Green Portsmouth

Green Building Challenge

The Green Building Challenge encourages all staff and students in all buildings to reduce carbon emissions. With the simple steps below, each building can contribute to the University's target to reduce carbon emissions by 30 per cent by 2016. Find out more about carbon and energy management at the University.

Start now, with a few simple changes to your day:

Switch off lights

Lighting can account for over 40 per cent of electricity costs in non air-conditioned buildings. Lights in meeting rooms, teaching rooms and offices can be switched off when the room is empty. If you are the last person to leave your area at night, switch off the lights.

If you notice lights left on, email greenportsmouth@port.ac.uk. Remind your cleaner and caretaker to switch off too.

Switch off equipment

A typical PC uses more energy than a 100 watt light bulb. Computers should be shut down if you leave the office for an hour or more and at the end of each day. This means switching off computer screens too, not leaving them on standby.

You should also switch off photocopiers, printers, projectors and any other electrical equipment.

Reduce, reuse, recycle

Every building should have recycling bins. If you don't have a bin in your area, contact your Green Champion or email greenportsmouth@port.ac.uk.

Why not use your desk bin as your own personal recycling bin (small bin stickers are available). We can recycle a large amount of material at the University, possibly more than you can at home. Read the list of items that can be recycled and make sure you are recycling.

You can also help to reduce waste by reusing office equipment and stationery, especially envelopes for internal use.

Find out more about recycling and waste management at the University.

Conserve heat and energy

Buildings have centrally-managed heating and some cooling systems which maintain temperature at 21 degrees. Using stand-alone heating or cooling devices can tamper with the central system, so speak to your manager if the temperature in your area is not satisfactory.

Don't be tempted to bring in an electric heater or cooler – they are a Health and Safety risk, inefficient and costly.

Reduce printing and individual printers

The University uses a forest of paper each year. Think before you print. Do you really need a hard copy?

The University is encouraging offices to use energy-efficient multi-function printers which also make a substantial cost saving for departments compared to stand-alone printers and copiers. Speak to your Green Champion or contact printanddesign@port.ac.uk to discuss your needs.

Give up your water cooler

These are left on all year, when good quality tap water is readily available in all buildings. Please email greenportsmouth@port.ac.uk to have your water cooler removed and save energy.

Evening room bookings

We keep many of our buildings open during the evenings at a reduced capacity. Requests for room bookings in the evening will now be concentrated in our most energy-efficient buildings to allow less efficient buildings to close.

Your building statistics

Each building will contribute to the target to reduce carbon emissions by 30 per cent by 2016.  Once energy monitors have been fitted in all buildings, you'll be able to see what effect your changes are having on your building.  You can view the recycling rate for your building on our targets and statistics webpage.