Campus Living Labs Sustainability Project

The ambition of this project is that it will deliver evidence to inform campus sustainability programmes and foster and advance activities that will introduce systemic change in preventing waste and increasing recycling on campus. The promotion of sustainability in production and consumption can contribute significantly to waste prevention.

This project will deliver on the EPA’s Circular Economy Programme vision to support national-level, strategic programmes to prevent waste and drive the circular economy in Ireland. The project will support the three Circular Economy Programme pillars of innovating & demonstrating, delivering through partnerships and advocacy & communication.

This project will:

• Directly address & support the sustainable campus ambitions of Ireland’s universities.
• Link to implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals for Ireland, particularly Goal 12 Responsible Consumption and Production and Goal 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities.
• Assist campuses deliver on current and future legislative requirements regarding waste management, including the following:
• reducing the generation of waste, in particular waste that is not suitable for preparing for reuse or recycling.
• increasing the segregation & recycling of waste (particularly food waste).
• addressing UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 to reduce by 50% per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels.

The IUA Sustainability Working Group (SWG) will act as the steering group for the Campus Living Labs project. The Working Group will report directly into the IUA Chief Operations Officers Group.