Zanda Pipira was named Islington’s Sustainability Champion for her role in enhancing biodiversity in the borough through a rooftop garden project.
Date: 21 April 2020
London Met’s Zanda Pipira has been named Islington’s Sustainability Champion for her work developing a rooftop garden initiative at the University’s two sites.
The Camden and Islington Sustainability Awards, where Zanda collected her prize, celebrated the achievements of businesses, community organisations and schools which are leading the way on sustainability in both boroughs.
Zanda, who works as a Sustainability Assistant at London Met, said: “One of the objectives set out in the University’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy is to ensure we identify, maintain and enhance biodiversity across our campuses and our roof gardens were developed with this in mind.
“Roof gardens not only enhance biodiversity across the campuses but also help to raise awareness about biodiversity at the University and encourage students and staff to engage in various activities and workshops such as Gardening Club, learn how to make bug hotels or how to make pallets into garden planters.
“To gain recognition at the Camden and Islington Sustainability Awards has been very inspiring and it instils the confidence in me that this will become an even more successful community project in the years to come.
“This award particularly recognises my work around biodiversity and it gives an amazing feeling of getting awarded for the efforts that I put in but this would not be possible with our student, staff and alumni volunteers who have helped through the year to maintain the garden.”
Gearoid Kennedy, Islington Sustainable Energy Partnership (ISEP) Manager, said: “The Rooftop Garden is a lovely oasis and a great example of developing a functional urban space. It's great that Zanda and her colleagues have utilised clean tech and low energy fittings in its construction.
“I've been told the judges were impressed by how it's not just an effective outdoor hub for students, staff and wider community but it's already providing produce as part of their 'Garden to Table scheme. I might invite myself to your canteen in time for the next harvest!”
Winners were announced across eight categories, including Cloudesley, an Islington-based charitable trust, who took the prize for Best Community Environmental Project for their extensive green refurbishment of Islington churches and Hugh Myddleton Primary School who won Best Sustainable School Initiative for their solar panel projects and outdoor air quality improvements.
