ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH AND SAFETY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
ADVISORY GROUP ON THE ENVIRONMENT
MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD 1pm 17 December 2009
Present: Apologies:
Professor J Petts (Chair)
Mr E Bauer
Mr B Higgins
Dr T C Shields (Secretary) Dr M Gaterell
Mr I Gregory
Mr T Guise
Mr D Harrison
Mrs C Radnor
Dr M Rivetts
Dr F Young
In attendance:
Miss V Pendleton (Minutes)
1. Minutes (EAG 09.12.1)
The minutes of the meeting held 22 September 2009 were agreed subject to changing UEB to STG in the action on item 3 c).
2. Matters Arising
a) Review of environmental policy
Noted: The revised environmental policy had been approved by EHSEC.
b) Waste and recycling contracts update
Noted: The waste management contract was out to tender with a closing date of 7th January. Five organisations were being considered.
Reported: The financial year figures showed a decrease in waste to landfill and an increase in recycling. However, the calendar year figures were likely to show an increase in waste to landfill, largely due to the number of office moves taking place. The introduction of mixed recycling and binless office schemes was going well despite initial resistance in some areas.
c) Universities that Count BitC indices
Noted: The University would be submitting to the environmental index as agreed at the last meeting. The Sustainability Task Group had chosen to consider further the GRI, and was investigating moving up to the next level, for the CR reporting rather than switching to the BitC CR indices.
d) Sustainable travel plan update
Reported: The travel plan would be going to UEB on Monday 21 December for approval prior to wider circulation and consultations. An informal circulation of the draft had been well received by Birmingham City Council, which was encouraging as they would ultimately need to agree the plan as it would impact on future planning proposals. The sustainable travel website was now live.
Noted: There was an opportunity to bid for HEFCE leadership, governance and management funding for sustainable development initiatives, and options being considered including charging points for electric vehicles. The deadline for the bid was in February. The group to be updated on progress.
Further noted: Mr Bauer had information on a bike share scheme called Velocampus. He was advised to contact Mrs Radnor who was looking into this already.
Action: Prof Petts, Mr Bauer
e) HEFCE consultation
Noted: The response had been sent to HEFCE. A report from HEFCE was expected to be published in January.
f) HECM update
Noted: A rough draft of the carbon management plan update had been sent to Ian Barker, Director of Estates, who was sourcing data from Ian Gregory. A plan which included targets for 2020 needed to be drawn up; it would be worth establishing a working group, similar to the previous Carbon Management Group, to look at this. Dr Shields would raise this with Professor Heath and Mr Harrison at a meeting in January.
Action: Dr Shields
Discussed: Scope 1 emissions had increased slightly, potentially due to Mason Hall coming back online.
Further noted: The action from the last meeting, for Dr Young and Mr Gregory to produce a business case on fume cupboards, was still outstanding.
Action: Dr Young, Mr Gregory.
g) 10:10 campaign targets
Noted: This had been discussed at STG and the following agreed:
“This was not a suitable time for the University to sign up publicly, as a number of major projects were coming back on line during the baseline period which would make achievement difficult. However, the University would support the Guild and shadow the metrics to see what could be done internally.”
h) People & Planet Green League Table
Noted: The article had been circulated.
Further noted: The call for Estate Management statistics had already come in, and Dr Shields was working closely with Estates to ensure appropriate reporting of the number of staff working on environmental issues.
i) Guild activities
Reported: HAS had agreed to meet with representatives of the Guild regarding food procurement. Dr Shields would also attend the meeting.
Noted: The Guild was setting up a Staff and Student Environment Advocates’ Forum. This would be an opportunity for the University to inform the community of environmental initiatives and to hear a wide range of views.
j) Annual report
Noted: The annual report had been approved by EHSEC.
3. Future of the Advisory Group and Sustainability Task Group
Noted: The Vice-Chancellor was supportive of both groups. The STG would now report to UEB through Professor Petts as its Chair. The Advisory Group needed to revisit its terms of reference to ensure that these did not conflict with the remit of the STG, and also fit more appropriately under the umbrella of EHSEC, which was more compliance-driven..
Further noted: Professor Petts would produce a short paper for the Vice-Principal, Professor Sheppard, who was Chair of EHSEC. The paper would ask Professor Sheppard to nominate a new Chair for the Group and to consider the issue of academic representation. Professor Petts would then bring the paper and outcomes to the next meeting of this group.
Action: Professor Petts
4. AOB
Ergo homes
Noted: Dr Gaterell was involved in a number of research projects to do with eco housing. Professor Petts was exploring ways to improve awareness of these projects. Mr Bauer agreed to put the Guild Housing Officer in touch with Dr Shields and Dr Gaterell.
Action: Mr Bauer
5. Date of next meeting
Noted: The next meeting would take place in March. Dates would be circulated.
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