University unveils plan to become carbon-neutral campus

NUI Galway is planning to move towards a carbon- neutral campus over the next 10 years as part of a new strategy focusing on climate action.

The plan was developed with students, academics, and alumni, and sees the 175-year-old institution set out several ambitious capital projects over the next five years.

These include a new innovation district incorporating a riverside campus on Nuns’ Island, as well as a cultural and performance space, and sustainable, affordable on-campus student accommodation.

The five-year strategy recognises how critical this moment is in terms of climate action, according to NUIG president Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh.

While developing the strategy, the university community was surveyed on what they would like to see it focusing on, he said.

“The students came forward very strongly with the focus on sustainability,” said Prof Ó hÓgartaigh.

They are challenging us because they are the ones most faced with climate change so they are the ones demanding climate action.

NUIG has also signed the UN Sustainable Development Goals Accord which will see it moving towards developing research and teaching focused on sustainable development.

Given NUIG’s geography at the intersection of Europe and the North Atlantic, the climate information that the university can gather is unique, said Prof Ó hÓgartaigh, adding that sustainability is currently the focus of the Ryan Institute.

“It’s really unique in location because it’s measuring the dirty air going out from Europe and the clean air coming in from the Atlantic — that is a particularly unique and important aspect.”

The five-year strategy, titled, Shared Vision, Shaped by Values, also sees a focus on biodiversity, with the university working towards achieving a green lab certification, said Professor Ó hÓgartaigh.

“It’s not only research but also about the way we do research, looking at how we minimise climate impact in that context and how we contribute.”

Other goals include:

• Developing a sports campus as well as a water sports centre and 3G pitch;
• Retrofitting older buildings;
• Developing a new library;
• Expanding the Galway to Connemara Greenway.

NUIG is in the advanced planning stages of the riverside campus on Nuns’ Island, said Prof Ó hÓgartaigh.

“It’s likely to be over the next five to 10 years but we would like to have much of the work done within the five years of the plan.

Other elements like the library we would anticipate to be finished within the next five years, and the same with the water sports centre.

“There are some of those projects that will take a bit more time but for most of those capital projects we’re hoping to have within the term of the plan, by 2025,” said Prof Ó hÓgartaigh.