Overview
“Green Auditing”, an umbrella term, is known by another name “Environmental Auditing”. The 'Green Audit' aims to analyze environmental practices within and outside the campus, which will have an impact on the eco-friendly ambience.
Understanding Green Audit in-depth
Green Audit is a step-by-step review process that helps in the systematic identification, quantification, analysis, and reporting of the critical aspects that matter in the environmental assessment of a site. It analyzes and determines the ideal environmental practices inside the concerned sites. In short, it is impactful for developing an eco-friendly ambiance.
Environmental sustainability is a growing concern throughout the country. Especially in colleges and universities where young minds dwell, ensuring an ecosystem with endurable qualities is the need of the hour. The green influence on the campus is vital to guarantee the best learning environment and healthy ecosystem for everyone associated with the site.
About the NAAC accreditation process
National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) reviews the performance and operational quality of Indian universities and colleges.
The NAAC accreditation is compulsory for all learning institutes in India. The grade given by NAAC is crucial for state universities to operate optimally and maintain their reputation. The NAAC accreditation helps a university to apply for and obtain UGC grants, RUSA grants, financial donations, etc. However, there is more to the NAAC accreditation that relates it to the green audit.
The link between Green audit and NAAC accreditation
The NAAC accreditation regulates and defines the performance and quality of the educational institution. The NAAC grade exhibits the quality of education, learning infrastructure, research facilities, etc. The Green Audit is associated with the 7th criterion of NAAC.
A green audit is critical for a college in determining the best grades from the National Assessment and Accreditation. The audit reports exhibit the practical ways through which colleges and universities are consuming natural resources and energy. The reports determine whether the educational campus is exploiting the various natural resources.
Having the best reports with the green audit ensures the environmental sustainability of the campus. It determines the greenery quotient on the campus and covers other influential environmental aspects. It includes the consumption and management of energy resources and environmental components.
Outcome & Benefits
- The primary goal of the green audit is to secure the best practices for environmental sustainability.
- It reduces the possibilities of health hazards and threats for the students and other stakeholders on the learning campus.
- There are several norms and standards in the environmental management system, and the green audit helps you conform to the norms.
- The audit also helps identify the ideal protocols that develop a sustainable ecosystem on the campus.
- The different steps under the green audit consist of – Water audit, waste disposal audit, energy audit, health, and environmental quality audit, etc.
- With the green audit reports, the universities can also recognize cost-effective methods for waste management.
- It allows universities and colleges to set up/ promote an enhanced learning ecosystem and enhance the grade.
- It provides a credible branding of the educational institution.