Achievements in Sustainability
Nottingham Trent University has been classed as one of the greenest universities in the UK for the past eight years and has also been ranked amongst the world's most sustainable universities.
High performance, low impact
For over 10 years, NTU has consistently ranked as a first class university in the People and Planet University League, the UK's only comprehensive and independent league table of universities ranked by environmental and ethical performance. We have also been ranked second most sustainable university in the world in the UI GreenMetric World University Rankings, out of over 900 institutions.
We have also achieved an overall performance level of Platinum for all frameworks of the Sustainability Leadership Scorecard (SLS) following a self-assessment made in February 2020. Read NTU’s SLS report.
Sustainable Digital Project – UCISA Awards 2023
NTU won an award for its efforts to increase sustainability and optimize device usage by replacing the previous model of laptops with Microsoft Surface laptops. This change has saved at least 38,208kg CO2e over the course of the device's life and 1,672kWh of energy annually.
The project focused on matching device features with job functions, resulting in improvements in user experience, productivity, and lower costs. The Surface Pro has transformed the way teaching academics engage and collaborate with students, and the University has worked with suppliers to encourage bulk deliveries and donated old devices to charity or students through a hardship fund.
Microsoft's strong sustainability commitments, such as becoming carbon negative by 2030 and using more sustainable materials in its products, influenced the choice of device range. The University's commitment to sustainability, employee productivity and satisfaction, and cost-effectiveness sets a new standard for device usage and sustainability.
AUDE- Impact Initiative of the Year Award
Our Green Rewards programme won The AUDE University Impact Initiative of the Year 2022 Award, which seeks to recognise a specific initiative having a significant positive impact on the institution or the higher education sector. The programme, which has now been adopted across Nottinghamshire, was applauded by the judges for enabling "easy and realistic ways for the public to make their own [sustainable] impact". This is the second time that NTU has won an award within this category.
Wharton-QS Reimagine Education Award
NTU won the Sustainability Gold category in the 2021 Wharton-QS Reimagine Education Awards for its Carbon Literacy Training for Educators, Communities, Organizations and Students (CLT-ECOS). The training was one of 1,100 global submissions in the awards and was celebrated for having reached more than 10,000 individuals from 76 nations on all continents, 240 universities and 64 organisations. Find out more about CLT-ECOS.
EAUC Green Gown Awards
NTU has won a number of highly prestigious Green Gown Awards, presented by the Environmental Association of Universities and Colleges (EAUC). In 2021, the Catering and Food team received the Campus Food and Drink award for their “DINEamic Sustainable Journey” which generated a reduction in food miles, waste, and energy consumption, and a considerable expansion of Fairtrade, organic, MSC, Red Tractor and plant-based produce. We were also highly commended in the Student Engagement category for NTU’s Green Rewards programme.
In 2019, NTU won Outstanding Leadership Team of the Year in collaboration with NTSU, and since 2017 have received Green Gown Awards for Sustainability Institution of the Year, Student Engagement, Employability and Leadership.
Green Flag Status
Since the summer of 2012, both our Clifton and Brackenhurst Campuses have been awarded Green Flag status. This is a national award recognising green spaces throughout the country. NTU is one of only 18 universities in the UK to have achieved this prestigious award for its grounds.
Receiving Green Flag status puts Clifton and Brackenhurst in prestigious company - other notable green spaces with the award include Buckingham Palace Garden, Hyde Park in London, as well Nottingham's Arboretum in the city centre.
The campuses were assessed against eight key criteria including Cleanliness and Maintenance, Health, Safety and Security, Biodiversity, Landscape and Heritage, Environmental Management and Community Involvement.
For further information about our future plans to help enhance biodiversity, manage the landscape and encourage community involvement, please see our:
LEAF- Sustainable Labs
NTU is proud to have signed up to the Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF), which is a nationwide sustainability standard for laboratory operations. Developed by UCL, LEAF has been designed to facilitate improvements in laboratory sustainability, practice and research quality by providing actions to complete in a workbook – with the aim of achieving Bronze, Silver or Gold status. Laboratory spaces typically use up to five times more energy and resources than an office space of a similar size. By using the LEAF tool, NTU hopes to reduce the environmental impact of these laboratory spaces whilst maintaining the high quality of work that is already taking place within them.
Lab users are presented with pre-set actions to complete starting with Bronze, working up to Silver and then Gold. These actions have been proven to improve sustainability within a lab environment. As of 2023, 9 NTU labs have been awarded the Bronze certification and 17 tonnes of carbon have been saved. Find out more on our LEAF webpage.