University’s growing energy concerns revealed
In response to fast-mounting energy costs and consumption, the University plans to undertake a range of measures aimed at reducing expenditure and shoring up environmental sustainability in association with the Carbon Trust. These measures aim to cut emissions and costs drastically by 2009/10.
According to the recent University Carbon Manag-ement Implementation Plan, key drivers for change include UK and EU policy, economic factors such as spiralling costs and international levies on emissions, and fears about the environmental impact of growing energy usage at the University. Crucial impetus has also come from the planned Heslington East expansion, which will lead to significant increases in energy costs and consumption.
In addition, the Implementation Plan admits that changes are partly motivated by the hope of “opportunities for grants for low-carbon projects” and “improved corporate image for the University”.
Measures to reduce the University’s energy usage and emissions will include an improvement in the processing of utilities bills, which is expected to save £66,000 per annum; increased recycling; a “shadow pricing system” to assess different departments’ share of the energy bill; and a staff and student awareness raising campaign, which it is thought will save up to £110,000. It is predicted that the full range of these measures will reduce costs by £1.2 million by 2009/10, and reduce carbon emissions by 7,009 tonnes by that year.
Speaking of the University’s attitude towards environmental issues, energy conservation officer Heike Singleton said “I’d say it’s improving – especially now with the cost increases; that’s had a big impact…Obviously now it’s more important because of the expansion with Heslington East. Sustainability is a major issue.”
In addition to the Carbon Management Implementation Plan, the University has a range of other schemes in place aimed at ensuring sustainability. The Students’ Union have collaborated with the University on a recent campaign to raise student awareness about the importance of saving energy, after a task force was gathered by the Communications Office at the end of last term to address the issue of energy-awareness.
Of this, Nat Thwaites-McGowan, SU Services Officer, said “Everyone in the room agreed that something needed to be done, which at this university is a good thing”. However, he expressed concerns about the durability of the campaign, saying “It’s slowed down in momentum now, though. It’s difficult putting that number of people in a room together and getting anything done.”
The University also took part in the Business in the Community Yorkshire and Humber Environment Index 2006, ranking 38th out of 150 local companies in terms of environmental sustainability.
Of the Universities which ranked in the top 75, York came fourth of six, ranking less environmentally sustainable than the University of Leeds, Leeds Metropolitan University and the University of Hull; and more than Sheffield Hallam and Sheffield University.
This comes in the light of research by the Stockholm Environment Institute which revealed that the City of York’s ecological footprint is 1,254,600 hectares, meaning that the area required to sustain York is 46 times the size of the city itself.
