Operations

With the renovation of the former convent, sustainability is a very important theme in the development of our new, green campus. A campus which has a park-like appearance, where cycling and taking public transport to and from our workplace is stimulated and waste is carefully separated. Energy saving is one of the main priorities on our new campus. The placement of solar panels on the roofs of Horizon (263 panels) and Ocean Buildings (100 panels) is one of the cherries on the cake but we have further ideas in the pipeline!

Calling in beekeeper Peter is a logical step for BUas to create a favourable environment for birds, bees and plants. Peter: “For me, all insects, including honey bees and wild bees, are important. They need each other for pollination. Honey bees only account for part of the food production. Their habitat is about three kilometers, which means that the natural environment in the nearby streets of the campus also benefits from BUas’ beekeeping. The wild bee, which is in danger of extinction, benefits from cross-pollination. The plants are pollinated by the honey bee, which in turn provides extra food for the wild bee.  This creates a bigger biodiversity.”  

Will our students and staff be bothered by the bees? Peter: “If there are two or three hives, there are indeed more than 100,000 bees at a time. But these are very small creatures that go about their business within a radius of 3 km. You probably won't even see them. Bees are very busy keeping the colony healthy. So nothing to worry about. Additionally, I will make sure they return to the cabinet, because their queen is located there.”

Conscious use of water is an important aspect of a sustainable campus and it is supported at BUas both indoors and outdoors. Tap water is always drinkable and available all-around campus and, in addition, we have special water points both indoors and outdoors. The outdoor taps are provided by the regional Brabant Water. Water taps across our campus are designed to prevent water waste. They either have motion sensors, or they have to be pushed to turn on and are timed to only release water for a few seconds. 

Our campus has a park-like design. One of the reasons for this is to retain water and have it nurture the greenery. Our trees are planted in a deeper bed precisely for this reason.

Increasing biodiversity was one of the priorities in developing the campus. Different types of trees, plants and grass create a diverse, mostly self-sustaining ecosystem. To support this ecosystem, a gardener takes care of and ensures the necessary maintenance. Annually, we also look for opportunities to expand biodiversity, for example, by adding insect hotels and rock features. You can see more about biodiversity at BUas in the video below.

The facilities department, in cooperation with the SDG Support Hub, launched an initiative in 2022 to make campus catering more sustainable, in both product range and packaging. Goals have been set to make the range of products healthier for both buyers and sellers, as well as to reduce single-use packaging. Work on these initiatives will continue in the coming years, with the overall goal of making our catering services as a whole more sustainable. 

Apart from the government's obligation not to offer (non-recyclable) coffee cups by 2024, BUas launched an initiative at the end of 2022 to investigate the various alternative, more sustainable scenarios that are possible. If a suitable alternative is found, it will be implemented earlier, but at least before the end of 2023.

BUas is busy reducing energy consumption within its various buildings. Several initiatives have already led to the closure of some buildings during holiday periods in order to reduce the use of energy. Research is underway to explore additional possibilities in this area, for example, triggering behavioural changes among the users of our campus.