May 2012

Leeds Met is first class for the environment

Leeds Metropolitan University has been awarded a first class degree in People & Planet's annual green league table for the sixth year in a row, making it one of the greenest universities in the UK. People & Planets green league is the only league table to show the environmental and ethical performance of UK universities.

The University has invested in dedicated energy efficiency projects generating annual savings of approximately 260,000, 3.6 million kWh and 1,580 tonnes of carbon and it has established a comprehensive transport strategy to implement more sustainable forms of transport to its campuses, including the UTravel Active student bike hire scheme. Sue Holmes, Director of Estates at Leeds Metropolitan, commented: We are absolutely delighted that Leeds Met has again received a first class award from People and Plant in 2012. We are one of only six universities in the country to have been awarded a first class in all six years that the awards have been running. We are proud of the work we have achieved in our

approach to sustainability and in our carbon reduction and will continue to build on this in the future. We think this makes us a great university at which to study or work.

Louise Hazan, who compiled the People & Planet Green League, said: "Congratulations to all the staff and students at Leeds Met for their role in creating one of the greenest universities the UK has ever seen. Their success

in reducing carbon emissions is exemplary. National improvements across the People & Planet Green League results this year show universities are listening to the 70% of students demanding greener degrees and that the university sector is leading the way to a low-carbon and sustainable future."

Nationally, the People & Planet Green League table reveals that the university sector has cut carbon emissions for the first time, recording a 5% reduction compared to 2011 results.

UK universities are also doing more to improve graduate prospects by preparing them for the future low-carbon economy and increasing their focus on sustainability in the curriculum. The People & Planet Green League shows a 96% increase in the number of universities integrating sustainability into their Teaching & Learning Strategies since 2011 (about a third of the sector).

A total of 145 universities participated in People & Planet's Green League 2012, which awards either a First Class degree, 2:1, 2:2, Third, or Fail according to environmental policy, management and actual performance in areas such as carbon reduction, waste recycling, curriculum, energy efficiency, sustainable food, ethical procurement and water reduction.

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For further details please contact Carrie Braithwaite in the Communications team at Leeds Met on 0113 812 3022 or email c.braithwaite@leedsmet.ac.uk

Notes for editors: Leeds Metropolitan University has over 25,000 students and around 3,000 staff. The Vice Chancellor of Leeds Metropolitan University is Professor Susan Price and the Chair of the Board is Lord Woolmer of Leeds.

Leeds Metropolitans four faculties are: Arts, Environment and Technology, Business & Law, Health and Social Sciences, and Carnegie.

Leeds Metropolitans heritage can be traced back to the founding of the Mechanics Institute in Leeds in 1824. International students rated the University top in the UK for language support, accommodation quality and learning spaces in the 2010 Autumn Wave of the International Student Barometer and sixth in the world for the quality of its lectures. We have over 1,500 international students from 122 countries around the globe.

The

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Broadcasting Place, which was voted the best tall building in the world in 2010 by the Chicago-based Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) and also winner of the 2010 Leeds Architecture Awards New Building category.