Environmental Inductions
All new members of staff receive a corporate Environmental Induction along with the general
corporate induction. The induction gives a general overview of the environmental challenges
faced by Queen’s, how we are managing them, and general tips for reducing our impact in the
workplace.
Why have an Departmental Environmental Induction?
Encouraging new staff to do their bit right from the beginning of their employment will ensure
that your environmental initiatives are successful by eliminating bad habits from the start.
You will be able to provide a lot more detailed information specific to your department than
the Environment Team can get across in their presentation.
What should we do?

Decide how you want to conduct your induction – you could include it in your local
Health & Safety induction, have a one-to-one session given by nominated teammembers, or simply include useful information in your induction pack.

Decide what to include in your induction – make it relevant to your department. If you
have already identified your environmental impacts and completed some of the tasks
in your Green Impact workbook this will be relatively easy.

Key themes to include could be:
o
o
o
o
o
o
Energy management – which equipment, lights etc should be off/unplugged
when not in use
Waste – what can be recycled in the department and where and guidance to
reduce waste in the workplace. More details can be found on Ecoweb.
Transport – explain different travel options available to staff including
cycling, walking and public transport and the various incentives for using
sustainable transport.
Heating – what to do if your workspace is too hot or cold and explain if you
have introduced any rules for use of heating and cooling. E.g. setting
radiators at their optimum temperature.
Purchasing – have you implemented a procedure to reduce unnecessary
purchases?
Space Utilisation – when planning meetings, lectures, events booking a
room appropriate to your requirements will help the university to manage
space and associated energy use more efficiently.
To aid you with this task a template induction document is attached in Appendix one.
Need help? Email carbonmanagement@qub.ac.uk or call Sara
Lynch on ext. 1198
TEMPLATE ENVIRONMENTAL INDUCTION FOR SCHOOL OF XXXX
ENVIRONMENTAL INDUCTION FOR ESTATES DIRECTORATE
Queen’s is committed to improving its environmental performance and fundamentally
changing the way it works so that it becomes an environmentally sustainable low carbon
organisation.
School of XX has implemented a number of actions to ensure we do what we can to in reduce
our environmental impact.
1.
ENERGY
All staff at the University should take ensure that the following steps are taken to
reduce energy use on a day to day basis:
•
Enabling the power down features on their PC or requesting this of their IT dept.
(Screen savers do not save energy)
•
Switching off their PC monitor when they are not using it
•
Switching office equipment off at night.
•
Switching off lights when a room is left empty for longer than 15 minutes, or when
there is sufficient natural lighting.
•
Closing windows when the heating or air-conditioning is on
•
Wearing additional clothing, closing windows, and speaking to their building
manager regarding the temperature in their room to avoid using personal electric
heaters
Staff should be aware that heating should be set to a maximum of 19/21oC and cooling
should be set to a minimum of 24oC.
2.
WASTE:
The University is committed to reducing waste. The University’s waste policy encourages all
staff to apply the ‘Waste Hierarchy’ as far as possible:



Reduce
Reuse
Recycle
The following waste streams can be recycled within the University:
Cardboard, paper (including confidential), batteries, books, cans, plastics and glass,
confidential waste, electrical and electronic equipment, IT equipment, newspaper, paper,
furniture, scrap metal, refrigeration equipment, toner and printer cartridges, and wood.
Full details are available from the University’s web pages: www.qub.ac.uk/carbon
PROVIDE OVERVIEW OF SPECIFIC ARRANGEMENTS FOR RECYCLING IN YOUR
AREA.
Need help? Email carbonmanagement@qub.ac.uk or call Sara
Lynch on ext. 1198
3.
TRAVEL
The University has a Travel Plan, and promotes a range of options as alternatives to single
occupancy car journeys, cycle to work scheme travel loans for public transport and a car
share scheme. Access information, as well as practical and/or financial support on the
University’s sustainable travel initiatives and incentives can be gained from the carbon
management website: www.qub.ac.uk/sustainabletravel
4.
ENVIRONMENTAL PURCHASING
The University is an accredited Fair Trade university.
The University has an implemented a Green Purchasing policy and has developed guidance
for buyer guides.
The following factors should be considered when purchasing in the University an ethical
purchase.
• Is the product made partly or wholly from recycled material?
• Can the product be recycled once it has been finished with?
• Is the product energy efficient? i.e. electrical appliances that have an A or B
energy rating.
• Does the product include excess packaging?
• Is the product sourced from local suppliers?
• Is the product really needed?
• Would it be possible to reuse within the university e.g. furniture, rather than
buying new?
Further information on the University Green Purchasing guide is available on
http://www.qub.ac.uk/sites/CarbonManagementatQueens/SustainabilityatQueens/Environmen
talPurchasing/
Need help? Email carbonmanagement@qub.ac.uk or call Sara
Lynch on ext. 1198
Need help? Email carbonmanagement@qub.ac.uk or call Sara
Lynch on ext. 1198