CHANGE AGENT MIRIAM WEBB
DEGREE OF SUCCESS
The University of Sheffi eld has cut its carbon emissions, achieving the Carbon Trust Standard in 2011. Now, it has vowed to make a 43% reduction in carbon emissions by 2020. Miriam Webb explains
Each year, the University of Sheffi eld spends about £7.5m
on utility bills, of which £4.5m goes
on electricity alone. Its annual CO2 emissions would fi ll the Royal Albert Hall 212 times, or 7,400 hot air balloons. But, after pledging to cut its carbon emissions by 43% in the next six years, the university hopes to recover £450,000 per year.
How are you reducing energy consumption and emissions in university buildings? In 2012 we commissioned consultants Ove Arup & Partners to develop an energy strategy, which concluded that there were clear, commercially viable, strategic opportunities open to the university to reduce carbon and improve business continuity through: behaviour change; building services upgrades; and self-generation of both low and zero carbon interventions.
What has had the most impact on your CO2
emissions?
The university carries out a huge amount of energy-intensive research and many of our buildings are in operation 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Much of this space requires close control, and there are signifi cant quantities of energy-intensive equipment such as fume cupboards, so maintaining laboratory facilities has the largest impact on emissions.
Have you had any quick wins? The labs’ switch-off competition, which took place over a month, was part of the Carbon Trust’s Low Carbon Behaviour Change pilot scheme, aiming to encourage labs to decrease
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Attempting to reduce
consumption as we attract more students is our biggest challenge
their energy use. Six departments took part, with the winner reducing its energy use by 9.49% compared with the previous year.
What’s your main challenge? We continue to build on our position as one of the UK’s leading universities by attracting more students and more research income, constructing new buildings and more energy- intensive fl oor space. Attempting to reduce consumption against such a background is our biggest challenge.
Which faculties/departments are the most energy-intensive, and how do you tackle that? We have two faculties that account for 80% of the university’s total carbon emissions. Much of the research activity undertaken by both science and engineering faculties is – ironically – focused on meeting the increasing energy and food needs of the world’s population, in the context of an uncertain climate and global environment change.
How do you engage students? For the last four years, the university has been part of the national behaviour change programme, Green Impact. The emphasis is on making pro-environmental behaviour simple and fun – two very important factors in engaging both the staff and student populations.
What is your carbon reduction target? The Higher Education Funding Council has set a sector reduction target of 43% by 2020, against a 2005 baseline, and we’ve aligned our targets with that.
What advice would you give other university departments? There is a great deal of enthusiasm and support from staff and students across all faculties. Harnessing this can result in relatively low-cost successes, although the time taken to properly support this should not be underestimated.
How important are renewables in your strategy? The strategy includes a self-generation strand, but is likely to focus on gas-fi red combined heat and power. Being close to the city centre precludes signifi cant investment in on-site renewables, although photovoltaic installations are being considered alongside building
refurbishments. The university has a 900kW wind turbine off site, and there are plans to build a second.
Is there any legislation that keeps you awake at night? The need for Display Energy Certifi cates for buildings between 250 and 500m2
.
Why do universities have a reputation for energy inefficiency? Our buildings are in use for long hours to serve the needs of students and researchers, and we are often contacted by neighbouring residents, who incorrectly assume lighting has been left on overnight unnecessarily. If universities do have a bad reputation, it is undeserved, as there are numerous examples of good practice across the HE sector.
● MIRIAM WEBB is sustainable behaviour assistant at the University of Sheffi eld
March 2014 CIBSE Journal
77
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