Who we are?

The Green Campus Programme has been in operation in Ireland since 2007. At present 40 Campuses are formally registered on the Programme, with nineteen awarded the Green Flag including two hospital sites. See Awarded Sites page for more information. For further information on the programme: Green Campus Description 2021-2022
The Green-Campus Programme encourages a partnership approach to environmental education, management and action in third level institutions. The Programme primarily aims to ensure that members of a campus community can engage in a meaningful way to enhance sustainability on campus. It must be noted that the Green-Campus Programme does not reward specific environmental projects or implementation of a new technology. Rather it rewards long term commitment to continuous improvement from the campus community.
An Taisce’s Environmental Education Unit is responsible for developing and operating some of Ireland’s most popular and successful environmental programmes and campaigns.
For more information on these programmes please click on the links below:

An Taisce, meaning ‘The Store House’ or ‘Treasury’ is The National Trust For Ireland, and is Ireland’s oldest environmental charity. It was founded over 60 years ago to protect the environment and heritage of Ireland for the benefit of the people and future generations and for the ‘Common Good’. Since its foundation, An Taisce has worked in practical ways to protect our natural environment and our built heritage. It is a prescribed body in Irish planning law and an advocate of sustainable development, climate security, food security, energy security, water security and biodiversity conservation. An Taisce is also a membership organisation with active volunteers and local associations located throughout the country.
The seven steps of the programme are: establishing a Green-Campus committee incorporating student and staff representatives, undertaking an environmental review, implementing an action plan, monitoring and evaluating actions carried out, linking the programme to curriculum work, informing and involving the campus and wider community, and developing a green charter.
The Environmental Education Unit at An Taisce is the National Operator in Ireland for all international environmental education programmes of FEE. The criteria and other scheme materials are solely for the use of third level educational institutions wishing to join the Green Campus Programme. Copying or use of the criteria or other programme material for any other purpose will be subject to approval by the Foundation for Environmental Education. An Taisce is the sole authorised advisory and assessment body for the Green-Campus Programme. Only officers trained and appointed by An Taisce are authorised to advise or assess a Campus on their performance under the Eco-Schools/Green-Campus criteria.
Non-appointed officers may not represent the Green-Campus Programme and should not claim to understand the details of the assessment requirements or awards as they relate to any site. Information regarding the Green-Campus Programme will only be sent directly to Campuses and not via a third party or advisor. All applications/registrations to the Green-Campus Programme must be made by the Green-Campus Committee and not through a third party or advisor.
The Seven-Step process should be applied to the organisation and implemented with the support and guidance of the Green-Campus office of An Taisce. Upon completion of the Seven Steps, the Green-Campus partner submits an application to the Green-Campus office and a Demonstration Day is arranged to showcase the work of the service provider. An Taisce awards a Green-Campus partner certificate, based on their assessment of the application and demonstration of activities by the organisation. The Green-Campus Partner Certificate is subject to renewal every two years.
This programme encourages a partnership approach to environmental education, management and action in third level institutions. Primarily aimed at campus communities it ensures that students and staff can engage in a meaningful way to enhance sustainability on campus.
HEAnet and the Green-Campus Partner Programme
HEAnet is Ireland’s National Education and Research Network, providing internet connectivity and associated ICT services to education and research organisations throughout Ireland, including all primary and post-primary schools. HEAnet has been collaborating with An Taisce‘s Green Campus FEE (Foundation for Environmental Education) programme for several years now. As HEAnet and An Taisce share a common client base across the University and Higher Education sector, they have combined their efforts to promote sustainability and dissemination through the use of ICT technologies.
To fully establish this collaboration, HEAnet successfully undertook Green Campus Certification in their own right, in order to fully experience the programme being pursued by an increasing number of their clients. HEAnet are the first company to be awarded Green Campus Certification in this category.
Pictured here are John Boland, HEAnet Chief Executive and Andrew Mackarel, HEAnet Project Manager accepting the Green Campus Certification award from Anthony Purcell, Development Manager, Environmental Education Unit, An Taisce. The presentation took place at HEAnet’s National Conference 2015 in November.
HEAnet are currently in the process of procuring and deploying a new network which will offer higher bandwidth and services to clients using more energy efficient equipment. HEAnet also lead 1GÉANTs Green team activities (GN4 NA3-T3) and are in discussions with other 2NRENs about their participation in FEE activities in their own countries. For more information on HEAnet’s involvement with An Taisce Green Campus, please contact noc@heanet.ie
1 GÉANT: Europe’s leading collaboration on e-infrastructure and services for research and education: http://www.geant.org/
2 NRENs / National Research and Education Networks: http://www.geant.net/About/partners/Pages/Home.aspx
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Contact us
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Green-Campus Ireland
An Taisce Environmental Education Unit,
Unit 5a Swift’s Alley
Francis Street
Dublin 8 -
Phone
TEL: 01 4002218
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E-mail