Context: Varley park is the University of Brighton’s largest student accommodation, currently home to around 600 students. Like the university campus’s they work to make accommodation buildings and student behaviour as energy efficient as possible. Varley also operates under the C Change initiative aiming to reduce carbon emissions significantly in the oncoming years.

Initiatives:

Building design: Solar panels can be found throughout Varley park to harness the suns energy and reduce reliance on contemporary high emission sources such as fossil fuel created energy. Furthermore, the majority of lighting installed in all the building are sensored so energy consumption is reduced when lights are not in use. Once more green roofs can be found on the roofs of Cliffe and Firle. These not only create vital ecosystems but provide insulation for heat energy which translates to fewer greenhouse gas emissions from heating the buildings. Energy awareness posters and switch off stickers are also evident in all communal spaces further encouraging sustainable practises.

The big switch off- Around holiday times when students will not be occupying their rooms, they’re encouraged to switch off all electrical appliances and turn off the heating so as to minimise energy wastage.

Green pledges: Students are offered the chance to pledge to engage in energy efficient behaviours, often in return for incentives.