Maynooth Green Campus Committee
    Strategic Plan 2018-2022 submission

    Aim:

    • Make Maynooth University an internationally recognised model in relation to environmental sustainability and environmental justice in its planning, operations, teaching and research and public engagement.

    Objectives:

    • Make MU a model in relation to energy use and conservation;
    • Make MU a model in relation to waste reduction, recycling;
    • Make MU a model in relation to water management;
    • Make MU a model in relation to travel and transport management;
    • Make the campus a model site for promoting biodiversity;
    • Make MU an internationally recognised centre for promoting climate justice;

    General Actions:

    • Continue to collaborate with SPCM and Trócaire in pursuing environmental goals and climate justice;
    • Invest in a planned ducting system that integrates underground services (electricity, gas and water) into a system to serve existing and new buildings on the campus;
    • Promote the mainstreaming of good practice through University structures;
    • Promote the themes of environmental sustainability and related social justice concerns across the board in teaching, learning, research and public engagement at the University;
    • Work with local community groups to harmonise efforts in sustainability for Maynooth as a whole
    • Support efforts to achieve and retain the An Taisce Green Campus Flag;

    Thematic Actions:

    Energy Management

    • Achieve all required public targets in relation to energy reduction of 33% per FTE student by 2020;
    • Obtain and operate ISO50001 standard energy management system for this purpose;
    • Mainstream best practice protocols for energy conservation in the everyday operation of insulation, lighting, heating and electrical equipment buildings, offices, labs –  building by building;
    • Do feasibility studies for renewable energy: a) a significant wind power project and b) a significant solar power initiative and c) explore the potential for geothermal sources;
    • Continue to improve heating efficiency and replace inefficient plant;
    • Utilise common ducting system for as called for above;

    Waste Management

    • Consolidate projects on improving waste stream management;
    • Improve bin labelling and educating and motivating staff and students;
    • Continue to develop new smart bins and other projects;
    • Continue to improve data on waste in conjunction with waste recycling contractors;
    • Promote new imaginative projects, particularly in relation to plastic bottles, non-recyclable disposables in the catering area;

    Water Conservation

    • Upgrade water pipes and eliminate leaks from the system;
    • Utilise the common ducting system (proposed above) to enable proper diagnostic and immediate response to leakages;
    • Find imaginative ways to incorporate storm-water retention basins for new buildings into lakes to provide landscaping for environmental, social and aesthetic benefit, instead of beneath buildings;
    • Promote use of rainwater and grey water where appropriate within buildings and in grounds management;
    • Promote the use of re-usable drinking bottles and the elimination of single-use plastic bottles ;
    • Provide more goose-necked water fountains on campus and maintain and clean existing ones daily, provide attractive signage & continue promotions like the offer of a reusable MU drink bottle to all new students);

    Sustainable Travel and Transport

    • Promote cycling through infrastructure (cycle-ways on and off campus; secure, sheltered bike racks; accessible shower facilities, repair and sale services on campus);
    • Promote walking and review and redesign pedestrian pathways;
    • Promote better access by bus services (e.g., bringing Dublin Bus services beyond Maynooth town to the North campus);
    • Promote reduced car use, car-sharing;
    • Redesign the routing of cars so as to eliminate pedestrian-motorist intersections;
    • Significantly reduce the distance an average car drives on the campus each day – (the circular one-way system on the North Campus is exactly one mile in length!);
    • Review the siting of parking so as to reduce or minimise pedestrian road-crossing give way to pedestrians (in particular the major busy crossing near the School of Education;

    Biodiversity

    • Link the rich biodiversity of our campus to wider global issues of biodiversity, such as pollination, food security;
    • Embrace and promote the participation by the University in the All Ireland Pollinator Plan (AIPP), as initiated by the Maynooth Green Campus Biodiversity working group;
    • Highlight exciting participative learning events such as annual Biodiversity Week and the Bio-Blitz events;
    • Develop the biodiversity theme in promoting the campus as a site for public engagement,
    • Engage with municipal, county and regional agencies in promoting the rich cultural and environmental heritage of the University and surrounding area for visitors and tourists;

    Climate Justice

    • Sustain the leadership position that MU has achieved in recent years through its work on climate justice;
    • Organise events to highlight the importance of action against climate change via mitigation and adaptation;
    • Continue to lead in relation to ethical investment and divestment campaigning nationally.