Sustainability at the University of Bath
Annual report 2024/25
A message from our Vice-Chancellor
"I’m proud of the University of Bath’s leadership in sustainability and the progress we have made, as detailed in this report.
Looking to the year ahead, as we continue to shape our institutional strategy, sustainability will continue to play a vital role.
Firstly, building on our strong national reputation in sustainability, we will turn our focus to global visibility and impact – through world-leading research, innovation, and partnerships.
Secondly, we will continue to enhance our student experience and the quality of our education, equipping our students with the skills and knowledge to be champions of responsible and effective sustainability practices.
And thirdly, we will future-proof our campus and operations so that we actively mitigate our environmental impact, reduce emissions, and build resilience in the face of climate change, ensuring we are prepared to address issues now and for the challenges of tomorrow.”
Professor Phil Taylor
Vice-Chancellor and President
Introduction
At the University of Bath, we're enabling and empowering students with vital skills to tackle global challenges through the education that we provide. Through our research and innovation, we’re actively seeking innovative ways to make the world better and healthier for people and the planet.
Sustainability is a core value at the heart of our 2021–26 Institutional Strategy for advancement, growth, and impact. For us, sustainability is about conducting our activity in a way which embodies and addresses:
- environmental health and climate action
- social responsibility, equity and inclusion
- economic and financial sustainability
We’re proud to contribute positively through our:
- world-class research
- engaging teaching
- partnerships and collaboration
But we also acknowledge the negative impacts our work has on the world and we're continually working to minimise those wherever we can.
Being transparent about our progress is key. We want everyone in our community to know:
- what we’ve achieved together
- the ongoing challenges we face
- where we’re heading next
- the role each person in our community can play
Achievements, actions and progress
Our commitment to sustainability
Our commitment to sustainability has evolved over many years, encompassing a diverse range of teaching, research and operational initiatives. This was unified into a focused Climate Action framework in 2020. Now we are building on that work and our joined-up approach through the wider lens of sustainability, guided by our new Sustainability Policy. Through this, we'll establish a set of targets and goals to align to our institutional ambitions.
Leading through research
Sustainability is a research strength for the University, and this is reflected across the range of disciplines in which we work.
This year, we’ve launched several ambitious new projects, including:
- collaborating with vulnerable communities to build climate-resilient homes
- improving water safety
- designing systemic routes to reach net zero
- unlocking hydrogen’s carbon-saving potential
Our research insights help build understanding and drive solutions for sustainability. In the past year, this includes:
- modelling climate impacts in the UK
- exploring the benefits of low-emission zones
- advising the government on climate strategies
Committing to environmentally sustainable research
In January 2025, the University of Bath signed the Concordat for the Environmental Sustainability of Research & Innovation Practice, joining other top institutions in committing to research that makes a positive impact without harming the planet.
A new source of expertise
Our new Institute of Sustainability and Climate Change unites expertise across the University to tackle urgent sustainability challenges.
Educating for a sustainable future
Empowering our students (and staff) through education is a vital aspect of our approach to sustainability at Bath.
Developing courses
Through our curriculum transformation process we continue to embed sustainability in all courses, and we’re developing and introducing new courses too.
Teaching with impact
This year, fresh resources were developed and launched to provide academics with training and case studies to support them to embed sustainability in their teaching.
Enhancing learning experiences
We continue to provide students with opportunities to get involved in applied sustainability initiatives such as Vertically Integrated Projects (VIPs), and to further their knowledge through Carbon Literacy courses and Climate Fresk workshops.
Students making impact
Quality sustainability education will equip our students to be innovators and pioneers for change in whatever career or industry they choose, while also providing them with the skills and experience to make change as a student.
There are many students and graduates that we would like to celebrate for making waves in the face of global challenges and we have shared just a few of them here.
Miranda Lofthouse
MSc in Sustainability and Management graduate Miranda, was invited to share her dissertation findings at the United Nations Civil Society Conference in Support of the Summit of the Future in Nairobi, Kenya. She presented key findings from her MSc dissertation regarding Sustainable Development Goals Implementation and Engagement within the Global South.
Team Bath Drones
With the support of funding from the Sustainable Projects Fund, Team Bath Drones pioneered for low carbon production in developing their competition drone which secured them the top Environmental Award at the IMechE Unmanned Aerial System Challenge 2025. The team replaced traditional carbon fibre with renewable composites and used battery-electric propulsion.
Shan Wei Chew
Bath MArch student Shan Wei Chew won the 2023 Architect Journal Sustainability Prize for 'The Udaipur Plastic School', a project that envisions a second life for Udaipur's waste plastic as pavements, shelters and buildings. The scheme is arranged around two public streets lined with the functions of plastic recycling, and inviting participation with the landscape providing materials for prototyping bioplastics.
Roben Els
Work by Natural Sciences student Roben Els during his placement contributed to ventilation manufacturer, Vent-Axia, winning two environmental industry awards. The project Roben worked on at Vent-Axia was helping set up and run the company’s new materials testing database on recycled plastic.
Growing impact through partnerships
Our local, national and international collaborative partnerships help to increase the impact we have in addressing sustainability challenges. This year we have:
- Co-delivered workshops for young climate leaders as part of the Climate Catalysts Mentorship Programme from the UNFCCC’s Youth4Capacity and UNDP’s Youth4Climate initiatives.
- Attended COP29 and presented ActNowFilm, a collaborative production from our Institute for Policy Research and Cambridge Zero.
Reducing our carbon footprint
In comparison to last year, our total emissions have decreased by 3% to 127 ktCO2e. See our full carbon footprint data.
We’re continuing to work on reducing emissions produced from our campus and operations. Here are some of the ways we've taken action and made progress in the past year towards our net zero targets.
Our sustainable campus
We launched a Sustainable Building Standard to make sure the highest sustainability standards are followed for all new build and refurbishment projects. We're already applying this to our upcoming student residential projects.
We've continued to carry out improvements and upgrades to our campus infrastructure to save energy, including improving metering and data systems, and upgrading lighting.
We installed the UK’s first fully recyclable 3G sports pitch.
New plans and policies
Our new Sustainable Procurement Policy enables purchasers in the University to make choices that reduce the supply chain emissions in our carbon footprint.
We rolled out our Thermal Comfort Policy and energy saving behaviour change initiatives like switch off campaigns for Christmas and Easter holidays.
A new strategic Travel Plan has been developed to address commuting challenges, including a focus on sustainable solutions.
Environmental management
We introduced a new EcoCampus programme, to ensure effective environmental and sustainability management processes and compliance, through which we've achieved bronze certification.
Carbon reduction modelling
We've modelled Scope 1 and 2 carbon reduction scenarios while reviewing our net zero targets and are now exploring partnering arrangements to address the funding and delivery capacity challenges we face to deliver large scale upgrades.
Find out more about how we're reducing our carbon footprint
Our motivated community
Our staff and student community are motivated and engaged to act on sustainability.
Engaged and proud
We celebrated over 400 staff and students for their sustainability efforts at our annual awards event.
Inspiring departmental action
19 departments have joined Green Impact, our new staff programme launched this year enabling colleagues to work towards improving sustainability in the workplace.
A boost in lab sustainability
32% of our labs are now participating in the Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF) and 11% have achieved Bronze, Silver or Gold certification.
We launched a new guidance and resources hub to support our research community to adopt sustainable research practices.
Learning for all
New sustainability training courses are now available to every staff member.
Student action
Our Students’ Union continue to support student sustainability action through student groups and volunteering.
Monitoring progress
37%
of students
are experiencing embedded and relevant sustainability education through their course
↓3%
Our University carbon footprint
has decreased compared to the previous year
127th
in the QS World
Sustainability Ranking 2025
scoring strongly for environmental research with 94.4 points
68%
of students
rate their personal contribution to tackling climate change positively
A message from our Director of Sustainability
"We are living through a time of global challenge: from environmental degradation and social inequality to economic uncertainty and geopolitical instability.
Within the higher education sector itself, we face mounting financial pressures, intense competition for talent and research funding, and ever-rising expectations.
Given such a context, purposeful leadership is more important than ever. That’s why sustainability is not just part of our work at University of Bath; it is central to our vision for the future.
To date, we’ve taken tangible steps forward, through our research breakthroughs and innovations, our teaching, our operations and our policies. This report illustrates our successes and ongoing challenges – there is so much to be proud of here at Bath. Our community rightly expect urgent and bold action, and so too do funders, partners and University rankings.
Together, we're working hard for a better institution and a better world."
Richard Jackson
Director of Sustainability and Space Management
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