Environmental Sustainability
Introduction
Since 1973 The Old Royal Naval College has been categorised by Historic England as a Scheduled Monument. As custodians of this historically and architecturally significant site it is our responsibility to conserve and protect the fabric of this unique site in a sustainable and resilient way.
We are seeking ways of embedding sustainability as a key part of our decision making and working with our partners and communities to minimise our impact on the environment. Conscious of our environmental responsibilities, we aim to conduct our activities within a framework of focused ecologically responsible best-practice.
Why are we doing this now
The Old Royal Naval College has a long and celebrated 600-year history and our mission is to inspire local pride and world-wide acclaim, a place which creates memorable experiences. Ensuring that we conserve our rich heritage for the enjoyment of current and future generations is one of our core charitable objectives.
We recognise that the ability to conserve and share our history is intrinsically linked with our impact on the environment, and the effects of climate change.
We are proud to look after this magnificent heritage site and want to be role models for those who visit us, work here, and for our community. We celebrate our location as a riverside site, connected to the world by the River Thames. We also acknowledge that we are at risk from the negative impacts of climate change.
Where are we today
We are taking steps to understand our own impact on the environment to ensure we behave in an environmentally sustainable and responsible way.
We have set out a short-term action plan that includes working with experts in the sector and our partners to deliver in three key areas:
- Deliver a plan for potential green-energy solutions, which includes the application of low-carbon and renewable technologies and explores new energy infrastructure for the site.
- Work towards Planet Mark’s sustainability certification that verifies and measures carbon and social data to reduce emissions and work towards net zero.
- Engage our staff and partners to drive change and engage our audiences directly via public programmes, including exhibitions.
The organisation’s progress will be assessed through monitoring by the Executive and Leadership Team and Trustees.