Sustainability and safety are no longer treated as separate concerns on school, college, and university campuses – they are increasingly viewed as interconnected pillars of responsible facilities management. Senior estates and facilities professionals across the education sector are adopting integrated strategies that improve both environmental performance and health & safety (H&S) outcomes, while aligning with national net-zero targets and evolving regulatory demands. This shift reflects growing pressure from regulators, students, staff, and local communities to ensure that campuses are healthy, inclusive, and environmentally conscious places to live, work, and learn…
1. Aligning Environmental Sustainability with Health & Safety Policies
Many education institutions are embedding environmental considerations directly into their H&S frameworks. This includes:
✔ Air quality monitoring to ensure safe indoor environments while optimising energy use from HVAC systems.
✔ Safe material sourcing and disposal, particularly in relation to cleaning chemicals, lab waste, and construction materials.
✔ Climate-adaptive building design to reduce overheating, flooding risk, and associated safety hazards.
By treating sustainability and safety as complementary goals, estates teams can reduce operational silos and improve both compliance and campus wellbeing.
2. Smarter Buildings for Safer Occupants
Smart building technologies are enabling a new era of integrated environmental and H&S management. IoT-enabled systems now provide real-time data on:
✔ CO₂ levels, temperature, and humidity—linked to occupancy and ventilation settings.
✔ Energy and water usage, with alerts for anomalies that may signal maintenance issues or safety risks.
✔ Automated emergency lighting, fire detection, and access control systems, integrated into environmental performance dashboards.
These technologies offer a holistic view of campus operations, allowing facilities managers to optimise sustainability while proactively managing risk.
3. Sustainable H&S Practices in Campus Maintenance and Development
Day-to-day estate operations also present opportunities to align green goals with safety protocols. For example:
✔ Implementing low-emission groundskeeping equipment reduces both carbon emissions and staff exposure to noise and fumes.
✔ Choosing non-toxic, biodegradable cleaning supplies promotes hygiene while improving indoor air quality.
✔ Prioritising circular economy practices in refurbishments, such as reusing materials, limits waste and reduces hazards during disposal.
These practices enhance sustainability credentials without compromising safety standards.
4. Engaging Stakeholders Through a Shared Sustainability-Safety Culture
Leading institutions are also promoting a culture of shared responsibility among staff and students. Initiatives include:
✔ Campaigns linking energy-saving behaviours with wellbeing outcomes (e.g., thermal comfort, light quality).
✔ Training programmes that incorporate both environmental awareness and health & safety compliance.
✔ Transparent reporting on sustainability and safety metrics to build trust and accountability.
As campuses evolve, the integration of sustainability and health & safety is becoming a defining characteristic of future-ready estates management. By embracing this holistic approach, education institutions can create greener, safer, and more resilient learning environments that meet the demands of students and staff alike.
Are you searching for Environmental or Health & Safety solutions for your institution? The Education Forum can help!
Photo by Richard Vance Cabusao on Unsplash
