Environmental Annual Report 2017-18
Estates, Facilities and Services Directorate Environmental Report 2017-18
a. Carbon Reduction
This result in carbon reduction means that the University has beaten its emissions target 4 years early. Only 22 universities have currently met the sector target set by HEFCE in 2010, for all institutions to achieve a reduction of 43% reduction in carbon emissions by 2020. Bucks 55% reduction places the University in 5th place in English institutions by absolute percentage carbon reduction from a 2005/2006 baseline.
Bucks New University set itself a target of a 50% reduction of its scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions (gas, vehicle fuel and electricity) by the year 2020 against a 2005/2006 baseline of 6,975 tonnes. To date, based on data submitted to HESA in the EMS returns for 2016/2017, Bucks New University has achieved a 55% reduction (figure 1). The annual University carbon footprint now stands at 3,156 tonnes CO2, a 202 tonne reduction from the previous year.
After a slight rise in 2015/2016 the total amount of energy used by the University has fallen in 2016/2017 (figure 2). This aided the reduction in the University’s scope 1 and 2 carbon footprint along with the continued decarbonisation of the UK electricity generation. In 2016 UK electricity produced by burning coal fell by 13% from 2015 to make up 9.1% of the electricity mix. Less polluting natural gas and renewable electricity production increased and now make up 42.4% and
Introduction The University has continued to make good progress and exceed its environmental targets. Carbon emitted by the University has continued to fall along with the quantity of waste produced, placing it in the top 5 universities across the country.
Progress since 2016/17
24.4% of the production mix. From 1st October 2018 new contracts will be running for purchasing gas and electricity. As part of this new contract green electricity will be purchased from renewable energy sources, at minimal additional cost.
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Figure 1 – Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions released each year by Bucks New University. An annual carbon emissions target was set in 2010 with the aim of reducing total tonnes of carbon by 50% by 2020/21 based on a 2005/06 baseline.
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Figure 2 – Total energy (electricity, gas and oil) used by Bucks New University. The reduction in carbon emissions has been driven by projects across the University. Following the success of an earlier project to turn off air conditioning in North Wing during the summer, presence sensors have been installed in seminar rooms on the 3rd and 4th floor. These presence sensors only allow the air conditioning units to be turned on if movement is detected, therefore energy is saved when rooms are not in use. In its first year of use this project has saved 42,938 kWh electricity, £4,975
in electricity costs and 15.1 tonnes CO2. These cost savings were on top of the £5,500 saved following turning off the air conditioning units in teaching areas over the summer recess. Based on this success Estates intend to repeat the installation on floors 1 and 2 in North Wing during 2019. Work continues on improvements to the building management system. This allows the Estates team to have greater control over heating and cooling areas of the University. These systems can then be
used more efficiently, saving utility costs and carbon emissions. Renewable electricity production from solar panels at the University has stalled slightly in 2016/2017, with production equalling that of 2015/2016 (figure 3). This was caused by some equipment issues on the Gateway solar system during the high production summer months. These issues have now been resolved so our renewable electricity production is expected to increase next year.
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Figure 3 – Total electricity produced by onsite photovoltaic cells at Bucks New University. b. Environmental Management Bucks New University has achieved Silver accreditation in the Eco Campus environmental management system scheme. Work has been completed on the next phase, Gold, with an on campus external audit now being planned within the next few months. c. Carbon Trust Accreditation In January 2018 the University has successfully retained its Carbon Trust Standard for carbon reduction for the period 2015-2017. For the assessment period the University had to demonstrate actual carbon reduction across its estate. The University was initially certified to the Carbon Trust Standard in August 2011. The certification is valid for 2 years and
recertification was also achieved in 2013 and 2015. We are one of only a handful of universities that have maintained this accreditation consecutively 4 times. d. Waste Management The total waste produced by the University in 2016/17 was 380 tonnes (figure 4). This is a decrease over the previous year’s total of 432 tonnes, a 52 tonnes reduction. Waste produced by the University reduced due to a reduction in construction activity, along with less waste produced by the halls of residence and a reduction in the waste sent to landfill by the main High Wycombe campus. Recycling rates have risen this year to 49%.
Total waste
Waste management practices are constantly being reviewed. Waste from halls of residence is now being sent for incineration, rather than landfill, and more waste will be able to be recycled on the High Wycombe campus from October 2018 with the introduction of dry mixed recycling. e. Water Consumption Reduction There was a slight increase in water consumption during 2016/17, increasing consumption by 8%. Given this increase was small it will most likely have been caused by normal fluctuation patterns in water consumption. Over the last 10 years the University has reduced its water consumption, form a high of 80,322 m3 in 2006/2007 to 39,377 m3 in 2016/2017, a 51% reduction.
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Figure 4 – Total waste produced by the University year on year.
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Figure 5 – Total water consumption at Bucks New University year on year. f. Space Management The quantity of teaching space under central timetabled control is 54%. More dedicated workshops and studios are being moved to the central timetable for the start of the 2018/2019 academic year. Occupancy of general teaching rooms (number of students attending compared to capacity of the room) has also improved from last year and now stands at 47%, the sector median. The latest teaching space audit identified, at High Wycombe that 73% of teaching hours were provided to groups of less than 15 students. Estates are currently engaged in work to rationalise existing office space at High Wycombe. This includes the co-location of all new school academic offices, the registry onto a single floor and colocation of all dedicated research staff.
The consolidation of the main workshops is complete and the largest vacant workshop W7 – 370m2 was rented for 6 months to a film production unit to make film sets. In September 2018 235m2 of office space was rented to Bucks Business First (BBF) to accommodate their 50 office staff and provide a business hub to serve the local businesses in the County. BBF have also agreed to hire meeting and seminar rooms on the Campus as well as encourage their business contacts to hire space at the University. g. Travel Management In spring 2018 the final travel monitoring report for Uxbridge was submitted to Hillingdon Council. These reports were submitted annually as a condition of the planning on the building and were required for a minimum of 10 years. 10 years of reports were deemed to be
satisfactory by the planners, given their findings, so this planning condition is now discharged and a cash bond of over £20,000 was returned to the University. This year’s travel survey at Uxbridge was an onsite survey of all staff and students, where all modes of travel to and from the campus were collected on a particular day. The most popular mode of transport was rail (23%) with cycling (6%) the least (figure 6). Over recent years cycling has increased by 5% and at a similar level to the corresponding decrease in single vehicle occupants.
77 Multi Vehicle Occupants 10%
144 Single Vehicle Occupants 18%
79 Coach 10% 50 Cyclists 6% 85 Total Rail Users 11% 168 Pedestrians 22% 179 Total Rail Users 23%
Figure 6 – Modal split of journeys made to and from Uxbridge on Tuesday 6th March 2018. h. Biodiversity The wild flower garden established in 2011 adjacent to South Wing is replanted every year and generally receives very positive feedback from students, employees and the general public. This year’s display of flowers was disappointing due to a lack of rainfall.
at University College Aylesbury Vale (UCAV). Both these hubs are planned for completion in early 2019 A planned redecoration of all circulation space has now commenced and once completed all the teaching spaces will receive a refresh. This is being undertaken by an in house decorator.
i. Construction and Refurbishment
j. Community Involvement
The only major area remaining for redevelopment is level 2 South Wing for the Life Science Enterprise Hub. Tenders are now out for the development of the hub. Demolition was undertaken as part of an enabling works before students returned to campus and is now complete.
Bucks New University continues to host the well-attended Community Liaison Group. In addition the University continues to build up relationships with the teams from the two new care homes being built adjacent to the existing University student residential site at Hughenden - Extra Care Charitable Trust and the Royal Star and Garter home for ex-service personnel.
Tenders are also out for the fit out of a new digital hub on the ground floor
k. Greening the Curriculum The University will take forward initiatives from the new schools to include issues of environmental concern and sustainability within the curriculum. l. Sustainable Procurement Sustainable procurement is being taken forward by the Procurement Manager working collaboratively with the estates team and others managers across the University. This has seen benefits in sustainability from’ energy contracts, to the disposal of white goods, to the use of more sustainable contracts through available procurement frameworks. Ian Hunter/Alastair Jack 04th October 2018
02/19