Students’ Union gets first glimpse of West Slope In early February, the Students’ Union joined the West Slope team on a tour of the West Slope construction site. Whilst on site, the Students’ Union had the opportunity to explore the new Health and Wellbeing Centre and one of the new student accommodation buildings that are currently under construction.
Read more and watch our latest video update on the Staff Hub. Arts A – RAAC improvement works
The University is seeking planning permission for improvement works in Arts A building. Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) was used in the construction of one area of Arts A. The majority of the RAAC panels are structurally secure, with only one small area - affecting a single office - requiring replacement works.
Exterior improvement works are required alongside planned RAAC replacement works, and as Arts A is a Grade II* Listed building, we are seeking planning permission to proceed with these works. The safety of staff and students is our top priority, and we continue to monitor and assess all buildings impacted by RAAC.
An important year for Facilities Management at Sussex The process of finding a new supplier for our Facilities Management (FM) services is almost complete. Colleagues from teams within Professional Services have been examining bids from potential new suppliers, with input provided by academic colleagues to ensure that the whole University was represented throughout the process.
With the successful supplier expected to be announced in the spring, take a look back at how feedback from our campus community has shaped our vision for the future of FM at Sussex.
Students share thoughts on campus in the Student Spaces Survey
Discover our students' thoughts on their life on campus through the feedback they shared with us via the 2024 Student Spaces Survey. Their input gave us a great insight into what they love, what they’d like to improve and what they’d like to see on campus. From their favourite café to the best study spots, here’s what they had to say about eating, living and studying on campus as well as campus wellbeing, shopping and accessibility.
Optimising heating schedules to achieve energy savings
As part of our journey towards achieving Net Zero, the Sustainability team has optimised heating schedules across campus to reduce energy waste. By crosschecking energy use and building access data, they identified buildings frequently heated outside operational hours and adjusted schedules to align with working hours. These changes, already applied to seven buildings with ten more to follow, have resulted in substantial energy savings. For example, one building is projected to save 28,417 kWh or 5,185.62 kg CO2e, equivalent to the electricity use of an average UK household for eight months, leading to significant financial savings.
As these adjustments expand to more buildings, the long-term impact is expected to further reduce the University's carbon footprint and costs. Which charities will Arts Piazza’s partner roastery support this year?
Social Impact Coffee, Arts Piazza’s new coffee partner, ensures 65% of the sales from the coffee beans we buy goes directly to support local causes of our choice.
Earlier in the month, we asked students and staff to vote for the causes closest to their heart, and results are now in. Find out which local charities Arts Piazza’s coffee beans will be supporting this year, making every bean count!
Campus bagel van moved to Library Square
Relish, the Down Syndrome Development Trust (DSDT) bagel van serving fresh bagels on campus every Thursday and Friday, is now based at Library Square. Visit the team between 10am-2.30pm for delicious bagels, coffee or snacks and support a special initiative.
Relish is a food micro-business project created through a collaboration between the University and DSDT, with the help of Sussex Uni Food, with more learning opportunities for the young people of the Trust planned. Valentine's Day preview: Better Campus team showcases future Health and Wellbeing Centre
On Valentine’s Day, the Better Campus team joined the festivities at the Student Centre, sharing the love for our campus and offering students an exciting preview of the Health and Wellbeing Centre, set to open next year. Students got to explore the future spaces through an immersive 360-degree VR experience and had the chance to engage with a selection of material samples including fabrics, wood, and calming colour palettes that will help create a welcoming and comfortable environment in the new Centre.
The team also invited students to share what they love most about campus. Responses highlighted the beauty of Stanmer Park and the South Downs, favourite study spots like the Library, and popular cafés such as ACCA café and IDS. Automated Meter Reading project enhances efficiency and sustainability
Monitoring utility consumption including electricity, water, and gas usage across 54 buildings on campus took a step into the future this month, with the successful completion of the Automated Meter Reading (AMR) project.
Our infrastructure team has successfully upgraded existing meters, and installed new equipment to optimise utility management, improving data accuracy and efficiency. Data can now be accessed through a monitoring platform, and an online user-friendly system has been implemented, with readings being uploaded directly, which will help prevent maintenance issues. This will also create more opportunities to identify and reduce resource waste across campus, marking significant progress in our aims to become a sustainable and energy-efficient campus.
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