At an event at Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin), Tallaght, Mayor of South Dublin, Cllr Emma Murphy officially launched TU Dublin Green Week, which runs from Monday, 06 March to Friday 10 March 2023. The initiative is an annual celebration of innovation and partnerships, a chance to debate ideas and to showcase a living lab for environmental sustainability across Ireland’s first Technological University.
Across each of the five TU Dublin locations, which includes Grangegorman, Aungier Street, Bolton Street, Tallaght and Blanchardstown, students, staff, and the wider TU Dublin community have an opportunity to get involved in a range of solution-focussed events. The exciting schedule of events includes a Vegan Bake-Off challenge, VOICE recycling workshops, bike repair clinics, clothing swap shops, book clubs and talks by expert TU Dublin and guest speakers.
Speaking at the launch event in Tallaght, Mayor of South Dublin, Cllr Emma Murphy said “I am delighted to raise the climate stripes banner together with TU Dublin to celebrate the launch of Green Week. The climate stripes graphic clearly and vividly shows how average temperatures have risen in Ireland and are set to continue to rise unless we act. But while warming temperatures are increasing, so is the momentum for climate action within our community. We all have a role to play in how we respond to climate change and initiatives like TU Dublin’s Green Week inspires hope for collective climate action.”
Speaking at the Green Week launch event in Tallaght, TU Dublin’s Vice President for Partnerships, Thomas Stone, said ‘We are delighted to highlight the environmental and climate challenges to our planet as represented by this climate stripes mural today on the Tallaght campus and across our university. We are committed to taking all possible steps to protect our planet now and for the future. As a practical example on the Tallaght campus, we have recently commissioned and are enjoying the benefits of heating our main buildings, not by gas boilers anymore, but through a local district heating system’. “
During Green Week TU Dublin will host the European Commission for the REPower EU panel event: Energy efficient buildings. This will be a hybrid event, hosted at TU Dublin’s Tallaght campus, on Thursday, 09 March from 17.00 – 18.45pm. TU Dublin Senior Building Engineering Lecturer, Dr Ciara Ahern will join panellist John Burgess, Associate Director at Arup, Energy Management, Building Engineering to discuss the revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. The event is free and all attendees both online and in person will have the opportunity to take part in a Q&A session with the panellists after the discussion.
Speaking of the Green Week schedule of events, TU Dublin’s Vice President for Sustainability, Jennifer Boyer, said “Green Week brings together students, staff, the local community, policymakers, and NGOs with an aim to raise awareness and stimulate discussion on environmental action across a week of university-wide engagement. The initiative is a leading example of how a university community can shape and drive local climate action with far-reaching impacts.”
The schedule of events, coordinated by the Green-Campus Committee, is a mix of both in-person and online events, focusing on a variety of themes including waste, energy, transport, biodiversity, sustainable food, sustainable fashion, and climate action. TU Dublin’s Green Week is one of the many initiatives undertaken by the university as part of their work towards achieving the Green Flag with An Taisce’s Green-Campus programme.
