Taylor's University is dedicated to preserving the natural environment through our everyday activities. We have implemented a range of strategies for effective energy management, water conservation, sustainable building and facilities, eco-friendly transportation, food system sustainability, land, habitat, and watershed preservation, academic and curriculum enhancements, as well as green procurement practices. With our Sustainability Policy firmly established, Taylor's University is fully committed to taking responsibility and reducing the university's impact on the climate and the environment.

OUR INITIATIVES

To drive the sustainability agenda at the university, an Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Committee has been established. The committee takes the leads in setting the direction and building framework for sustainability initiatives, monitor and ensuring implementation of plans as well as building greater sustainability awareness within the community.

 

In the effort of promoting Sustainability initiatives within the campus community, various Sustainability trainings related to Environment, Social and Governance has been conducted. An annual sustainability assessment tool has also been designed to gauge the sustainability literacy and knowledge of our community.

 

In line with our Sustainability Policy, Taylor’s is also committed to achieving net zero carbon emission by 2050. As part of this commitment, a Net Zero plan has been developed and will be reviewed on an annual basis to ensure that the institution annual carbon emission is moving consistently towards the goal.

EFFICIENT ENERGY MANAGEMENT
WATER CONSERVATION
GREEN BUILDING AND FACILITIES
GREEN TRANSPORT
FOOD SYSTEM SUSTAINABILITY
LAND, HABITAT AND WATERSHED
ACADEMIC AND CURRICULUM
GREEN PURCHASING

We are making serious effort towards reducing our carbon footprint and emission of Green House Gases (GHG). Taylor’s University has formed an Effective Energy Management Team and adopted a comprehensive energy conservation programme. Energy audits help us to identify areas for improvement, which are then implemented and monitored for effectiveness. A historical data analysis pertaining to energy consumption at Taylor’s University’s revealed the major energy consumers.

Area of Focus

Current Maximum Demand

On-going monitoring and review of the University’s energy capacity demand is being carried out to identify potential avenues for reduction of the level of maximum usage within a specific time period.

Efficient Lighting Programme

We are replacing conventional lighting with energy-efficient T5 fluorescent and LED fixtures throughout the University, including common areas (staircases, basement parking garage, corridors, and outdoor campus lighting), classrooms, and offices.

We're cutting electricity usage by turning off unnecessary lights, adjusting operating hours for certain common areas, and promoting natural lighting indoors where possible.

Once the Efficient Lighting Programme is completed, it is anticipated that the savings gained will contribute to about 5% of the total electricity usage.

Air Conditioning Efficiency Programme

We will maintain the Building Automation System for Blocks A, B, LTs, and part of the Library to ensure continuous operational efficiency through proactive preventive maintenance.

Airflow to Blocks C, D, and E is provided by the energy-efficient VRV Air Conditioning System. We're enhancing its efficiency by maintaining a temperature range of 23 to 25 degrees Celsius and exploring advanced technologies like Hydrocarbon Refrigerant systems for even greater efficiency.

Sticker next to the switch that promote the campaign

Energy Savings Initiatives

In 2015, we initiated the Energy Conservation Opportunity Campaign, which involved placing stickers next to switches in all academic blocks. This initiative aims to raise awareness about the importance of turning off lights when they are not in use to conserve electricity.

We have adopted a Water Loss Prevention Programme and initiated concrete measures to minimise water wastage and to promote efficient water usage through leveraging on natural sources such as rainwater.

Area of Focus

Water Harvesting and Recycling

Water recycling allows for more efficient use of water and reduced potable water consumption.

Rainwater harvesting reduces potable water consumption.

Optimising Water Usage: From Landscaping to Facilities

Water efficient landscaping eliminates or minimises usage of potable water for all landscape irrigation.

Water efficient fittings optimise water usage through devices and fittings.

Metering and leakage control through the use of sub-meters to monitor and manage major water usage.

Pressure settings are continually observed and set optimally to prevent excessive flow of water.

Water taps are being replaced or modified for more efficient flow of water

We are studying the need for extra storage tanks to ensure sustainable operations and prevent water shortages during emergencies, in line with our water recycling and rainwater harvesting efforts.

Rainwater harvesting is being adopted in toilet areas and for gardening activities, reducing potable water usage and dependency.

We have adopted a Water Loss Prevention Programme and initiated concrete measures to minimise water wastage and to promote efficient water usage through leveraging on natural sources such as rainwater.

Green Building

Green buildings integrate many aspects of Sustainability including water, Energy and food. Our Campus will be more informed on how and why projects are built and provide proactive inputs to the Strategic Long Range Development Plans. Building upwards rather than building outwards will ensure greater use density. The Campus plan to use sustainable toilets with very low water flow rates and passive renewable Solar Energy to power up its Air Conditioning and other systems. More metering and retrofits to the existing buildings with the integration of Sustainability criteria/ Standards. Engagement of more Campus students to co-lead/ support the Green building and Energy retrofit projects implementation

Indoor Environment Quality (IEQ)

Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) encompasses the conditions inside our building at Taylor’s University – air quality, lighting, thermal conditions, ergonomics—and their effects on occupants or residents.

 

Strategies for addressing IEQ include those that protect human health, improve quality of life, as well as reduce stress and eliminate potential injuries. Better indoor environmental quality can enhance the lives of building occupants, increase the resale value of the building and reduce liability for building owners.

 

Since the personnel costs of salaries and benefits typically surpass operating costs of an office building, strategies that improve employees’ health and productivity over the long run can have a large return on investment. IEQ goals often focus on providing stimulating and comfortable environments for occupants and minimizing the risk of building-related health problems.

 

To make our buildings where people feel good and perform well, project teams must balance selection of strategies that promote efficiency and conservation with those that address the needs of the occupants and promote well-being. Ideally, the chosen strategies do both: the solutions that conserve energy, water and materials also contribute to a great indoor experience.

 

Green buildings with good indoor environmental quality protect the health and comfort of building occupants. High-quality indoor environments also enhance productivity, decrease absenteeism, improve the building’s value, and reduce liability for building designers and owners.

Sustainable transport planning at Taylor’s University aims to reduce the number of cars on the road. This involves three main strategies: mobility options, connectivity and land use patterns.

Mobility Options

Shuttle Buses

Taylor’s University proactively encourage its community to use the provided shuttle bus services instead of driving to campus.

Car-Pooling

To incentivise students, dedicated car parks are allocated for those who engage in carpooling.

Ride Sharing

Students who drive are encouraged to give a ride to non-driver students who live nearby. Non-driver students are expected to share in fuel and toll costs (if any) incurred.

Active Transport

Students and staff are encouraged to use various active modes of transport where possible, instead of using motorized transportation.

Connectivity

Connectivity indicates the commitment of financial resources to develop and build infrastructure such as roads, pathways and bridges that facilitate sustainable transportation within the campus.

This includes ensuring free-flowing unobstructed access for pedestrians – ideal for bicycles and skaters as well. Some initiatives that are supported by this policy include:

Ensuring the availability of pedestrian pathways, sidewalks, covered walkways and bridges or tunnels that link all buildings within the campus to each other, without having pedestrians to cross dangerous roads or intersections congested with traffic.

Allocating bicycle lanes with signage within the on-campus roads, improving traffic flow for cyclists.

Building a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) pedestrian bridge from Bandar Sunway to the Taylor’s University campus. This is to encourage the community to use public transit.

Land Use Patterns

Assign students to residences within walking or cycling distance from the campus. If possible, also within direct shuttle bus service location.

Providing designated parking facilities for bicycles and students who practise car-pooling or ride sharing.

Providing bus stops within walking distance of lecture halls or main areas where students congregate.

A large expenditure of time, money and energy routinely goes into the preparation of food for the Campus community. This area of campus operations consumes a significant portion of resources and generates large volumes of wastes.

Our Focuses

Due to its unique characteristics, this particular area of campus operations is an excellent candidate for the adoption of focused and appropriate sustainable practices. One distinctive aspect is that most of food services are provided through our vendors/ contractors, who could be asked to meet sustainability goals and performance standards. Contract negotiation periods are a particularly important time for instituting reforms in dining services. A wide range of approaches are being developed by producers to sustainably grow food. The Malaysian public is increasingly familiar with the health and environmental benefits of organic farming (avoiding artificial pesticides and fertilizers).

Heavy consumption of meat and dairy products require special attention, as this activity is a leading source of water pollution (from animal wastes) and habitat loss. The other special consideration for Malaysians is the rapid rise in the consumption of calories, which requires that more food be grown, processed, transported and prepared – and is leading to a health crisis of truly large proportions. Thus campus food services and system have a crucial educational role (positive or negative) in educating students that food choices matter for health, environment and society.

Solid Waste Recycling Programme

Solid Wastes Recycling is a very important initiative at Taylor’s University. Our Campus has set a target to achieve 60% recycling rate in 2016 and subsequently hit 90% by end of 2017.

 

The Campus Facilities Management has created an excellent partnership with our students’ Community Services Initiatives (CSI) and various Academic Schools and other Support organizations to drive this Recycling initiative for organics wastes, construction-related waste from major projects and Food de-composting.

 

We have started taking various steps to reduce environmental impacts. Programs and initiatives will be implemented to raise awareness of recycling on campus among all students, staff, faculty, and visitors of university facilities and events. Additional Recycling Centers have been created and Recycling containers will be installed across the campus.

 

The university recycles a wide array of materials including paper, metal, wood, food, bottles and cans, yard waste, construction debris, electronic equipment and a variety of “industrial wastes” such as motor oil, antifreeze, batteries, tires and fluorescent tubes, among other materials.

The magnificent setting of Taylor’s University Campus provides an excellent opportunity to manage both undeveloped and developed land holdings while providing an education to thousands of students housed on or commuting regularly to the Campus.

Our Focuses

As a campus nestled within a complex natural environment, the University understands the need to balance the requirements of maintaining and developing facilities to support teaching, research and public services while managing the natural environment that is an integral part of the Campus and the surrounding region.

 

A walk around the Campus reveals the interactivity between the natural environment and the built campus: buildings are co-located with old-growth trees, views of the Lakeside extend beyond the main buildings, and a small group of ducks and goose are seen often swimming and hanging on/ around the lake.

 

Natural environment and human activity are intertwined in a raw way that doesn’t occur anywhere else in a Campus setting. Prominent stewardship successes are centrally important to meeting sustainability goals. At an institution of higher education, land stewardship is taught by design and example and is an opportunity for leadership.

Community Outreach

Extra-curricular campus events can be an effective way for students, Academic Schools and staff to learn about sustainability and develop a commitment to it. Community outreach has several functions. First, it is the means by which Taylor’s University can more widely share its knowledge of sustainability. Increased outreach efforts can benefit a public in need of sustainability education, operational examples and leaders. Hence, outreach has the potential to educate students and employees about how they might improve their lives and communities, and about how Taylor’s University can serve as a model and testing site for possible solutions.

Second, outreach is critical for Taylor’s University to become better known across the Educational Sector in Malaysia. The reputation of TU as a leader in sustainability and public perceptions will grow rapidly. Third, outreach helps us obtain the resources necessary to accomplish all campus sustainability goals, by informing donors, investors, partners, legislators and other parties capable of assisting the University.

Taylor’s University’s long term goal is to integrate formal teaching mission and informal teaching opportunities to develop understanding, attitudes and habits that promote sustainability. In our formal education, we can do much more to ensure that students have taken classes that provide them with a refined understanding of sustainability, and a basic set of skills with which to tackle these complex issues.

Our Focuses

In the classroom, sustainability has a broad meaning that touches a wide range of disciplines and methodological approaches. It is a big-tent concept that embraces the ideas of financial security, social and environmental responsibility.

 

Education for sustainability is a lifelong learning process that leads to an informed and involved corporate citizenship having the creative problem solving skills, scientific and social literacy, and commitment to engage in responsible individual and cooperative actions. These actions will help ensure an environmentally sound and economically prosperous future.

 

Education for sustainability, then, provides students with a sense of environmental and social citizenship and with the knowledge and skills needed to work effectively for sustainability. Achieving this goal requires that students encounter the key concepts of sustainability multiple times throughout their education, and in a variety of venues.

 

Programmes that focus on sustainability should not be limited to a few programs but rather, they can and should be taught across all Academic Schools. However, learning does not stop when students leave their classroom. It also takes place in external Community outreach activities, guest lectures, campus events and research experiences.

Economic, Environmental and Social Sustainability

Taylor’s University explores and exemplifies all aspects of economic, environmental and social sustainability. We recognize that to meet society’s needs without compromising those of future generations requires the best efforts of the brightest minds in every field—ecological, economic and social.

 

Prudent with financial resources and mindful of its mandate to our society, Taylor’s University supports those initiatives that will ensure the long-term resilience of the University and its ability to serve for generations to come. The University creates cost-neutral ways to include sustainability teaching and learning in and across all disciplines, and encourages students, staff and Academic Schools to carry daily sustainability practices out beyond the gates.

 

In our Campus plans, in community development and in partnerships with Government agencies, we exemplify the hope that we can leave behind us a world worthy of our children.

The acquisition of goods and services on the best possible terms, has historically been based on two criteria, price and quality, with the view to maximizing benefits for the Purchasing organization. Sustainable or “green” purchasing broadens this framework to ensure that quality criteria include minimal adverse environmental and health impacts.

 

With recognition of the importance of sustainable procurement, we have the Green Purchasing Policy in place to to ensure that the goods and services we acquire have minimal adverse impact on the environmental and health.  ​

 

Our Focuses

Cycle costs (financial, environmental and social) of the product will be taken into consideration. The Life Cycle takes into account extraction, production, manufacturing, distribution, operation, maintenance and disposal. Many “green” products are competitively priced with their conventional counterparts, are of comparable quality, and have one or more of the following attributes:

  • High Content from Post-Consumer Recycled Materials
  • Low Embodied Energy (consumed to extract, manufacture, distribute and dispose)
  • Recyclable
  • Non-toxic
  • Energy Efficient
  • Durable and/or Repairable
  • Produced in an Environmentally and Socially-Sustainable Manner

Materials and Resources

Conservation of Material

A building generates substantial waste throughout its life cycle, so meaningful waste reduction starts by minimising material use during the planning and design phases.

Environmentally Preferable Materials

Designations like local sourcing, sustainability, rapid renewable materials, biodegradability, and toxin-free components all showcase a commitment to sustainability.

Waste Management and Reduction

The aim is to minimize landfill disposal by recycling or reusing materials during construction and renovation.

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Taylor's Nature Club

Taylor's Nature Club is a vibrant student-led organisation dedicated to promoting environmental awareness and sustainable practises on campus and beyond.

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