 2020, Gurdon Institute, Tennis Court Road
• Cambridge Biomedical Campus - 11:00-12:00 Tue 18th February 2020, Clinical School
• West Cambridge - 11:00-12:00 Fri 21st February 2020, Maxwell Centre, JJ Thomson Avenue

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Are you involved with cold storage in your lab? Come along to one of our workshops. We’ll examine the factors affecting your samples and the energy-hungry cold storage equipment that preserve them. Find out how we can all improve their performance and efficiency.

Green Labs has teamed up with Eppendorf to provide refresher training on cold storage best practice for you to apply to your own lab.

• What do we need from sample storage?
• How do Ultra Low Temperature (-70, -80) freezers provide appropriate conditions?
• How should you operate your freezers to best protect your samples?

Content delivered will not be promotional and staff who use other brands are equally encouraged to attend.

A similar event was run in-person in 2019. This one will be delivered online via Microsoft Teams and is not space limited, so your whole lab should sign-up and attend too!

A link to join will be sent to attendees a couple of days before the event.

CPD eligible.

Green Labs has teamed up with Eppendorf to provide training on how ultra low temperature (ULT) freezers protect your samples and what good practices you can adopt with yours.

• What do we need from sample storage?
• How do ULT freezers provide appropriate conditions?
• How should you operate your freezers to best protect your samples?

Content delivered will not be promotional and staff who use other brands are equally welcome to attend.

Spaces are limited, so attendees may be limited to one per group, subject to demand. Subsequent clinics are likely if interest is sufficient.

Refreshments will be available.

CPD eligible.

How can we reduce energy usage in laboratories?

As part of ‘Spotlight on Energy’ month in February 2019, come along for information and discussion on this topic. Areas will likely include how to prioritise your highest energy users and practical tips on improvements that can be made. A demonstration of the LEAF tool to quantify energy usage and opportunity within labs will also be presented. With representation from the University of Cambridge's Green Labs initiative and University College London.

Late morning refreshments will be provided.

Another session with the same content will also run at the Clinical School on the Addenbrooke's Site the following week. See Related Courses.

How can we reduce energy usage in laboratories?

As part of ‘Spotlight on Energy’ month in February 2019, come along for information and discussion on this topic. Areas will likely include how to prioritise your highest energy users and practical tips on improvements that can be made. A demonstration of the LEAF tool to quantify energy usage and opportunity within labs will also be presented. With representation from the University of Cambridge's Green Labs initiative and Environment & Energy team.

Late morning refreshments will be provided.

Another session with the same content will also run at 17 Mill Lane in central Cambridge the previous week. See Related Courses.

Green Labs has teamed up with Avidity Science to provide training on water use in laboratories.

• What types of water are used in labs and why?
• What are the techniques used to produce different types of lab water?
• What can you do to adopt good water-usage practices in your workspace?

Content delivered will not be promotional and staff who use other brands are equally welcome to attend.

This event will run with two sessions on different topics. These can be booked independently if you are only interested in, or are only able to attend, one of them.

• Session 1: 11:00-11:45, Laboratory water quality and purification techniques
• Refreshments: 11:45-12:15
• Session 2: 12:15-13:00, Lab water - economy and sustainability
• Q&A with Avidity Science experts: 13:00-13:15

Refreshments will be available between the two sessions. Delegates attending any of the sessions are welcome to them!