Sustainable cities and communities 2020

The University’s research and knowledge transfer activity is making a major contribution to sustainable cities and communities, for example in the work of colleagues in software technology in the SimplifAi project, addressing traffic management issues in major cities, or the Institute of Railway Research, innovating in technologies relevant to mass transit systems.

The University’s campus includes a number of important heritage buildings, and public access is offered through a working tour developed with ‘Discover Huddersfield’ and through regular ‘Heritage Open Days’.

The internationally-significant collections held in Heritage Quay, the University’s Archives and Special Collections service, are publically-accessible – the facility is open seven days a week, and contains diverse collections ranging from music to sport and from politics to industry.

The University’s art and design collections, and visiting exhibitions, are presented to the public in the Sovereign Design House, which is publically accessible.

The University’s campus is bisected by the Huddersfield Broad and Narrow canals, and public rights of way, and offers public access to open spaces and green spaces.

The University makes major contributions local performing arts activities, through a regular series of performances in music and drama, open to the public, notably through the programme of Sound / Vision / Place events each spring.

Sustainable travel

The University measures and set targets for more sustainable commuting, promoting active travel. It also has flexible working available in many areas which supports a reduced impact from commuting.

The University does not own any student accommodation but works with its partner digs to provide affordable some of the best value student housing in the area, at Storthes Hall and Ashenhurst.

The University is working to reduce the presence of and impact of cars on campus, and has significantly reduced the number of cap-parking spaces on the central area of campus in recent years.

We build our new buildings to sustainable standards, seeking to achieve BREEAM Excellent ratings (best practice); and we consistently build on brownfield sites, redevelops existing areas of the main campus, and the recently acquired western campus area which was formerly the Sovereign Works.