Sustainable Development and HEFCW

--------------------------------------------EAUC Annual Conference

18th April 2007Chris Cowburn BSc MRICS MBA

Head of Estates HEFCW

Policy Context -Wales

• Government of Wales Act 1998 :–National Assembly for Wales assumes unique

responsibility for S.D.Welsh Assembly Government’s Sustainable

Development Scheme (2000) : A Sustainable Wales – Learning to Live Differently

Wales Spatial Plan (2004) – Sustainable futures for communities and regions

Science Policy (2006) – Low carbon economy, sustained social and economic growth, and health

HEFCW Corporate Plan Commitment

• By 2010 HEFCW “ will have enabled the Welsh HE sector to embed sustainability in its overall strategic planning to ensure that in all aspects of their activities HEIs deliver sustainable impacts, as measured by the various plans requested from HEIs by the Council”

Current Activities• Improving environmental performance within the HE

sector:-Partnership with the Carbon TrustNew guidance on energy and water management to be included

within the Estates Manual.£4M capital funding for energy and water advanced system of

targeting and monitoring• Separate section on ESDGC in HEI Strategic Plans – new

for 2006Highlighted range of activities across the sectorSome evidence of embedding : e.g. “SD is one of six

organisational principles/values underpinning the strategic plan of the new university”

Current Activities

• Financial sustainability

The ongoing development of the Capital Investment Framework

Monitoring of the sustainability metrics.

Future Activities

• Driven by the WAG Action Plan • Education for Sustainable development and

Global Citizenship- a strategy for action• Remit Letter 2007:-Requires HEFCW to work with the newly

appointed ESDGC Champion and to submit a report on actions taken by March 2008

ESDGC – Some Priority Actions for HE

• Determine current levels of activity; share best practice

• Self analysis of where ESDGC is being taught, and where it could be further incorporated into curricula

• Embed within HEI Strategic Plans, Learning and Teaching Strategies, Third Mission Strategies.

• Address training needs/delivery• Ensure that the sector develops and utilises

appropriate environmental management systems.

ESDGC – Some Priority Actions for Education Including H.E

• Establish a ten year strategy tying in with Millennium Development Goals and UNESCO ESD Decade to ensure that Wales as a country contributes to these goals

• WAG to encourage each organisation covered by this strategy to identify lead champions as a conduit for information

• A requirement for new build schemes involving WAG funding to reach BREEAM Very Good standard (No date identified)