Energy
The University developed its first Carbon Management Plan in 2007, which showed a clear commitment to embedding sustainability into all its activities. It was reviewed in early 2011 following changes to Government legislation and sector level targets, and in May 2011 the revised Plan through to 2020 was approved and launched by the Board of Governors.
The updated Plan provides a detailed understanding of the University’s carbon footprint and identifies various projects that, once implemented, will, in aggregate, help the University to reduce its footprint from owned buildings and vehicles by 43% by 2020, against a 2005/06 baseline.
Between 2005/06 and 2009/10 the University also grew as an institution adding c. 21% of buildings to the size of its estate and 50 buses to its fleet. Despite the changes to the physical estate and bus company, the energy efficiency projects, alongside awareness campaigns, led to reductions in the University’s carbon emissions in terms of kgCO2 per £ of income between 2005/06 and 2008/09.
Since the launch of the original Plan in 2007 the University has completed numerous energy efficiency projects, including plant insulation, adoption of low energy lighting, improvements in heating controls, BMS reviews and adjustments, installation of a CHP plant and PV panels and improvements to lighting controls. These projects have achieved significant savings and the University has now reduced emissions by 12% compared to 2009/10.
The University complies with the requirements of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive and has Display Energy Certificates, Advisory Reports and Technical Tables for all the necessary buildings; it uses this and other information, to continually identify future projects for reducing energy consumption.
View the Carbon Management Plan 2011
For more information visit the Centre for Sustainable Communities Energy page.