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Our approach

We optimise our portfolio through capital rotation by growing alignment to the strongest universities and focusing new investment on London and prime regional cities.

The quality, location and scale of our portfolio is a key component in our business model and long-term strategy.

Optimisation of our existing portfolio

As well as enhancing our portfolio through new developments, acquisitions and disposals, we have a continuous programme of improvements to ensure we have the best buildings aligned to leading universities. Through lifecycle investment, we make sure they are safe for students and our people, and that they have improved environmental efficiency.

Fire safety has always been a critical part of our health and safety strategy, but in response to changes in regulation and industry practice, we have enhanced our systematic, risk-based approach, assessing the real and likely fire risks at each of our properties.

In conversation with

Our Project Managers

We spoke to our Project Managers; Adrian Muir and Lawrence Rojas about their roles at Unite Students and their latest completed project's – our new flagship properties; Hayloft Point, London and Campbell House, Bristol.

Hayloft Point, London
Campbell House, Bristol

Part of the community

As a responsible business we have a proactive approach to community engagement which starts at pre-planning stage and spans the entire lifecycle of our assets.

Giving local economies a boost

Through dialogue we understand how we can contribute to local economies through jobs, business from our students and facilities which are opened up for community use.

A helping hand for charities

Where opportunities arise we enable charities and non-for-profit groups to lease space from us at a peppercorn rent.

A full programme of community initiatives

Every year, our employees and students volunteer and raise funds towards local initiatives. For 2022, we have approved 16 new community projects across 15 towns and cities as part of this mix. Teams in Bristol and Loughborough are partnering with homelessness charities, in Portsmouth we are launching a campaign to support independent businesses and in North London we will be working with a charity theatre group.

Featured project

Birmingham canal clean up

Volunteers from Unite Students helped to dredge a canal and clear a tow path in Birmingham. This is something the team carries out regularly, encouraging the University of Birmingham and student residents to take part too.

AIMING FOR NET-ZERO CARBON EMISSIONS BY 2030

For both new construction and the operation of existing buildings, we are aiming for net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. To deliver on this promise, we are designing and building accommodation differently, using alternative materials and methods to reduce embodied carbon. We know that to achieve our ambitions, we must also significantly reduce energy consumption in our existing buildings through improved energy efficiency, and we must generate as much renewable electricity on site as we can. The action we are taking to meet our goals are set out in our Sustainability Strategy.