Sustainability
ASL Sustainability Statement
10 December 2021
The American School in London is committed to sustainability and continuously improving environmental performance. ASL has a duty to provide its students with the knowledge and skills to look after the planet and to manage its resources wisely. Additionally, we believe in growth and change that is sustainable, economically responsible and beneficial to our community and neighborhood.
ASL assesses sustainability initiatives by considering their social, economic and environmental benefits. This approach can reveal interconnected advantages and value. For example, supporting student sustainability projects increases community engagement and reveals the value of individual awareness and choices. Through an annual report and dashboard, we will assess historical data and ongoing adjustments of sustainability initiatives.
Social initiative examples |
Soc |
Econ | Env |
Establish cross-divisional eco committee, with student participation | ✓ | ✓ | |
Support student-led ecology projects and community clubs | ✓ | ✓ | |
Apply for a Green Flag award from the UK Eco-Schools organization and support the student-led reports, projects and assessments | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Integrate environmental studies and awareness into the curriculum, where appropriate | ✓ | ✓ | |
Increase community awareness of recently completed and upcoming sustainability projects and initiatives | ✓ |
Economic initiative examples |
Soc |
Econ | Env |
Minimize waste, fuel and electricity use by evaluating operations and equipment and ensuring they are as efficient as possible |
|
✓ | ✓ |
Design and implement sustainable infrastructure objectives that self-fund over time when renovating or creating new facilities |
✓ | ✓ | |
Minimize our CO2 emissions by monitoring and improving our travel choices, transport fleet and equipment that produces emissions |
✓ | ✓ | |
Investigate programs to measure and help publicize the energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprint generated by school operations and activities |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
Environmental initiative examples |
Soc |
Econ | Env |
Achieve a Very Good BREEAM rating for the new Community Arts Building |
✓ | ✓ |
✓ |
Build an eco classroom at Canons Park that supports lower school environmental curricular goals |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Actively promote recycling both internally and among our community and suppliers | ✓ | ✓ | |
Contribute food waste to the Westminster biomass energy initiative | ✓ | ✓ | |
Meet or exceed all environmental legislation that relates to the School and comply with national best practices | ✓ | ✓ |
Recent accomplishments:
- Two Green Flags have been awarded to ASL
- ASL has signed a contract for 100% renewable electrical energy for the Waverley Place campus until September 2022
- 90% of fluorescent lighting on campus has been replaced with LED lighting, with a goal of 100% replacement by 2023
- Electricity generating solar panels have been installed on the pavilion at Canons Park
- Food waste is collected by Westminster for biomass energy production
- 15 hydration stations have saved over 400,000 plastic bottles from being created and used since their installation, at a rate of 10,000 bottles saved per year. We are installing additional stations at a rate of three per year as old drinking fountain are replaced.
Contact
Jim Henderickx, Director of Operations