Sustainability at Greenwich
At Greenwich, we strive for sustainability excellence in everything we do. Our Strategic Action Plan embeds sustainability across teaching, research, partnerships, and operations.
We invite all staff to support this mission - benefiting our students, university, and the planet. Your role and actions on campus can make a real difference.
Sustainability in your role
Sustainability touches every role at Greenwich. All staff are encouraged to complete the Green Greenwich Foundation Course (on Horizon), a one-hour training that explains why sustainability is vital to our success.
| Acadedmic Staff | By 2030, all students will graduate able to solve real-world problems. The Curriculum Shape Programme integrates sustainability into teaching. Support is available to teaching staff before, during and after Curriculum Shape and (re) validation. We can help you with guest lectures, living lab projects and other approaches to deliver student success |
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| Research Staff | Lab users can use LEAF to audit their labs for sustainable practice. Researchers are asked to use sustainability as a ‘lens’ to identify novel thinking and interdisciplinary considerations of your research. Contact your Research Centre lead to see how sustainability could benefit your research work. Take a look at our Connect pages for inspiration too. |
| Professional Services Staff | Staff in Faculties and Directorates play a key role in improving sustainability, efficiency, and impact. Got an idea? Contact sustainability@gre.ac.uk or your Green Champion. |
Staff Groups
Green Champions Network
At the end of May 2025 there were 90 champions contributing to sustainability action. We believe that using the passion and expertise of our staff we can develop ideas and deliver these that will create significant environmental progress.
Join an enthusiastic network of staff, receive trainings and events, drive the change you want to see and have fun! If you are interested in this staff-led and co-created network:
- Read the info sheet and our blog for more details
- Fill in the form here to join the network
- Email us to find out who your team green champions are: sustainability@gre.ac.uk
Sustainability Community of Practice
A staff led Community of Practice is available for staff to share and understand approaches to sustainability teaching and learning, shared by our own academic community. If you are interested in attending future events please contact sustainability@gre.ac.uk
Education for Sustainable Development Special Interest Group
This group is supported by the university's Academic and Learning Enhancement team to better understand and consider how sustainability can effectively be integrated into our teaching practices. If this is of interest please contact sustainability@gre.ac.uk
Living Labs
Living Labs are all about connecting curriculum, research, and university operations to create hands-on learning experiences that tackle real sustainability challenges on campus and in the wider community. And they’re already working, right here at Greenwich.
Why get involved?
Living Labs empower staff to:
- Enhance student experience with real-world application
- Support curriculum innovation aligned with the SDGs
- Strengthen KEF and REF outputs through place-based, interdisciplinary work
- Contribute to the university’s sustainability goals
If you’re interested in organising a Living Lab to help your students work on real-world sustainability problems reach out to sustainability@gre.ac.uk.
Staff Projects
Digital Twin Project
Academic Mohammad Sakikhales initiated the Digital Twin project to map our and digitise our Grade 1 listed Queen Anne building. This builds on other research work undertaken by Simon Withers to scan the underground structures relating to the Tudor Palace of Palencia that the Greenwich Maritime historic site was built. This has resulted in papers and conferences relating to this work. Mohammad has also been BIM modelling the university’s Cooper Building to seek opportunities for energy efficiency, supported by an MSc student.
Collaborated Project with MA Marketing
The Sustainable Development Unit has collaborated with Klairoong Phairor, Programme Leader for MA Marketing Management, to bring the Living Lab model into the Ethics, Responsibility and Sustainability in Marketing module. As part of the module rolled on in January 2025, 60 students were challenged to design a waste reduction campaign using live data from the university. This hands-on approach helped students build cognitive, socio-emotive, and behavioural skills while applying their learning in a real-world setting. The module is expected to continue, going into its second term with another cohort of 50 students.
Living Walls
Our Architecture have been using our estate to identify how nature can be incorporated into building design. This has included the installation of living walls and use of aquaponics in food production systems.
Environmental Management Module
The Faculty of Engineering and Science’s Dr Debbie Bartlett applied her research in co-creating with her students to develop a new approach on delivering her Environmental Management module. The outcomes can be found in this journal article.
Tourism Management
Dr. Andres Coca-Stefaniak (Module Leader) teaches on the CATE1179 Sustainable Tourism module, part of the BA (Hons) Tourism Management. This module includes a student activity in Greenwich Park with input from Royal Parks to investigate aspects of nature-based tourism and the role of parks in the well-being of local communities as well as the visitor economy.
Dr. Andres Coca-Stefaniak (Module Leader) and Dr Ewa Krolikowska teach on the CATE1175 Sustainable Events module, part of the BA (Hons) Events Management. This module includes a field trip to Charlton Athletic Football Club for students to investigate aspects of social sustainability.
Creativity and Innovation
Dr Katharina Greve was a Lecturer in Creativity and Innovation in the Department for Systems Management and Strategy at the University of Greenwich Business School until December 2023. Her research focussed on Living Labs and she explained within her book chapter the projects that benefitted from co-creation, and has examined the academic debate surrounding Living Labs (see Greve et al., 2020; Greve et al., 2021). Her insights informed the development of the multi-million-pound Innovation Hubs at London Bridge and Euston Station.
Sustainability on Campus
Small actions matter! Help us all be more sustainable by:
- Follow bin instructions and making sure no disposable cups end up in the recycling
- Switch off unused equipment and lights
- Power down projectors properly
- Use the Furniture Reuse project
- Keep windows/doors closed when heating/cooling
- Take wellbeing breaks in green spaces
Sustainability in your life
Being Sustainable at Work
How can you be more sustainable at work? We all have the power to make a difference, no matter how small the action.
Individual Action
Need inspiration for small actions that can make a big difference? Find out here.
Being Sustainable at Home
Learn about how to be sustainable in your house.