Green Gown Awards 2014 - Sustainability Champion Award - Joel Cardinal - Finalist

Head of Energy and Sustainability, University of Warwick

Joel Cardinal is absolutely tireless, working ridiculous hours to be part of a vast range of environmental activities, from building projects to research to student societies to collaboration with businesses.

Joel’s set up several environmentally themed networks of people on campus, including energy champions, a landscape stakeholders group, and a higher-level environmental management group. On top of this, he has involved the University’s Global Research Priority project for energy, keeps regular contact with environmentally themed student societies, and has helped to co-ordinate projects that see people from different departments and even different businesses all working together.

His work was recently recognised on an international level when Warwick was named the winner of the 2014 COGEN Technology/ Innovation Award. Joel has also led the implementation of the ISO 14001 environmental management accreditation at Warwick earlier this year.

Top 3 learnings

1 Work with enthusiasts and volunteers to initiate changes
2 Raise awareness of energy-efficiency
3 Don’t just talk about “climate change” – some people may not care about that. Talk about resources running out – everyone cares if they think they’re going to run out of water.

Videos

• Joel Cardinal Head of Energy and Sustainability, University of Warwick (click to hide)