The University of Bradford has been named one of the most environmentally-friendly universities in the world.

A newly-released rundown of “green” universities puts Bradford at number four, behind the University of Nottingham, University College Cork and Northeastern University in the US.

The University of Connecticut makes up the top five.

Compiled by Universitas Indonesia, the survey ranks 301 universities from 61 countries including Australia, Thailand and Israel. It awards them scores for how “sustainable” the campus is, efforts made to educate students how to live a green lifestyle and how much on-campus waste is recycled.

Among the green initiatives that helped the University scoop such a high ranking are reducing carbon footprint by more than 30 per cent, installing renewable technologies, fitting low-flow taps, waterless urinals and the re-use of rainwater for toilets.

The amount of waste sent from the university to landfill has reduced by 80 per cent and 75 per cent of waste is now recycled.

The university encourages students to commute by public transport or cycling, and allows staff to work remotely.

A number of “green oasis’” have been planted on the campus, including allotment sites and all course modules contain a sustainability element.

In November, the university won a “Green Gown award” for its sustainability efforts.

In recent years the campus library has undergone an extensive re-furbishment that involved better insulation to cut down on its carbon footprint. The Green, a £40 million student village that opened in 2011, has been acknowledged as the first student residential project to achieve an “outstanding” environmental rating on the BREEAM rating system.

Clive Wilson, the University’s director of estates and facilities, said: “In the last ten years we have transformed our urban university into a beacon for sustainable development. Our campus has three BREEAM outstanding buildings, high-efficiency refurbishments and a green oasis of edible plants. Our students learn about how to live a sustainable life through their courses, residences and interaction with our campus.

“The fourth place in the Greenmetric justifies all the work we’ve done and re-energises us to continue making improvements.”