Sustainability

The Historical Novel Society 2026 Conference Sustainability Pledge

As we immerse ourselves in history and heritage, we must also preserve our planet for posterity.

We commit to taking meaningful climate action and will take steps to understand and reduce our environmental impact, involving conference providers and our conference audience in the journey and sharing our progress transparently.

Sustainable facilities

All conference sessions will be held in the TSI Building at Maynooth Campus.

A flagship for Maynooth’s Green Campus sustainability approach, the TSI Building is heated by air source heat pumps and has green roofs, a solar PV array and rainwater harvesting. It is constructed to the highest modern sustainability standards and is BREEAM and EXCEED certified.

By using the accommodation on the Maynooth Campus while Maynooth University students are on vacation, we avoid energy consumption by empty buildings. Find out more about campus accommodation on our webpage.

Follow Maynooth Green Campus on social media:

Sustainable transport

Maynooth has excellent public transport links by bus and rail. Unless you have restricted mobility, you will not need a car between the town, the accommodation and the conferencing facilities due to the layout of the campus on mostly level ground and its immediate proximity to Maynooth Town.

All conference sessions will take place in the TSI Building. The conference welcome buffet will be held in Maynooth University’s Pugin Hall, which is on campus. The conference dinner will be held in the Glenroyal Hotel which is within walking distance of the campus.

A walking times map can be downloaded here.

If flying from abroad, save money and catch the bus instead of hiring a car for travelling between the airport and the campus. If travelling from Britain, ferry and train services are a more sustainable option than flying. Public transport information and links are on our 'Visiting Maynooth' webpage

Sustainable ingredients

All campus catering is sustainable and supply chains follow the Maynooth Green Campus Policy.

Our gala dinner will be held at the environmentally responsible Glenroyal Hotel. They use seasonal ingredients from Irish suppliers.

Think local

Visit local places of interest, whether on one of our excursions or by yourself. Buy local as you explore the shops and eateries of Maynooth’s vibrant town centre. Or walk the tranquil, easy paths of the Royal Canal Greenway, returning, if you choose, by train.

For more, see: https://www.discoverireland.ie/maynooth

Minimise waste: reduce, reuse, recycle

The campus water and waste management follows the Maynooth Green Campus Policy.

Please dispose of all waste responsibly, selecting the correct bins:

General waste in red bins
Recyclables in green bins
Food in brown bins.
Electrical items in blue 'WEEE' bins.

Smoking and vaping are not allowed at HNS 2026. If you bring electronic vapes to Campus, please take them home with you. If you absolutely have to dispose of electronic vapes then use the blue bins. DO NOT dispose of electronic vapes anywhere else, because they cause fires.

Ireland runs a national 'Re-turn Scheme' for drinks bottles and cans. Anything bearing the "R" logo shown below is worth its deposit money when taken to a participating retailer.

The container can be deposited in a machine like the one pictured below, which issues a money-off voucher to use in the shop. Or you can donate the container to charity in one of the Re-turn bins on campus. Re-turn bins will be in Pugin Hall and the TSI Building.

Water stations in the TSI Building are shown below.

Any household items in good condition that you wish to leave behind (kitchenware etc), can be handed in at North Campus Reception to be stored and offered to incoming students at the start of the academic year.

We will collect your lanyard and name badge after the conference for future use.

If departing via Dublin Airport, the liquids scanners in its security area mean you don't have to empty your water bottle to go through security. There are drinking water fountains airside in the departure lounges.

Below: Re-turn donations bin outside the Arts Building

Below: Re-turn donations bin In Pugin Hall

Help to minimise catering waste by booking conference refreshments in advance. For example, if you plan to arrive late or leave early, then adjusting catering to the precise quantity needed will reduce food and beverage waste, energy and water consumption in the kitchens, and ease the workload of the catering staff. A booking link will be circulated in early August.

In your accommodation, you can avoid wasting water by reusing your towels, turning off taps, and being quick in the shower.

You can also save money and avoid waste by bringing your own water bottle and refilling it in your accommodation or from the drinking water fountains on campus, as shown below - this one is outside the TSI Building on the path that leads towards the North Campus Accommodation. The contactless water station is activated by holding a bottle in the outlet. There are 3 in the TSI Building and 1 in Pugin Hall. A map is linked here.

Bring your own shampoo

North Campus rooms are not provided with toiletries, so you should bring your own shampoo, soap, shower gel etc. South Campus sinks and showers are provided with hand/body wash dispensers but you may still prefer to bring your own items. For more information see: https://hns2026.com/maynooth-campus-accommodation

Even if staying off campus, bringing your own toiletries can still help avoid plastic waste.

Think before you flush

Only flush down the toilet the 3P’s, pee, poo and paper (toilet paper, that is). Everything else must go into the bin, even if a product is marketed as flushable.

To learn more: https://thinkbeforeyouflush.org/the-issue/

Wear old clothes

Instead of buying a new outfit for the conference, save your time and money and avoid the waste and pollution of the fast fashion industry.

Our Welcome Buffet dress code is casual. Yes, our Gala Dinner is more formal, but if you don't already have something in your wardrobe, then help a good cause and buy something preloved from your local charity shop.

The Carbon Calculator

Please take our Carbon Calculator survey, totalling up our use of different types of transport and accommodation. The information will be anonymous and used only in aggregate for environmental impact estimates.

To take the survey please scan the QR code below with your phone or click the button below.

We will display the QR code at the conference for people to scan.