Meet the team

The Environmental Team

The core Environmental Team (shown below) also work closely with other colleagues across a range of areas of the University such as Procurement, Estates and Facilities (including Catering, Accommodation, Engineering, Facilities Services and Capital Projects), the Students' Union and academics.

To contact the Environmental Team please email environment@bcu.ac.uk.

Senior Management Team

Professor David Mba, Vice-Chancellor of Birmingham City University, is the member of the senior management team with responsibility for the University’s environmental agenda.

Environmental Manager - Deborah Phelpstead

Deborah heads up the Environmental Team at Birmingham City University. She leads on the overall environmental strategy for the University and manages the Environmental Management System (EMS). She also focuses on sustainable procurement, environmental input for capital projects, and embedding sustainability across Birmingham City University’s activities.

Energy Manager - Alison Wilmshurst

Alison leads on the net zero agenda for Birmingham City University. She has responsibility for net zero strategy development and delivery, advises on energy, carbon and water for capital projects, develops energy efficiency projects, and manages utilities and carbon emissions for the estate.

Environmental Officer - Mark Hopkins

Mark leads on environmental communications work for Birmingham City University, including the development of events, engagement schemes and training. He focuses on the delivery of the University’s Sustainable Travel Plans and Biodiversity Action Plan and supporting the management of Birmingham City University’s EMS. Mark also supports on areas such as sustainable catering, embedding sustainability in the curriculum and waste management.

Further Supporting Colleagues

Facilities Manager (Contracts) – Julie Stanyer

Julie leads on the management of our waste contracts, including monitoring waste figures and developing strategy and actions to reduce the amount of waste we generate and increase the proportion of recycling. This includes leading the Waste & Resources Task Group which any staff and students are welcome to join.

Quality Control Officer - Tracy Beech

Tracy supports Julie with waste management by conducting waste audits across our sites to identify improvements, reduce contamination, check waste documentation and encourage waste reduction and recycling. 

Head Gardener – Eamon Madden

Eamon is our Head Gardener and leads on encouraging biodiversity across our estate by planting native species and encouraging wildlife through installing bird boxes, feeders, and log piles to encourage insects. Eamon also supports staff and students to use our green spaces for projects and initiatives and is actively involved with Hedgehog Friendly Campus. 

Rachel Curzon - Senior Education Developer

Rachel is a Senior Education Developer within the Education Development Service (EDS) and is a Staff and Educational Development Association (SEDA) Recognised Supervisor and Institutional Lead for SEDA accredited courses. Rachel works on various initiatives to embed sustainability into the curriculum, including co-creating and running the BCU SEDA accredited Embedding sustainability into the curriculum course with the Environmental Manager. Rachel also runs shorter sustainable curriculum workshops and is working with the Environmental Team and colleagues within Digital Academic Practice to develop communications materials, online resources and courses to further encourage embedding sustainability into the curriculum. 

Business Support

Birmingham City University offers a variety of business support opportunities, that can help your business or organisation access academic knowledge to improve its sustainability through Knowledge Transfer or additional R&D partnerships. More information on our business services offering can be found here.