Queen's University Belfast are pleased to announce we have won the Green Flag and Green Heritage Awards again this year for the Lanyon Site. We also won Commended in the Green Flag Pollinator Award for our 'No Mow' Areas (found at Ashby Hill, DKB Quad and Riddel Hall)!

We had a brilliant day at the awards ceremony which took place at Brownlow House in Lurgan and had the privilege of listening to Colin Stafford-Johnson (wildlife cameraman) discuss biodiversity and the importance of the Green Flag Award.

Well done to our Grounds and Gardening Team for all their hard work- our campus is kept to such a high standard, and we couldn't do it without them!

Read more about the Green Flag Awards.

Green at Queen’s are pleased to announce that the Big Loop Bike Hub has been shortlisted in the ‘Money For Good’ category of the Green Gown Awards 2022.

We are very happy to highlight the fantastic work completed by the bike hub and The Turnaround Project.

Additionally, we are pleased to highlight that one of Queen’s PhD researchers, Joseph Fitzpatrick Ireland, has been shortlisted for an Individual Award in the ‘Research with Impact’ category of the Green Gown Awards. His work on Geothermal Energy systems in Northern Ireland is incredibly interesting and is raising awareness for geothermal energy and its potential in Northern Ireland. Well done Joseph and good luck at the awards!

On 17^th June, the Maths and Physics Sky Garden was officially launched by the Maths and Physics Green Team, with staff and students enjoying a reception in celebration of the completion of the project.

The Maths and Physics Sky Garden was imagined by the Green Team within the School of Mathematics and Physics. Staff and students wanted to create a green space that provided a home for wildlife, whilst enhancing a tired space and providing a vital wellbeing area for their staff and students.

Using funds committed from the School, along with financial support from Estates, staff and students within Physics, the Gardening Team and the Estates Directorate all worked together to recreate the existing balcony into an area with seating and planters, encouraging all users to enjoy views of Botanic Park and their own garden.

A pilot lab sustainability program, called LEAF has recently been launched at Queen’s University, exploring how labs across campus can become more aware of their sustainability. LEAF is a sustainable lab certification program, helping labs to gauge if they are following sustainable practices in their teaching and research. The cross Faculty pilot has already started, with Professor Alan Stitt as academic lead.

The program will aim to embed good sustainability practises within participating University laboratories, with a view to rolling out across all labs at the University.

Queen’s University Belfast and Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful have developed a Carbon Literacy training course tailored to the requirements of students and staff in Northern Ireland. The course is bespoke to Queen’s and accredited by the Carbon Literacy Project.

The training offers students an awareness of climate change science, and the climate impacts of our everyday actions, as well as building confidence, knowledge, skills and motivation to empower individuals and organisations to play a crucial role in responding to the climate crisis. Students then complete a Carbon Literacy Evidence form which is sent to The Carbon Literacy Project to become Carbon Literate.

The Big Loop Bike Hub at Queen's has been up and running since October, gaining traction with staff and students. This is the latest initiative that encourages an alternative method to travelling by car, helping to reduce congestion on campus and lower staff and student carbon footprints across the university. So far this year, additional cycle parking for 124 bikes has been installed across the campus, including new secure cycle parking. The Bike Hub offers a wide range of services, such as: leasing and purchasing refurbished second-hand bikes, safety equipment, puncture repair and more.

For more information, including booking bikes in for services, visit the hub’s webpage or call into the Bike Hub itself, located on Level 1 of the Administration Building (opposite the McClay Library).

To keep up to date on all things Green at Queen's make sure you join the Teams Sustainability Champion Network. 

This network provides you with the opportunity to chat with fellow green minded people, ask questions, discover what resources and events are taking place, and finally, read the latest Green at Queen's E-Zine!

When? 4^th August

Cycling to Work Day sees millions take to the saddle each year. There are many benefits of cycling to work: cycling is a form of sustainable travel and contributes to a greener planet, saves you money spent on petrol or train tickets and helps you get fit in the process. Many also find that cycling to work helps them feel motivated and energetic throughout their workday. Forget runners high. Cycling success seems to be the new thing.

At Queen’s we provide facilities for bike users across the campus. Bike stands are available across the University, as well as shower and locker facilities. Similarly, if you want to cycle to work but don’t have the right equipment, our CyclePlus Scheme offers staff the opportunity to obtain a bicycle and safety equipment at a discounted price by way of ‘salary sacrifice’.

If your bike is in need of some TLC, then why not visit our Big Loop Bike Hub on Level 1 of the Administration Building? There, you can see our bike specialists for bike services, bike leasing and more! If you would like to book in for a service, then visit the Big Loop Bike’s servicing page.

From 18^th – 22^nd July, the Sustainability Team completed butterfly surveys as part of the Big Butterfly Count 2022 within our ‘No Mow’ Areas – DKB Quad, Ashby Hill and Riddell Hall. We found lots of butterflies in our ‘No Mow’ Areas, including species such as the Common White, Common Brown, Meadow Brown and even the Common Blue!

Unfortunately, the Big Butterfly Count over the last few years has shown a decline in butterfly numbers across the U.K and Ireland. Half of the UK’s 58 resident butterfly species are listed as “threatened” or “near threatened” with extinction, according to the latest Red List, while common species such as the small tortoiseshell are also becoming less abundant. Butterflies are declining more rapidly in urban areas than in the countryside.

However, due to the presence of No Mow Areas on campus, QUB are happy to see butterflies thriving in these areas, and we are glad to support not only butterflies but all pollinators as part of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan.

8^th – 14^th August

This year, the National Allotments Week theme is Bugs, Bees and Broccoli, and acknowledges the importance of gardening with nature in mind.

Our allotment up at Elm’s BT9 is a great example of a thriving eco-system, with a great variety of fruit and vegetables- it is a haven for pollinators in busy Belfast! As you can see from the photos, our students are very dedicated to helping out at the allotment, with regular training sessions happening throughout the year. Recently, the students harvested some garlic, sugar snap peas and redcurrants!

National Allotments Week

We are planning the next stage in our sustainability journey and the development of a new University Climate Strategy. This Strategy will see the University set a more ambitious target of net-zero emissions by a defined date. 

To inform and develop our Strategy we will be commencing a ‘Net Zero Conversation’ across the University, we would encourage you to join that conversation and share your thoughts, views and ideas on how we shape our journey to Net Zero.

We will be in touch in the coming weeks with more information on how you can get involved.  If you would require any further information at this stage, please email sustainability@qub.ac.uk.