Sustainability
We care about the environment – and know our customers do too.
That’s why we provide the following sustainable services as standard when you book a conference or event at University of Birmingham.
Great events shouldn’t cost the earth.
Sustainable venues
Many of our venues receive heat and power generated by the University’s onsite Energy Centre. The Teaching and Learning Building is fitted with solar panels.
The Exchange – our city centre venue – is connected to Birmingham District Energy, contributing to a mass of 18,000 tons of CO2 saved per year.
Calculate the environmental impact of your event using the SAM Carbon Calculator.
Seasonal and local ingredients
We are proud to only use 100% British meat and free-range eggs, Red Tractor milk, and MSC-certified seafood in our dishes.
We strive to use ethically produced local food, including vegetables grown at Winterbourne House and Garden and on a community allotment in Aston. And we cater for all dietary preferences and religious requirements to ensure that every delegate feels welcome.
New for 2024 is our green conference menu, featuring A-rated carbon dishes to make it easier for you to make sustainable choices and calculate the amount of carbon used to run your event.
For more information, see Food Fellows’ Food, Beverage and Retail Sustainability road map.
Waste and water
We turn 75 tonnes of food kitchen waste into green energy via an anaerobic digester each year. We recycle used coffee grounds into energy logs – except at Winterbourne’s Terrace Tea Room, where we add them to the garden compost. Single-use plastic has been removed and all water is served in glass bottles. We also encourage visitors to bring their own bottles and refill at any of our water zip taps across campus, which provide filtered, chilled water for free.
For meetings, we’ve removed notepads, pens and branded giveaways to cut down on waste and avoid printing where possible, by using digital signage for example.
Green Conference Catering Package
Our greenest menu yet, for conferences, meetings and events.
Hybrid events and sustainable travel
Whether you’re in the UK or around the globe, we offer a variety of virtual and hybrid solutions for events and meetings, so not everyone has to travel to campus. Our services extend to virtual exhibitions and eye-catching poster board displays for academic events, and you can even view our venues online, by using our 360-degree tours.
We try to make it easy to travel responsibly. Our campus offers several electric car charging points, over 1,800 secure bike racks, and boasts excellent connections to Birmingham city centre via multiple bus routes and University Station. Beryl scooters are also available to hire for quick trips about campus.
Our events delivery team can also support with large group travel by arranging travel to and from campus.
Sustainable suppliers
Before we work with any suppliers for events or meetings, we make sure they align with our sustainability policy, and evaluate them on their eco-friendly practices. For example, our marquee supplier, Fews, has award-winning credentials for their sustainable practices, making them the perfect supplier for outdoor events on the Green Heart.
Green spaces
We’re lucky to have over 26 acres of green space, plus cultural and historical landmarks on our doorstep, including the Lapworth Museum of Geology, Barber Institute of Fine Arts, and Winterbourne House and Garden. Not only are these perfect places for your delegates to unwind and enjoy what the University has to offer, they’re all within easy walking distance of our venues, helping to reduce the carbon footprint of your extra-curricular activities.
We also encourage biodiversity on our campus, which is home to some adorable hedgehogs and foxes. As well as exploring what campus has to offer, Birmingham boasts unique hidden gems including The Coffin Works Museum, Selly Oak Manor and the West Midlands Police Museum.
Download the campus map to discover our campus walks and rich biodiversity.
Green impact
Not only do we care about delivering greener events, but we’re also proud to boast one of the largest Green Impact teams within the University, helping to make our office environment and practices more sustainable.
How to be a greener delegate
If you’re visiting any of our venues for an event or conference, here’s how you can be sustainable as possible.
Our commitment
As a civic university, we aim to support the growth and development of Birmingham and the wider West Midlands. We’re determined that our local communities share the benefits of our international reputation, global connections and world-class facilities. We see the contribution we can make economically, socially and culturally to our locality as core to our purpose.
From helping local business adapt to technological change to enhancing the health of local people, from improving education opportunities and outcomes to training and developing new community leaders, we are investing in meaningful initiatives that meet the needs of the local area.
We do this in many ways, including through Birmingham In Action, a campaign that brings all our charitable projects together to tackle five key challenges for the future.
You can find out more about the University’s impact on the region and wider world by visiting our ‘Our Impact‘ webpage.
Learn more about our sustainability policy and carbon reporting.
