KEELE DEVELOPMENTS
Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do , tackling the world ’ s biggest problems through our research , and educating tomorrow ’ s leaders to shape a brighter future .
20 | FOREVER Keele
KEELE DEVELOPMENTS
Sustainability at Keele
Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do , tackling the world ’ s biggest problems through our research , and educating tomorrow ’ s leaders to shape a brighter future .
Keele has done much to increase the sustainability of our campus and operations , including the development of our Low Carbon Energy Generation Park in conjunction with a Smart Energy Network Demonstrator , meaning up to 50 % of the electricity we consume is generated from solar and wind power on-site . The positive effects of this go far beyond our own operations ; since its completion in 2022 , we have seen over 2,000 visitors come to learn about the energy transition and what it means to their organisations .
Up to half of the electricity we consume is generated from solar and wind power on-site
We also do much more to support others in tackling the challenges of reducing fossil fuel consumption and achieving wider sustainability targets . Keele has been funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority ( WMCA ) to deliver 12-16 week ‘ Skills Bootcamps ’ for people in employment living in the WMCA area - one on Net Zero and Smart Energy , and the other on Place-Based Decarbonisation , which reflects taking a place-based approach to tackling a breadth of sustainability issues such as housing , energy supply , transport and green space access . We were delighted to be awarded an Ofsted ‘ Outstanding ’ rating for our Bootcamps in 2023 and are even more delighted to see our bootcamp alumni go on to new sustainability jobs and increase the impact of their work .
December 2024 saw the end of the first year of the Department for Education-funded ‘ Climate Ambassadors ’ programme . Keele hosts the West Midlands Climate Ambassadors Hub , one of nine regional hubs across England . This programme , which is led by the University of Reading and the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges , aims to support education settings ( including nurseries , schools and colleges ) in developing climate action plans through help from volunteer climate ambassadors . The programme focuses on four different pillars of sustainability in schools : decarbonisation , adaptation and resilience , green careers and education , and biodiversity .
Keele is also working with Staffordshire County Council on an InnovateUK funded project as part of their Net Zero Living programme , to understand the workforce needs and opportunities to meet the net zero targets and wider sustainability goals for Staffordshire .