Welcome
As a university, we have a vital role to play in promoting sustainability and social justice. Through the University’s Strategic Plan 2020-2025, we're committed to making a substantive contribution to addressing the challenges presented by the climate and ecological crisis through our teaching, research, campus operations and engagement with students, staff and the wider community.
We take an institution-wide approach to sustainability. Our Environmental Management System (EMS) brings together environmental and sustainability initiatives under one umbrella and has been certified to ISO14001:2015 standard and awarded EcoCampus Platinum in recognition of the work undertaken to manage environmental impacts and continually improve environmental performance.
We are a signatory of Southampton City Council’s Green City Charter and share a vision of a cleaner, greener, healthier and more sustainable city. Through the actions we take as an institution we are helping to deliver their Green City Plan 2030.
The University’s sustainability work is guided by Solent Sustainability Group, chaired by our Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research Academic Strategy Planning and comprising representatives from academic departments, professional services and the Students' Union. The Group is responsible, on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor's Group (VCG), for providing strategic leadership and governance for embedding sustainability practices within the culture of the institution. The current Environmental and Sustainability Enabling Plan sets measurable goals and outlines the actions needed to achieve those objectives up to 2025. Solent Sustainability Group meets three times a year to check progress of the Enabling Plan and review policies including the Environmental Policy, Sustainable and Ethical Procurement Policy, and Sustainable Food Policy.
4th university in the UK for low carbon emissions
Reducing our carbon footprint
Between 2005 and 2020, Solent University made considerable progress in consolidating its physical estate and centring its teaching activities onto the main campus based in Southampton’s city centre. In conjunction, investment in energy efficiency measures, including LED lighting, movement sensors, and optimised building management and control have all contributed to a reduction in overall emissions.
Our East Park Terrace (EPT) campus is connected to Southampton’s district energy scheme which provides hot water and heat to a variety of organisations within a 2km radius of the energy centre located near the central train station. Solar photovoltaic panels are already installed on several buildings across our campuses with ongoing plans to increase coverage. The Christopher Cockerell building on our EPT campus has undergone significant refurbishment in 2024/25 and will feature an extensive photovoltaic installation to its roof area.
The University has set an ambitious target to achieve net zero carbon emissions in scopes 1 and 2, those emissions generated through direct use of fuel and through purchased electricity, by the end of the 2035/36 academic year. Our latest Carbon Management Plan (CMP), produced in partnership with AtkinsRealis, sets out a series of proposed interventions which, when implemented, will see Solent achieving this net zero across all scopes by 2050.
As well as improvements to our buildings, the CMP includes actions which aim to influence the behaviours of staff and students. These actions will help to encourage greener and more sustainable choices which will contribute to reductions in our scope 3 emissions, including commuting, business travel, procurement activities and waste generation.
Refurbishment of our existing buildings provide further opportunities to lower carbon emissions and incorporate best sustainable practices in design and construction. The University’s most recent developments, the Spark and Solent Sports Complex, both achieved a BREEAM Excellent rating.
We are also taking action to decarbonise our finances. In April 2020, Solent’s Vice Chancellor signed the People & Planet Fossil Free Declaration after the University fully divested from fossil fuels. We hold no investments in extractor fossil fuel companies and never will invest in these companies.
Recycling and waste
Solent is part of a waste and recycling contract with the universities of Southampton, Portsmouth, Bournemouth, Bournemouth Arts, Winchester and the South Hampshire College Group (SHCG) which is comprised of Southampton City College, Fareham College, and Eastleigh College. We share collection services and focus efforts on waste reduction, resource management, reuse and recycling best practice. The University collects recycling, general and food waste from across all campuses and student residences.
When students move out of their residence at the end of the academic year, unwanted but usable household items, kitchenware and clothing are donated to the British Heart Foundation. The residences also support Southampton City Mission every year by donating surplus food collected from kitchens after students have moved out.
Recycling materials are sent to a material recovery facility where recyclable materials are separated. General waste and any materials which cannot be recycled are sent to an energy from waste facility for energy recovery.
- Recyclable materials are sent to a materials recovery factory. Any waste which can't be recycled is sent to an energy from waste facility for energy recovery.
- Food waste from catering outlets, office kitchens and student kitchens is anaerobically digested and waste cooking oil is converted to biodiesel.
- Printing use has been reduced in the last five years, saving over 240 trees by printing a mini guide instead of a full prospectus.
Sowlent Community Garden
The Sowlent Community Garden is our allotment in the heart of the city, situated next to the Solent Sports Complex on East Park Terrace.
Our Students' Union 'Sowlent' Society currently has eight active student members. Each member is allocated a plot within the garden where they can grow fruits, vegetables, and flowers. They can enjoy the results of their labours by taking their produce home to cook and eat.
The society often holds events to introduce the garden to students not already actively involved. A dedicated session will be held in the 2024/25 academic year during the Students' Union’s Give it a Go week, where students will be actively encouraged to try new activities. The garden was also included as an option for the SU-led 2025 Volunteering Week.
The Garden is also a Living Lab, and used for student projects including monitoring growing conditions using remote sensing and a master's dissertation exploring the link between home grown produce and improved diet and nutrition.
Green travel
The University is keen to ensure students and staff can travel to campus in a safe, active and sustainable way. The East Park Terrace campus is located within the city centre which is served by a variety of public transport and micromobility options such as pay to hire e-scooters and e-bikes. Details of travel options can be found here.
Secure cycle storage and changing facilities are available in the Sports Complex. Various cycling initiatives are run by the My Journey Hampshire Network, including regular bike doctor events, a cycling network, journey planning and live travel information for all travel modes.
Find out more
Responsible procurement
The University’s purchasing activities have a significant impact on the wider world. Our Sustainable and Ethical Procurement Policy ensures that we are embedding responsible procurement practices, which create positive social, economic and environmental outcomes.
The University works closely with suppliers and contractors to reduce the negative impacts within supply chains and ensure contracts deliver social value. During construction of the Solent Sports Complex, staff at lead contractor Morgan Sindall undertook voluntary work on community projects and delivered free lectures to Solent students. In addition, 86% of Morgan Sindall’s project spend was with SMEs.
Biodiversity
We're making space for nature across all our sites. The University’s Biodiversity Action Plan, created in partnership with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, guides our work to protect, enhance and create new habitats for wildlife.
Our Ship Handling Centre at Timsbury Lake is a haven for protected species including otter, water vole, great crested newt and eight species of bat. The site is medieval in origin and has a biodiverse mix of ponds, streams, woodland, aquatic marginal vegetation, scrub and shrub. Over 30 species of ancient woodland plants have been recorded. A conservation management plan is in place at Timsbury Lake, which was updated in 2024. The plan outlines requirements to complete yearly monitoring of the different species and to maintain and enhance habitats and flora and fauna native to the area.
The native wildflower meadow at East Park Terrace, provides a pollen and nectar-rich habitat for a range of invertebrates and was awarded Highly Commended in the national Bees Needs Awards. In autumn and winter, meadow areas left uncut create shelter for overwintering insects and a food source for our resident flock of goldfinches and other seed-eating birds.
Sustainable food
Our contract partner, Sodexo Education Ltd provides the catering operation on campus, helping the University to deliver our environmental and ethical commitments.
Following the pandemic in 2020/21 Sodexo changed its catering offer to a cooked- to-order model. This entails preparing and serving only meals which are pre-ordered and thereby reducing food waste by 70% from pre-Covid figures.
Sodexo supports students and staff to adopt positive eating habits by providing a full range of options to suit all dietary requirements that are good for health, wellbeing and the environment.
Sodexo has achieved various accreditations and accolades for its catering provision. Sodexo uses only:
- free-range eggs as certified by the Good Egg Award,
- meat products certified by the Red Tractor,
- fish and seafood certified by the Marine Stewardship Council.
The University is Rainforest Alliance-certified, meaning relevant ingredients are sourced from Rainforest Alliance-certified farms and forests.
Drinking water refill points are located across campus as part of our commitment to reducing single-use plastics. Click on the map and then on the tap icon for a description of where the refill point is located in the building. The water point at Main Reception in Andrews Building is also a Refill station on the national Refill App.
Find out more about catering at Solent University and our certifications and awards here. Read our Sustainable Food Policy here.
Education and research
Through our courses and degree programmes, we are equipping our students with the skills and attributes needed to shape a positive future. We want all Solent students to learn about sustainability and apply their learning when they graduate to make the world a better place.
Through education and research, the University contributes to progress against many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) targets and we are aiming to achieve a top 33% placing in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings by 2025.
Solent is involved in and leading a range of innovative research projects into sustainability and environmental challenges.
Contact us
Click here for more information about environment and sustainability at Solent University.
Contact the Environment and Sustainability Team
