American College of Ras Al Khaimah scores excessive in sustainability, with lowest Greenhouse Fuel emissions amongst UAE universities

The sprawling 1.6 million sq. ft. campus of the American College of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK) is on monitor to attain the sustainability objectives set out in its five-year Sustainability Motion Plan (SAP), with preliminary studies exhibiting that it has the bottom greenhouse fuel (GHG) emissions amongst UAE universities.

In response to the findings of the Greenhouse Fuel (GHG) Emission Report performed by ZeeDimension consultancy for the college, AURAK’s complete GHG emissions are considerably low when evaluated towards these of different universities.

Additional, in response to revealed information from UAE universities, AURAK displays the bottom GHG emissions per capita of three.67 metric tons of carbon dioxide equal (MTCO₂e), in distinction to 3 different prime universities whose emissions ranged between 5.68 to 7.59 MTCO₂e.

The college has set an bold goal to cut back Co2 emissions by 20% by 2030. This discount will likely be achieved via using automobiles that depend on various power gasoline sources, diminished reliance on on-site backup mills, and the enlargement of renewable power sources on campus, comparable to solar-powered lighting and heating programs.

Prof. Stephen Wilhite, Senior Vice President of Educational Affairs and Pupil Success and Provost at AURAK, says: “We take sustainability very significantly at AURAK. We dedicated to aligning our sustainability actions with the Web Zero by 2050 strategic initiative by lowering greenhouse fuel emissions via intensive use of photo voltaic power, adoption of unpolluted transportation, adherence to inexperienced constructing rules, implementation of round waste programs, and integration of agriculture with nature-based options.”

Prof. Tahseen Anwer Arshi, Affiliate Provost for Analysis and Sustainability, and Director AURAK’s Middle for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, mentioned: “Our Sustainability Motion Plan is a blueprint for lowering our carbon footprint, contributing to UN Sustainable Growth Aim 13: Local weather Motion. The findings of the Greenhouse Fuel Emission Report validates our dedication to be lively contributors to worldwide efforts to cut back world warming. As well as, we’re engaged in innovative analysis that focuses on discovering various options to environmental conservation.”

AURAK has additionally aligned its methods to the Inexperienced Constructing Requirements set forth by the RAK Municipality’s “Barjeel” rules. Accordingly, we intention to cut back embodied carbon within the main supplies utilized in new development and main renovations on our campus.

One of many important initiatives outlined in AURAK’s sustainability motion plan is to boost biodiversity on campus and enhance the standard of life for the college neighborhood. The college has launched into a public-private partnership to create a biodiversity hub — a forest-centric sustainability area that can perform as a central hub for analysis in agriculture and biodiversity, specializing in the analysis of applied sciences and programs that harness wastewater and photo voltaic power to advertise a round economic system.

AURAK has additionally arrange the Ras Al Khaimah Middle for Out of doors Consolation (RAKCOC), which develops progressive options that may improve out of doors consolation and high quality of life whereas selling power effectivity and lowering environmental influence.

As well as, AURAK has partnered with the Emirates Environmental Group to collaborate on a number of recycling initiatives on campus. The college has additionally raised workers and scholar consciousness of environmental and social sustainability and has organized a number of coaching packages and competitions in collaboration with Deloitte and Supluss to advertise inexperienced abilities.