NTU Green Points at Riba Rocks!
We’re excited to share this great news from NTU Sustainability – leading environmental management at Nottingham Trent University.
Students from Nottingham Trent University (NTU) taking part in the Riba Rocks creative eco-residency, can earn points for doing so on the NTU Green Rewards app. Students gain points by logging their activities such as carbon conscious travel, reducing waste, being mindful and more during their time with us. Points are added to the leaderboard where users can win vouchers for ethical shops.
In addition the students who undertake a residency with us, can log their time under NTU Employability’s Sustainabiltiy Award, gaining recognition that can be added to their CVs for participating in extracurricular eco-conscious efforts. NTU is renowned for its sustainability efforts. On site students can support NTU to be more sustainable by:
- Taking part in gardening opportunities and rewilding
- Reducing NTU’s carbon footprint through good energy behaviours
- Reducing and repurposing waste including donating unwanted clothing
- Hiring a bike from the Cycle Hub or taking public transport
- Exploring the Sustainable Development Goals within their courses
We are proud to be part of this global sustainability effort. At Riba Rocks, our site is completely off-grid, powered entirely by solar energy for both accommodation and studios. Our eco-residencies encourage low-impact living, environmental awareness, and creative practice. All while offsetting the carbon footprint of travel and the duration of stay.
Students also receive a Carbon Footprint Certificate for their stay, and for Spring 2025, the residency was carbon negative!
💚 What we do at Riba Rocks 💚
Our eco-residency is designed to give students and artists a hands-on experience of sustainable living.
Participants engage in:
🌿 Off-grid living – Powered by solar energy, participants gain insight into energy use and resource management in daily life.
💧 Water conservation – Rainwater is harvested, and mindful water use is encouraged for all activities.
🍎 Sustainable food practices – Meals are vegetarian and feature organic produce, including herbs and vegetables grown on-site. Organic waste is composted to reduce landfill contribution.
🎨 Sustainable studio practices – Residents explore natural materials include bamboo papers, found objects, recycled and reused stock materials, and deadstock fabrics. Creative reuse workshops transform discarded objects into meaningful artworks, nurturing resourceful and environmentally conscious artistic practice.
🖌️🌿 Creative sustainability presentations show how creatives can reduce their environmental impact by using eco-friendly paints, eco-conscious photographic chemicals as well as renewable materials. With an emphasis on minimising waste, rethinking processes, and making thoughtful, sustainable choices in everyday studio practice.
🚲 Low-impact mobility – Residents are encouraged to walk or cycle to the local village and take train travel for weekend excursions wherever possible.
🐝 Biodiversity and rewilding – Through the Riba Rocks ethos and our working relationship with Grup de Natura Freixe, students actively support native flora and fauna by planting trees, building bat shelters and insect hotels, and volunteering at the local lagoon.
👣 Low-impact community living – Shared meals, local produce prioritising 0km consumption, zero plastic, and a circular mindset guide everyday life at Riba Rocks.
These experiences inspire creativity and give NTU students the opportunity to live the sustainability principles in a immersive way — and now, to earn official Green Points for it! 🙌
By combining creativity, off-grid living, and sustainable practice, Riba Rocks offers a unique environment where artistic exploration and environmental responsibility intersect. Students leave the residency with practical skills and a deeper understanding of sustainable living. They have evidence of the positive impact they can make, both creatively and environmentally.
Last year alone, NTU users collectively avoided 90,000 kg of CO₂e and 25,000 kg of waste, proving that small actions really do create big change! 🌍✨
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