NUB SUSTAINABILITY POLICY
PURPOSE
NUB acknowledges that its operations and activities have an influence on the environment, society, and economy.
With the adoption of this sustainability policy, the university pledges to act as a responsible corporate citizen and set an exemplary standard for sustainability through its commitment to exercising proper control over all its activities and managing its operations in ways that are economically feasible, socially responsible and environmentally sustainable.
The goal of NUB is to reach the highest levels of sustainability. By producing and disseminating the information needed for people to live sustainably on local, regional, and global scales, we aim to be a leader in research and teaching. We will operate in a manner that complies with or exceeds both the government’s sustainability guidelines for educational institutions and the benchmarks set by our peer universities. As we pursue our academic purpose, our objective is to establish ourselves as a model institution for sustainability for society. The University will make the transition to a more sustainable institution by utilizing the creativity and talent of its teachers, staff, and students.
SCOPE
This Policy applies to all academic procedures, facilities, and operations for all students, faculty members, professional staff, students, and suppliers.
POLICY STATEMENT
The objectives of the Policy are as follows:
- to carry out the University’s activities and operations in a way that appropriately balances the needs and ambitions of the present and future generations of the NUB community and the larger society;
- promote sustainability inquiry through instruction, learning, research, and the university experience;
- disseminate information to spur creativity, increase awareness, and ensure that the NUB community participates effectively in the adoption of sustainable practices;
- promote economic efficiencies in the University’s operations that are consistent with social equity and environmental respect;
- adopt and apply the ‘3 R’ principle of to reduce, reuse, and recycle in all its activities
- encourage the creation of a productive, safe, and healthy work and learning environment for the NUB community;
- Advance individual and group efforts and accountability throughout NUB to make sustainability a priority in the life of the University;
- Reduce the amount of energy, water, and material resources used and consumed by NUB
- take into account the economic, environmental, and social impacts of the activities undertaken by or on behalf of the University in order to inform decision-
ACTION PLANNING
To ensure a structured and collaborative approach in support of this Policy, the University will produce action plans in support of the University’s climate and sustainability initiatives that involve all relevant university stakeholders. These action plans will outline programs and initiatives that will move the University closer to its sustainability goals.
REPORTING
NUB will report annually to its Board of Trustees and the community on progress toward achieving its sustainability goals.
ENERGY CONSERVATION PROGRAM
NUB consumes electricity, fuel oil, and natural gas as most of the energy used to carry out its institutional purpose. All these energy sources have financial costs and environmental impacts
Realizing there are increasing challenges to reduce energy consumption and CO2 gas emissions, NUB is committed to make energy conservation, energy efficiency, and the transition to more environmentally benign energy sources, an institutional priority to conserve fiscal and natural resources and to demonstrate its social and environmental responsibility.
The University is committed to reduce and offset its consumption of carbon-intensive energy, requiring all its community members to be aware of the energy demands created by their university activities and to seek ways to carry them effectively and efficiently to improve NUB’s energy related environmental impact.
NUB demonstrates compliance and adherence to all applicable laws, and whenever possible, goes beyond and utilizes all the possible means including the energy conservation program, which support the university Sustainability Policy and its long-term commitment to energy efficiency and conservation.
NUB is committed to:
- Develop realistic and achievable plans to meet our reduction goals;
- Use a strict measurement and verification process, and work to accept full responsibility for our activities;
- Engaging the campus community to save energy through behavior modification and change, and educational activities.
Procurement
Reduced generation of unneeded waste is largely achieved through effective procurement. According to the NUB Procurement Policy, “The University shall strongly contribute via all of its procurement activities to the growth of business, community, local industry, and environmentally sustainable results.”
Thus, NUB bases its procurement and purchasing decisions on the principle of “value for money over life cycle of products” rather than “lowest cost” and prioritizes and buys competitively priced products and services that are environmentally friendly, water-saving, and energy efficient. Applying a life cycle evaluation to items considers social and environmental effects in addition to economic ones.
By employing purchasing strategies that include avoiding, reducing, reusing, and recycling products, NUB has taken serious steps in decreasing the amount of waste that ends up in landfills through:
- reducing waste by avoiding the purchase of unneeded products, obsolete, not sustainably manufactured, or not of a long-lasting quality.
- reusing of objects rather than throwing them away. This might entail finding an alternate way to reuse items like office supplies, stationary, furniture, equipment, and paper. This step is taken before any purchasing or procurement decision is taken.
- recycling items like paper and cardboard is done as part of the waste management and minimization procedure through the contracted company with NUB.
Electricity
As improved energy efficiency can drastically reduce overall energy use in campus buildings, NUB has embarked on several strategies for cutting energy expenditures and reducing CO2 emissions through various energy efficiency measures in different areas.
- Replacement of incandescent light bulbs with Light Emitting Diode (LED) in all campus buildings.
- Lights are to be switched off in classrooms, lecture halls, restrooms, and all communal areas when not in use and natural illumination is to be used as much as possible and where possible during the day.
- All campus lights in buildings/rooms/labs are to be shut off at 8:00 O’clock every night.
- All air conditioners are to be turned on at the beginning of lectures/meetings and set to a minimum of 24 degrees. They must be turned off by the end of lectures/meetings.
- Periodical monitoring of air conditioners compressors is in place to avoid any leakages resulting overuse of electricity.
- Gradual replacement of older models’ electric appliances such as refrigerators, water heaters, air conditioners, and others that are more energy-efficient and less expensive to operate.
Infrastructure
As many campuses, NUB has older buildings and structures that were not built to be as energy efficient as new ones or rely on antiquated technology. In addition to cutting electricity use in all its buildings, NUB is currently developing a plan to gradually increase the energy efficiency of the older buildings and installing green energy-efficient features. To set such a plan, NUB is currently studying the possibility of the:
- examination of all building insulations and the possible replacement of old windows and the installation of better insulation.
- use of automated control systems on corridor lights and communal areas to cut down on energy waste.
- cutting the lighting in common corridors by 50% where possible.
- the gradual installation of low flow plumbing to reduce energy and water use
Campus Faculty and Student Housing
NUB operates a number of Faculty and Student Housing buildings that consume electricity, natural gas, water and generate waste. With its commitment to reduce energy consumption and waste, NUB has taken numerous measures and procedures to increase energy efficiency in those buildings.
- Replacement of incandescent light bulbs with Light Emitting Diode (LED) in all Faculty and Student housing buildings.
- Natural illumination is used as much as possible and where possible in all communal and common areas within the buildings.
- While air conditioners are individually controlled in Faculty and Student Housing buildings, Occupants are strongly encouraged to use the timers for air conditioners, set air conditioners to a minimum of 24 degrees, and shut them down on leaving their rooms.
- Periodical monitoring of air conditioners compressors is in place to avoid any leakages resulting in overuse of electricity.
- Gradual replacement of older models’ electric appliances such as refrigerators, water heaters, air conditioners, washing machines and others that are more energy-efficient and less expensive to operate.
- Water heaters use is regulated by time schedules.
- Gradual installation of low flow plumbing fixtures
Water Conservation
NUB recognizes the importance of conserving water – the most important and valuable, yet finite resource, to all existence and activities. NUB has been successfully able to reduce its water consumption by 18% in the last fiscal year. With the belief that every small step makes a difference, NUB measures and steps that made this reduction possible included:
- strictly enforced sprinkle scheduled irrigation of all green areas of the university.
- gradual installation of low flow plumbing fixtures including low flow showers and automatic shutting faucets in buildings and labs
- regulation of use of hot water in select student housing buildings that both helped in reducing water consumption as well as reduction in overall energy consumption.
- continuous maintenance of all water pipes and fixtures with an emergency maintenance response procedure to any water leakages or problems.
- awareness and educational campaigns regarding water preservation and the importance of individual efforts and simple initiatives that go a long way are also part of NUB’s plans for the University and Beni Suef community to make efficient and environmentally responsible use of water.
Transportation
Transportation is one of the main contributors to climate change and carbon emissions. NUB is taking serious steps towards the reduction of our footprint in this regard by:
- offering competitively priced transportation to students from different parts of Beni Suef and the region to reduce private and individual travel and commute to the university thus reducing gas emissions.
- transportation for staff members within BeniSuef and the region as opposed to private travel.
- reduction in the number of vehicles allowed on campus and offering alternative group transportation between campus buildings when needed.
- investment in technology for teaching, video conferencing, online conferencing to enable the reduction of travel.
- continuation of blended learning opportunities through the use of online/digital teaching.
- monitoring of NUB vehicles carbon emissions levels to meet those set by the governing laws and regulations
Educational and Awareness Activities
Apart from energy conservation practices set by NUB, the University recognizes that sustainability is an integral part to its academic programs and that every member of the University community has a duty to help the university uphold the promises made in its Sustainability Policy.
Sustainability and environmental care and protection are themes that arise in many areas of university teaching and a number of faculties embed sustainability and the environment in their programs. For example, The Faculty of Engineering offers Electrical and Renewable Energy Engineering Program while the Faculty of Mass Communication encourages students to focus their practical aspects of study on environmental and sustainability issues especially through their graduation projects.
In addition, the University community plays an important and integral part in the University’s energy management plans. As part of engaging the University community, the HSE department offers a dedicated newsletter and communication (HSE Communications) to all faculty members and students on issues related to sustainability, environmental care, and safety.
HSE’s strategy is to enable opportunities for waste reduction while managing the material & waste produced at NUB. By working with students, faculty staff, and campus departments across the board, we continue to concentrate on boosting campus diversions. HSE is working toward effective and efficient methods for efficient and sustainable use of materials and waste management with help from campus-wide engagement.
By involving the entire campus community in waste reduction efforts and boosting material diversion, HSE helps the University in putting its Sustainability Policy into action. Our main focus is on material management by educating and providing the campus of best techniques for waste management (3R reduction, reuse and recycling).
HSE has put into place a Waste Management & Minimizing Procedure that covers waste generation, collecting, handling, transportation, and disposal. The procedure applies to all NUB faculties, departments, activities, and operations which may generate waste from any kind or type and is diligently implemented and monitored. The procedure in place is complimented with the HSE manual that includes, but not limited to, safe storage in warehouses, safe use of chemicals, electrical safety, spill control procedure, waste management instructions.
To ensure the proper hazardous and nonhazardous waste management, NUB has also contracted two renowned waste disposal companies licensed from the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA). The 2 companies have an integrated system for transportation of industrial, hazardous, and nonhazardous waste as well as an integrated station for their waste disposal. One of the contracted companies is specialized in medical waste collection, transportation and disposal. As such, the contracted companies oversee the safe disposal of all waste resulting from various activities, medical centers, hospitals, faculties, and departments, whether it is intended to be treated and/or intended for final disposal in an environmentally safe manner in accordance with EEAA requirements and Egyptian laws in this regard.
The contracted companies ensure proper packing of hazardous waste including used oils, empty chemical containers, expired medicines and chemicals, laboratory waste, used ink containers, spent batteries, and used light bulbs and others in a safe and secure manner in accordance with the requirements set forth in Law no. 1994 and its executive regulations while observing the following conditions;
- Packing waste into containers made of a material suitable with the type of waste inside, so the it does not interact with it or damage it.
- Containers must be in a good condition so that they do not result in spills or leaks.
- Indicative signs must be placed on the containers that show the danger sign for the hazardous characteristics, source of the waste and how to handle and dispose of it in the case of accidents.
Please contact the HSE department: Safety@nub.edu.eg – mohamed.eltobgy@nub.edu.eg; for further information and support.
