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Despite the pandemic, we’ve seen countless innovative ideas to encourage sustainability while working and studying from home: from online wellbeing events, to planting at homeÌýcampaigns, toÌýstrategic sustainability plans.  ThisÌýyear’sÌýsustainability awardsÌýcelebratedÌýthe ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº communityÌýfor making change possible at ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº and beyond.Ìý

An impressive 85Ìýteams participated inÌý¹û¶³Ó°Ôºâ€™sÌýGreen Impact a²Ô»å LEAF programmes,Ìýto makeÌýoffices and labs moreÌýsustainable.ÌýWhilstÌý67Ìýresearchers, teachers, students and professional staff were nominatedÌýforÌýprestigiousÌý³§³Ü²õ³Ù²¹¾±²Ô²¹²ú¾±±ô¾±³Ù²âÌý³§±è±ð³¦¾±²¹±ôÌý´¡·É²¹°ù»å²õ.ÌýFor the first time, weÌýhonouredÌý54ÌýStudentÌýSustainabilityÌýAmbassadorsÌýwhoÌýhave volunteeredÌýtoÌýmakeÌý¹û¶³Ó°Ôºâ€™s sustainability commitments a reality.Ìý

FourÌýÌýsustainabilityÌýleaders inspired the more than 150 ¹û¶³Ó°Ôºâ€™s sustainability champions joining the virtual awards ceremony:Ìý

• Richard Jackson, Director of Sustainable ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº, opened the ceremony looking back on theÌý¹û¶³Ó°Ôº community's sustainability achievementsÌýfrom the past academic year such as winning theÌýUK Higher Education sector Green Gown award for Climate Action, building ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº's first net zero carbon building, and launching ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº's Climate Hub:

“What I find working in this field of sustainability is that it unites our community around a common purpose. It acts as a bond that brings people together, helps to form friendships, enables togetherness and collaborative working. It's a strong value for a number of people...and it gives us purpose

• Ash Ghadiali,ÌýActivist in Residence at ¹û¶³Ó°Ôºâ€™s Sarah ParkerÌýRemondÌýCentre for the Study of Racism and Racialisation  recognised the collective efforts showcased at the ceremony to move ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº towards its sustainability goals and highlighed the power and possibility that comes with a university like ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº;

• Deborah Gill, ¹û¶³Ó°Ôºâ€¯Vice-Provost (Education & Student Experience) spoke about how sustainability and climate change are increasingly important to students and highlighted some student inivitatives at ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº that demonstrated this interest: a group of Medical students reviewed howÌýtheir facultyÌýcould incorporate sustainability in the curriculum and the Students' Union ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº launchedÌýits ambitious sustainability strategy:

“Like all of you I believe this is a pivotal time for our planet and its people, and I truly believe education is the central vehicle in creating the change that we need to see. I can commit that sustainability will be a thread in our education and student experience strategy in coming years

• Geraint Rees, Dean of the ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº Faculty of Life Sciences, ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº Pro-Provost (Academic Planning), Professor of Cognitive Neurology at ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº and Chair of the Sustainability Steering Group (SSG) concluded the ceremonyÌýwith a rallying cry encouraging students and staff in theirÌýefforts to mainstream sustainability and reflecting on how the challenges of the past year have shown us that change is possible.

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2021 Winners of the Sustainability Special AwardsÌýrevealedÌý

Staff Award for Outstanding Commitment to SustainabilityÌý

This year’s winner of the Staff Award for Outstanding Commitment to Sustainability isÌýIvetÌýDimitrova, University Project Officer in theÌý¹û¶³Ó°Ôº Estates Capital ProjectsÌýteamÌýfor incorporating sustainability intoÌý¹û¶³Ó°Ôº construction projects.Ìý

IvetÌýensuresÌýthat all future spacesÌýat ¹û¶³Ó°ÔºÌýare designed and constructed with an emphasis on sustainability and in line with theÌý¹û¶³Ó°Ôº SustainabilityÌýStrategyÌýand theÌý¹û¶³Ó°Ôº Sustainable Building Standard.Ìý

IvetÌýhas helped reduce ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº's environmental impact inÌýseveralÌýareas:Ìýreducing the energy use associated with mechanical and electrical building services; maximising materials reuse and minimising waste as part of a circular economy approach; and improving internal environments to support the health and wellbeing of staff and students.Ìý

Student Award for Outstanding Commitment to SustainabilityÌý

Carol PaigeÌýreceivesÌýthe Student Award for Outstanding Commitment to SustainabilityÌýduring her 2 years as Democracy, Operations and Community Sabbatical OfficerÌýatÌýthe Students’ Union ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº.Ìý

CarolÌýdevelopedÌýtheÌý, hostedÌýnumerous sustainability-themed events,ÌýincludingÌýsustainability talks during the election period,Ìýand facilitatedÌý¹û¶³Ó°Ôº'sÌýÌýandÌýSustainability AmbassadorÌýprogramme.ÌýÌý

Sustainability Research AwardÌý

Dr Priti Parikh, Associate ProfessorÌýandÌýHead ofÌýEngineering for International Development CentreÌýat theÌýBartlett School of Sustainable Construction,ÌýreceivesÌýtheÌýSustainabilityÌýResearchÌýAward forÌýchampioningÌýthe role of infrastructure to addressÌýtheÌýÌý(SDGs)Ìýover the last five years.ÌýÌý

She led a ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº team which demonstrated the links between sanitation and energy, climate change, health, education and poverty reduction, making a case forÌýtargeted action in sanitation. Until that point the linkages between water and the SDGs had been mapped but the role of sanitation had received very little attention. Priti has also led efforts to influence policy and practice, with her and her team’s work influencing the African Sanitation Strategy, andÌýhow SDGs are monitored in South Africa.Ìý

Sustainability Impact AwardÌý

This year’s Sustainability Impact Award goes toÌýÌýfor engaging theirÌýmembersÌýin sustainability campaigns andÌýundertaking aÌýsustainability week.ÌýTheirÌýeventsÌýaimed to mobilise the Shia Muslim community to engage with the climate crisis. During sustainability week theyÌýsought to uniteÌýstudent societies such as the Climate Action Society and the Pakistan Society,ÌýtoÌýdiscuss how climate change affects people of all faiths and backgrounds, andÌýhow they can work toÌýachieveÌýenvironmental justiceÌýand tackleÌýtheÌýclimateÌýcrisis.Ìý

Sustainability Education AwardÌý

This year the Sustainability Education Award is a joint award for the ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº Medical School forÌýa series of inspiringÌýstaff and student sustainability projects.Ìý

AdeshÌýSundaresan, Honorary Clinical Lecturer at theÌý¹û¶³Ó°Ôº Medical SchoolÌýdesigned and ran a novel module for medical studentsÌýdedicated to empowering, educating and inspiring students on the health impacts of climate change. Students were equipped with skills which will allow them to participate in adaptation, mitigation and communication-related activities.Ìý

Tor Wright,ÌýHead ofÌýMedicineÌýMBBSÌýManagement Clinical and Professional Practice and Quality Assurance and Enhancement Unit, and MedicalÌýstudentsÌýFlorenceÌýFowkes,ÌýMeharÌýSingh, JohnÌýOoiÌýandÌýNataliaÌýZernicka-GloverÌýcollaborated to review and integrateÌýissues linking healthcare, climate change, and sustainability into theÌýMBBS curriculum and presented this review to the MBBS Executive Team in March 2021.Ìý

DeanneÌýAtreed, Head of Strategic Partnerships at theÌý¹û¶³Ó°Ôº Medical SchoolÌýhas been instrumental in introducing core student teaching within the Medicine MBBS Programme (2000 students), as well as being key in establishing the first medical Student Selected Component (SSC) in climate change and health in the UK. Deanne also worked with Medical studentsÌýto sign aÌýDeclaration of the Climate Change Emergency, which is a national initiative amongst UK medical schools.Ìý

TrizzhaÌýFeliciano, Catherine Napper, Luisa Alamo Gomez, Selina AzizÌýandÌýIsis GasparÌýCaladoÌýresearchedÌýand reviewedÌýtheÌý¹û¶³Ó°Ôº Faculty of Medical Sciences’ commitment toÌýclimate changeÌýeducationÌýand sustainability inÌýthe faculty’sÌýcurriculum, interdisciplinary research, community outreach, support for student-led initiatives, and campus sustainability, in addition to setting up a board to further improve the faculty’s engagement in the futureÌýas part of theÌýPlanetary Health Report Card (PHRC)ÌýInitiative.ÌýÌý

Read more about the highly commended nominees and award winnersÌýhere

Green Impact Office Awards

Bronze Ìý

Bartlett LibraryÌý(Bartlett Bees)Ìý

Bartlett Faculty OfficeÌý

Department ofÌýEpidemiology and Public Health Ìý

Faculty of Laws (Green Laws)Ìý

Department for Hebrew and Jewish Studies (Jewish Green)Ìý Ìý

Orthopaedics Library  Ìý

Department ofÌýPhilosophyÌýÌý

School of Pharmacy Student and Academic Support Office ÌýÌý

School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEESÌýEvergreens)Ìý

Silver Ìý

Department ofÌýChemical EngineeringÌý(Chem Eng Sustainability) Ìý

Department of Information Studies Ìý

 ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº Queen Square Institute of Neurology (Green Square Admin)Ìý

Queen Square Library Ìý

Institute of Education (IOE)ÌýLibrary Ìý

Institute ofÌýOphthalmologyÌý(IOO) LibraryÌý

Main Library Ìý

Royal Free Library Ìý

Science Library Ìý

Senate House Ìý

Student Registry Services Ìý

¹û¶³Ó°Ôº Medical School Ìý

Mullard Space Science Laboratory from the Department of Space and Climate Physics Ìý

Gold Ìý

BASc Arts and SciencesÌý

Bartlett School of Environment, Energy, and ResourcesÌý(BSEER Green Team)Ìý

Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction (BSSC Green Onions)Ìý

Centre forÌýBiodiversity and Environment Research (CBER)Ìý

Central LibraryÌý

Cruciform Hub LibraryÌý

Dementia Research Centre at the Institute of NeurologyÌý(Dementia Research ION)Ìý

Finance and Business AffairsÌý(Green Counts)Ìý

¹û¶³Ó°Ôº Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health Library (ICH Library)Ìý

Institute of Archaeology LibraryÌý

Institute of Ophthalmology Ìý

Greek and Latin Department (Legion of Eunomia)Ìý

Office of the Vice-President Advancement (OVPA Green Team)Ìý

¹û¶³Ó°Ôº Psychology and Language Sciences (PALS Green Team)Ìý

School of Pharmacy Library Ìý

Student Enquiries Centre Team

Division of Surgery and Interventional Sciences (Sustainable Surgery)Ìý

¹û¶³Ó°Ôº Careers (Careers Staff Experience Team)Ìý

Language and Speech Science LibraryÌý

¹û¶³Ó°Ôº Innovation and Enterprise Ìý

Bartlett School of PlanningÌý

WickfordÌýStores (Wickford Zero Waste)ÌýÌý

LEAF Awards for Sustainable Laboratories

BronzeÌý

I&I RayneÌý

PharmaceuticsÌýInstrumentalÌý– B12, B57, 306, 317, 320, 324Ìý

Pharmaceutics Tissue Culture Facility 301aÌý

Department of Clinical and Movement NeuroscienceÌý

Institute of Prion Diseases, MRC Prion Unit at ¹û¶³Ó°ÔºÌý

Spinal Repair UnitÌý

Centre for Obesity ResearchÌý

Institute of Women’s HealthÌý

MacAskill LabÌý

Ear InstituteÌý

Department of Neuroinflammation at Wakefield StreetÌý

Bloomsbury Institute of Intensive Care MedicineÌý

SoPÌý- MSc Teaching/Instrumentation Laboratory (B56)Ìý

Katan LabÌý

SilverÌý

WHOÌýPSRLÌý

Fly Lab RockefellerÌý

UK DRIÌý

Thermal Analysis LaboratoryÌý

Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy LabsÌý

Department of Neurodegenerative DiseaseÌý

Research Department of PathologyÌý

¹û¶³Ó°Ôº RespiratoryÌý

Institute of Healthy AgeingÌý

Annette Dolphin LabÌý

Centre for Clinical MicrobiologyÌý

LMCBÌý

GoldÌý

PALS LEAF LabÌý- from ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº Psychology and Language Sciences Ìý

School of Pharmacy Teaching LabsÌý- from ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº PharmacyÌý

IoOÌýLabsÌý-Ìýfrom ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº Institute of Ophthalmology Ìý

Department of Neuromuscular DiseasesÌý

Cruciform 3.4Ìý

NMD – Cruciform BuildingÌý

GeographyÌýLabsÌý

Kurian LabÌý–ÌýZCRÌý

C. B. E.Ìý

Ìý

ISH LaboratoriesÌý

SainsburyÌýWellcomeÌýCentreÌý

Fish Floor AnatomyÌý

DSISÌý

Environmental Engineering LaboratoryÌý

Sustainability Plan Awards

PALs (Psychology and Language Sciences)

A plan including an innovative No Fly Zone Pledge to reduce academic travel that has the potential to become a ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº-wide initiative.

Innovation and Enterprise
A plan including a dedicated section to promoting Innovation and Enterprise’s support for sustainable activities across ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº linked to their unique position, including entrepreneurship support for ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº students with a sustainability focus.

History
A plan including embedding sustainability into their teaching, induction week activities and as part of a compulsory module, with future plans to work with the Geography Department on possible co-development of sustainability teaching.

Mullard Space Science Laboratory
A plan considering the laboratory’s unique location, and how people can be encouraged to travel to them sustainably, from organising meetings nearer the train station to setting up EV charging points.

Students' Union
A plan including the ambitious goal to become the most sustainable Students’ Union in the UK, and the embedding of sustainability into everything they do.

Medical School
A plan including a pledge to integrate sustainability teaching into the Medicine MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) curriculum.

Division of Surgery
A plan including a bespoke sustainability policy and a series of sustainability pledges alongside this, setting out greater ambitions.

OVPESE and Arena Centre
A plan to embed sustainability throughout the curriculum, including a connected learning internship project on sustainability in higher education, launching a sustainable curriculum toolkit, and showcasing sustainability in the curriculum in a large-scale panel event.

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