Environment and sustainability

Read our Public Bodies Climate Change Duties reports.

This report complies with the statutory duty placed on public bodies in Scotland to report activity on sustainability, climate change adaptation and carbon reduction. It contains summary information on the University estate, carbon emissions, governance, procurement, adaptation and wider sustainability activity. Information and data contained in the report will be based on past or recent information and data pertaining to the respective reporting period.

More up to date information and data will be published in the next Public Body Climate Change Duties (2022) report and within the University Sustainability Plan, both of which will be published later in 2022.

The University of Stirling recognises the quality of its setting and campus landscape as being of significant value to University students, staff and visitors, as well as the wider community. The campus is recognised as a valuable asset both in terms of its general amenity and as an academic resource. The campus extends to 135ha (334acres) and is subject to two designations – it is a Historic Garden and Designed Landscape and is also within an Area of Great Landscape Value. As part of the development of its Estate Strategy, the University commissioned an Ecological Baseline Report in 2007 to establish the ecological baseline conditions on the campus and inform the development of this policy and a Biodiversity Management Plan. The campus is recognised as a priority habitat, both managed and natural.

The University has stated its commitment to minimising environmental impact in its Sustainability Policy and is committed to protecting, maintaining and improving the biodiversity of its estate. In satisfying this commitment the University aims to:

• Ensure that it is complying with current legislation relating to the conservation of biodiversity and habitats on campus, and where possible set its own higher standards.
• Maintain and update the Ecological Baseline Report for the University campus.
• Develop a Biodiversity Management Plan which sets objectives for maintaining and improving biodiversity on campus whilst recognising the importance of the Historic Garden and Designed Landscape.
• Where appropriate, create new habitats on campus.
• Work with local and national partners to promote and enhance biodiversity on the campus and in the wider region.
• Encourage consultation between relevant academic staff and management on biodiversity issues.
• Enhance staff, student and community awareness of biodiversity issues on campus, and promote the campus as an educational and recreational resource.
• Set and review targets for maintaining and improving biodiversity on campus, and report these annually to the Safety, Health and Environment Committee.

Estate and Campus Services, July 2022

New policy is being developed and is due to be published soon. For more information on Climate Adaptation and Biodiversity targets please see Theme 6 in our Sustainability Plan 2022-28.

Please refer to our recycling targets in our Sustainability Plan 2022-28.

Please refer to our water targets in our Sustainability Plan 2022-28.

The University is committed to reducing atmospheric pollution by encouraging more sustainable travel alternatives to, from and between University sites and on University business.

Cycling

Our Stirling campus is easily accessible by bicycle and there are 480 bicycle spaces across campus.

Staff cycle scheme

To support this the University has introduced a salary sacrifice scheme for staff which provides an Income tax and National Insurance efficient way to pay towards the hire of a bicycle and associated safety equipment for 12 months. Find out more about the staff cycle scheme.

Nextbike

Nextbike is a bike share scheme with locations throughout Stirling. We fund a corporate subscription with Nextbike which allows all staff and students free use of the scheme and free rental of a bike for the first 30 minutes of every ride. A small charge (50p per ½ hour) will apply for bike rentals longer than 30 minutes.

After initial registration through the Nextbike app, scan the QR code to unlock and the bike is ready to go. The campus hubs are at the Main Entrance (beside the roundabout), Willow Court, Alexander Court and Cottrell Building (beside the bus hub). You can also hire bikes at any of the other Nextbike locations throughout the UK, the closest of which is in Glasgow.

Nextbike sign-up for staff

Nextbike sign-up for students

Public transport

By bus

Visit the Traveline Scotland website, Scotland's national public transport information service, to help plan your journey to and from campus by bus or coach. The University of Stirling has excellent bus links from Stirling city centre and some from Bridge of Allan. Young people under 22 who live in Scotland are entitled to free nationwide bus travel.

The Unilink shuttle bus between Stirling centre, the train station and the main University campus is one of the handiest and most regular services. A night bus service also serves the campus. Most bus services to the campus run from either just outside Stirling's Rail Station or a two-minute walk away, in Murray Place.

Visit the Midland Bluebird website for the most up-to-date timetable information. Buses to and from the campus and surrounding area are also operated by the providers listed below.

Visit their websites for the most up-to-date timetable information:

• Citylink
• Mackies
• Stagecoach

By train

Stirling is at the heart of Scotland and enjoys excellent rail services to Scotland and the rest of the UK. Regular services run between Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Aberdeen and Dundee.

Visit Scotrail or trainline.com for fares, timetables and journey information.

Taking your bike on the train

Bikes will be transported free of charge on most Scotrail services. Scotrail has more information about transporting your bike on the train.

Travelling between train stations and the campus

Our Stirling campus is a 40-minute walk from Stirling city centre or train station, and 30 minutes from Bridge of Allan train station. Stirling train station is the easiest option to complete the journey by bus or taxi. The Bridge of Allan train station is the easiest option to complete the journey by walking or cycling.

The University’s Catering has an ongoing plan to enhance menus, providing healthier and more sustainable options. We are signatories to the Peas Pledge and we commit to increasing the availability and servings of vegetables across our range of grab and go and sit-in food and beverage outlets on Campus. Building on the success of our grab-and-go vegan retail offer and dedicated V-go brand, we have extended our sit-in offering to include an additional two varieties of vegetables with all plated and kids meals. We have also extended the vegetable grab-and-go offering across our outlets to include a range of crudité pots. Our menus have been developed to include at least 30% vegetarian and vegan options with 160g (2 portions) of vegetables in them, so providing and highlighting healthier choices. 

To support sustainability in catering we also: 

• Eliminated single-use disposable cutlery and straws and reduced the use of plastic cups across our outlets, incentivising the use of re-useable cups for hot drinks. 
• Banned plastic carrier bags from all catering outlets and offer biodegradable alternatives. Paper takeaway bags are in use at all outlets.
• Made available our coffee grounds to the University for usage on the grounds and composting.
• Collected all our used cooking oil and turned in to biofuel.
• Used fresh seasonal food to reduce packaging.
• Use local suppliers to reduce food mileage.