Covenant University has invested massively in the energy needed to drive the day-to-day running of the entire university community throughout the year. The primary energy sources are natural gas, which powers generators for electricity, and renewable energy resources, particularly solar applications, whose contribution to the total energy mix is increasing. Covenant University’s energy team, with the support of the Department of Physical Planning, has made great achievements in reducing the carbon footprint associated with buildings through energy-efficient building designs for newly constructed structures and continuous retrofits for existing buildings.

Taking Action on Campus

The implemented Covenant University Energy Efficiency Policy (CUEEP) outlines all actions required of occupants of the campus building and the entire Covenant University community to achieve the necessary goals for a drastic reduction in energy consumption and to achieve our Net-Zero target.

Faculty, staff, and students of Covenant University, including visitors, primarily use fossil-fuel-powered transportation means (such as vehicles and motorbikes), thereby contributing significantly to high emissions through transportation. Covenant University thus encourages commuting to work and studies on campus, movement around campus, and travel for research, among other activities, using alternative transportation methods to drastically reduce the use of fossil fuels. Covenant University has provided alternative sustainable commuting through Covenant University Campus Shuttle services; this campus transportation initiative is highly subsidized, and at times free, to discourage commuters from using personal vehicles. The use of bicycles and walking is highly encouraged as a means of commuting between locations.

Taking Action on Campus

At Covenant University, everyone plays a vital role in achieving our climate action goals for transportation.

• Travels are encouraged to be reduced for business and research purposes, and activities are performed virtually.
• Some categories of workers (substantial in the total population) are allowed to work remotely.
• Commuting through walking and cycling is encouraged.

The Covenant University’s Waste-to-Wealth project was inaugurated and commissioned on October 08, 2014, with a focus on managing the three major categories of waste generated at Covenant University. These include PET bottles, paper waste, and food waste. The focus is to process them into reusable products instead of allowing them to be sent to landfills, which would ultimately result in the production of methane, a greenhouse gas found to be 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide in trapping heat in the atmosphere.

The Waste-to-Wealth initiative focuses on planning and affordable technology to tackle and convert waste generated throughout the entire Canaan land into useful products.

• The PET bottles are to be processed into pellet form, where they can be used as starting materials for the fabrication of new products.
• The food waste is to be processed into manure for usage in the University farm via composting.
• The paper waste is processed into newsprint, tissues and other related products.

Taking Action on Campus

At Covenant University, everyone plays a vital role in achieving our climate action goals for waste reduction by taking these actions:

• Use reusable containers for shopping and food
• Use reusable items
• Drop off waste well sorted in dedicated bins

One vital aspect of Covenant University’s activities is its efficient and sustainable use of land resources, which support the rapid growth of green spaces to remove carbon and close our emissions gap. The University plans to encourage rapid modern development that is environmentally responsible, incorporating elements such as nature preservation, animal welfare, energy-efficient buildings, sustainable transportation, and a serene environment that fosters a cycleable, walkable, and vibrant atmosphere. This approach preserves and enhances green spaces, ensuring a balanced ecosystem for the entire community.

For several years, the Covenant University campus has been home to a diverse array of wildlife, including bats, various bird species, squirrels, rats, snakes, and some endangered insect species. We all interact with one another and are linked in complex ways. Covenant University currently has more than 72 species of protected trees and shrubs across its campus, with some serving as habitats for bats, as well as other birds and insects. The species of trees on campus are as documented in Omonhinmin, C. (2012): A Directory of plants in Covenant University. Vol.1. trees and shrubs.

Taking Action on Campus

At Covenant University, everyone plays a vital role in achieving our climate action goals for land by taking these actions:

• Do not walk across the lawns
• Always protect insects, animals, or birds.
• Planting of varieties of shrubs and trees is encouraged.
• Always protect the trees and shrubs. Cutting of trees and shrubs is the sole responsibility of Covenant University’s Department of Physical Planning and Development.