Environmental sustainability

Scuola Normale Superiore for Sustainability

The Scuola Normale Superiore promotes the culture of sustainability, understood in a social, economic and environmental sense. This can be seen in all areas of activity: teaching, research and third mission projects. The SNS commitment is accompanied by a focus on two aspects that are core for the functioning of the SNS itself: the quality of life of the community the SNS hosts and the origin and use of the resources it employs.

In 2020 the Scuola Normale joined the ASVIS (Italian Alliance for Sustainable Development) protocol to plan and implement – in the Pisa area – actions consistent with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.

Actions

To date, the SNS has undertaken several actions aimed at improving its sustainability levels.

1. Drinking water
The SNS has various drinking water dispensers distributed throughout its buildings. In addition, as part of a campaign to promote the consumption of water free from disposable packaging, reusable water flasks were distributed to members of the SNS community and participants in the orientation courses. In future, drinking water fountains will be made available in strategic areas of the Scuola Normale, starting from 2024 with the building of the first one which will be located between Palazzo della Carovana and Palazzo D'Ancona.

2. Adaptation of courtyards
To improve the quality of the outdoor areas frequented by the SNS community, projects will be planned in 2024 to improve the courtyards of Palazzo D'Ancona and of the San Silvestro Complex. The aim is to reduce parking of motorized vehicles and renew the outdoor furnishings to make the areas more attractive.

3. Sustainable mobility
In 2022, the Home-Workplace Travel Plan (Piano Spostamenti Casa-Lavoro, PSCL) for the Pisa site of the Scuola Normale was approved. On the basis of this, a series of measures to promote sustainable mobility choices within the SNS community have been identified (Explore our in-depth page).

4. Automatic sanitary pad distributing machines
15 automatic sanitary pad distributing machines are installed in the SNS buildings. The sanitary pads, which are available free of charge, biodegrade within six months, are 100% plastic free, are manufactured with a 91% saving of water, and are produced using geothermal energy. With this intervention the SNS intends to contribute in a concrete way to economic and environmental sustainability, besides encouraging inclusion and well-being, paying attention to the needs of all women who are members of its community and those who are visitors, even infrequently, to its sites.