Sustainable Campus

The gateway to a sustainable world

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NIIT University’s (NU) sprawling 100-acre campus nestles at the foothills of the Aravalli Range in Neemrana, Rajasthan. Situated 105km from IGI Airport, Delhi, the residential university offers an idyllic yet stimulating space for pursuing higher education and research.

The master plan for the NU campus was developed by YRM (London) Ltd., a world-renowned firm of architects. Dr Vinod Gupta, Partner in Delhi-based Space Design Consultants, developed the Master Plan in compliance with all regional environmental norms. The campus boasts of buildings with effective green architectural design parameters. Housing, academic structures and landscapes retain the natural lay of the levels by adapting to the surface contours of the terrain. This has reduced the impact of construction on local geology.

NU has underscored the fact that it is possible to harness the power of nature to improve its resources and provide a sustainable infrastructure that replenishes naturally, comforts consistently and benefits everyone who partakes of it.” — The ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) bulletin, Jan-March 2016.

Living with nature

NU was actively involved in the systematic afforestation of the Aravalli Hills adjoining the campus. Today, that panoramic view is visible from the student hostel and the classrooms. A natural dip in the terrain is home to an open-air amphitheatre. Close by, a cleverly placed drain collects and stores rainwater to form a man-made water body. It is a matter of pride for NU that the campus was built without cutting a single tree. The NU campus is a case study in green living and a continuing testament to human ingenuity.

Green initiatives

Creating a unique campus where every brick and blade of grass has a story behind it was just the beginning. Since then, NU has been constantly striving to build and maintain a sustainable campus. Several initiatives are in place to reduce NU’s carbon footprint and to preserve the ecological balance of the surrounding areas.

NU’s pioneering green initiative is the geothermal cooling system. A labyrinth of Earth Air Tunnels (EATs) cools the classrooms, labs and residential buildings.

Other efforts include constructing check dams to harvest rainwater and arrest soil run-off from the Aravali hills during the rains. Protecting native tree species
and partnering with the local community to spread awareness are also ongoing initiatives.

NU also enfolds students into these sustainability initiatives. Tree planting activities and celebrating local festivals that pay obeisance to nature serve to bind students and the local community together. This also allows students to develop respect for nature.

Our policy

In 2014, NU’s founders felt that NU’s efforts towards creating an environment-friendly space needed to be well-coordinated and directed. To ensure that all the stakeholders are on the same page, the administration created a policy that encapsulates the University’s sustainability ethos. The policy document lays down the overarching principles that govern the University’s endeavours.