University of Bath

Part of our Profiled Universities

Location: Bath, United Kingdom

Focus area: Circular and green chemistry

Teaching and Learning

In addition to the teaching programmes outlined below, the University of Bath is the first UK signatory of the Green Chemistry Commitment, a charter to train the next generation of chemists in the theory and application of green chemistry principles. The University of Bath’s chemistry courses are being revised as part of a university-wide curriculum transformation for students starting in 2023.

The Green Chemistry Commitment (GCC) is a global initiative to help transform chemistry education by preparing chemistry students with a better understanding of green chemistry, developing innovative, environmentally-sound solutions to chemical products and processes. Signatories commit to teach their students about the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry, toxicology and how chemicals affect human health and the environment, laboratory skills to design greener alternatives to chemical processes and to equip future scientists to use methods and chemicals that are benign for human health and the environment.

• The Climate Literacy induction course for all undergraduate and postgraduate students at the University of Bath. The University is developing a Climate Action Framework. As part of this initiative, an interdisciplinary group of academic and professional services staff collaborated to provide a Climate Literacy induction course for all incoming students to engage with the topic of climate change and gain insights into the University’s applied teaching and research in this area.

• MSc Innovative Structural Materials (Dept. Architecture & Civil Engineering) includes units such as Natural Building Materials and Sustainable Construction Materials, covering circular economycircular economyA systems solution framework that tackles global challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution. It is based on three principles, driven by design: eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials (at their highest value), and regenerate nature. principles applied to construction materials and products.

• MSc Environmental Engineering (Dept. of Chemical Engineering). A one-year course where students develop the techniques to analyse the technical, economic, environmental and social impact of human activities, industrial activities, resource efficiency and pollution, processes and product alternatives. Course modules include Environmental engineering design and The Bioeconomy.

• MRes Sustainable Futures (Dept. of Psychology), includes units of study in Contemporary Debates in Sustainability and Environmental and Resources Economics.

• MEng Chemical Engineering with Environmental Engineering (Hons), includes Environmental and Engineering Project Management and optional units covering Resource Recovery.

The University of Bath’s Centre for Sustainable and Circular Technologies also has various PhD programmes with a variety of learning modules relating to the Circular Economy. Subjects such as Life Cycle Assessment; The corporate world; sustainable technologies businesses; Biochemistry for sustainable technologies; Public Engagement Masterclass (bespoke training focusing on how to engage the public on research for the circular economy); Renewable Chemical Feedstocks. Learn more. 

Applied Research 

All of the students and academics at the Centre for Sustainable and Circular Technologies (CSCT) are currently undertaking research relevant to sustainable technologies and the Circular Economy. Some of the large scale projects include:

• Innovation Centre for Applied Sustainable Technologies (iCAST) - The iCAST is a £17M collaboration led by Professor Matthew Davidson, (CSCT Director), which aims to deliver innovation in green, sustainable technologies. The Centre is focusing on convening industry and academia to translate discoveries into commercial application across all the innovation stages. Research areas include circular plastics, sustainable manufacturing, biobased feedstocks, and sustainable engineering materials.

• The Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre (IDRIC) - The University of Bath’s Centre for Sustainable and Circular Technologies (CSCT) is a leading partner in a £20M UKRI-funded state-of-the-art research and innovation centre at the forefront of the UK’s ambitions to cut industrial greenhouse gas emissions. CSCT will be involved in research projects to address decarbonisation through balancing carbon emissions within local clusters, decarbonising through reviewing land use, and producing high-value chemicals. Professor Marcelle McManus, Co-Director of CSCT and a member of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, is Bath’s IDRIC lead and will be the Research Director of the new centre. Learn more.

• EPSRC funded Catalysis for the Circular Economy and Sustainable Manufacturing

• Supergen Bioenergy Hub

Campus Management

The University of Bath scored highly and placed in the ‘Leading the Way’ tier in the Carbon Targets ranking produced by Students Organising for Sustainability UK (SOS-UK), alongside the National Union of Students (NUS), the University and College Union (UCU) and People & Planet (P&P). The University scored highly because it has combined heat and power (CHP) plants and recycles waste heat on-site,is on a "green" energy tariff and has developed plans for a Climate Action Framework. Learn more.

As part of the University’s Environmental Policy, they aim to reduce overall waste production, apply and review the Sustainable Procurement Policy, (supporting the principles of fair trade and maintaining Fairtrade status). 

Connect with

Amanda Crowe, Centre Coordinator of the Centre for Sustainable and Circular Technologies (akc61@bath.ac.uk)

Find out more

• Centre for Sustainable and Circular Technologies (CSCT)