ARU invests in ‘liquid assets’ on Cambridge campus
Funding from UK Government is being used by ARU to tackle local water scarcity
Anglia Ruskin University's Helmore building in Cambridge
Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) is introducing a range of water efficiency measures on its Cambridge campus to tackle local water shortages – and help unlock regional growth.
Cambridge is regularly cited as the driest city in the UK, receiving around half of the national average rainfall, and the East of England is classified as being severely water stressed.
As part of the Greater Cambridge Water Efficiency Programme, funded by the UK Government, ARU will replace some of its existing pipework and install smart sub-meters and a range of smart shower and toilet sensors. The UK Government has allocated over £500,000 to the University to deliver this programme of work.
The aim is to help reduce water consumption, identify leaks and promote more water-efficient behaviour by students and staff. The Environment Agency is supporting this work by monitoring the water savings achieved by the programme.
The new measures on ARU’s Cambridge campus will build on existing good practice, which has seen ARU rank among the top 25% of UK universities for water efficiency in seven of the last 10 years.
The Greater Cambridge Water Efficiency Programme has been established to deliver a range of water saving initiatives in the local region and is overseen by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
The programme aims to alleviate water resource pressures in the region to enable local growth in the short term, while water companies work to deliver major water infrastructure supply options to support medium and long-term growth.
It is hoped that Cambridge will prove to be a trailblazer for new water efficiency and water management approaches, helping to realise the area’s economic potential in a sustainable way.
“We are keenly aware of the water stress experienced by Cambridge and the wider region, which will only intensify as our climate changes.
“Thank you to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government for supporting these water efficiency measures on our campus, contributing towards a more sustainable and resilient ARU and Greater Cambridge.”
James Rolfe, Chief Operating Officer at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU)To find out more about ARU’s sustainability strategy, visit www.aru.ac.uk/sustainability