The Association of University Directors of Estates (AUDE) Awards are an annual celebration highlighting exceptional achievements of Estates and Facilities professionals in the higher education sector.

The University of Manchester received the Gold for our solar farm development at Medebridge in the AUDE Sustainability Impact Initiative category, which recognises a significant positive impact on the institution, the sector, and the profession.

Once complete, the solar farm will comprise of over 103,000 solar panels across 175 acres and will see up to 60% of our electricity demand supplied through renewables. Alongside this, the site will also help to create a significant increase in biodiversity by encouraging nesting opportunities for wildlife, planting of native grassland, and a wildflower meadow beneath and around the solar arrays.

Lee Barlow, who led the project, said: “This award is a proud moment for the University and a testament to the collaborative effort of our multidisciplinary implementation team and external partners, whose shared vision and dedication brought the project to life.”

“Energising the solar farm marks just the beginning. Not only will it play a significant role in decarbonising our energy supply and supporting our carbon zero goals, it will also unlock exciting opportunities to enrich our teaching, research, and innovation in sustainability for years to come.”

Julia Durkan, Head of Environmental Sustainability, said: “This initiative represents our largest-ever carbon reduction project and will cut emission by 25%, a significant milestone on our journey towards our zero carbon by 2038 target. It reflects our commitment to delivering real, measurable sustainability impact at scale – benefitting not only our operations and the natural environment but also creating new opportunities for teaching and research.”

The project also won a 2025 Making a Difference Award in the Outstanding contribution to environmental sustainability and a zero carbon future category. This award recognizes innovation and commitment to environmental sustainability and a zero-carbon future through our teaching, research, and University operations, in alignment with our Environmental Sustainability Strategy. 

More information

• Find out more about the project and watch a short film to learn more. 
• Landmark solar deal set to power the University, lower emissions, and boost sustainability.
• To find out more about our sustainability strategy, visit our environmental sustainability webpage.