Principle 2 * of the International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN) covers the following issues:

  • Carbon emissions

    The measurement of UCT's carbon footprint follows the internationally recognised Greenhouse Gas Protocol: A Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard (revised edition).

    The university’s first carbon footprint report was started in 2007 and is now published annually.

    Read the university’s carbon footprint reports.

  • Transportation

    UCT is very proud of the UCT Shuttle service, which serves all the UCT campuses and residences, and offers a large number of students and staff free, easy transport to and from the university.

    A 2015 student project survey found that 38% of journeys were taken using this service (against 3% using other buses, 1% using taxis, 1% using bicycles, 12% walking, 1% using mountain bikes, 4% using the train and 40% using cars).

    In 2017 UCT renewed the UCT Shuttle fleet with the aim of reducing harmful emissions. UCT also has several electric golf carts for traffic officers and maintenance crews and Segways for some security personnel. The purchase of more electric vehicles is being investigated.

    The cycle infrastructure project  was implemented initially on upper campus in 2013 – this included signage, bike racks and road markings. It has proved difficult linking the upper campus with the lower campuses due to the very steep, dangerous roads, and the long distances. This explains why the student survey revealed that only 1% of the UCT population cycle to and around campus.

    In 2009 UCT Ridelink was introduced, which is a web-based car-pooling system. It aims to share fuel costs, reduce carbon emissions, and make parking on upper campus easier.

    Links

    UCT Shuttle:
    staff | students

    Ridelink

  • Land use and biodiversity

    The university is situated in of area of significant biodiversity, and is also home to a heritage-protected treed area on lower campus. Biodiversity is considered a priority in the UCT Green Campus Action Plan.

    During the redevelopment of the middle campus, an environmental consultant was employed. This resulted in a successful project to save a population of endangered rain frogs. Further replanting on upper campus with indigenous species is taking place in the hope of saving another population of this frog species.

    Work to enhance the biodiversity and ecological value of the estate includes:

    • removing invasive alien species
    • planting endemic and indigenous vegetation
    • replacing irrigated lawns with water-wise gardens

     

     

    UCT has a pest-control programme in place to control non-plant invasive alien species, such as rats. Apart from bait boxes for rats and the occasional drain treatment for cockroaches, no pesticides are used.

    As of 30 June 2017, a strict smoking policy was introduced at UCT. Although not a smoke-free policy, it is very close to being one and is one of the strictest in the country.

 

* Principle 2: To ensure long-term sustainable campus development, campus-wide master planning and target-setting should include environmental and social goals.