Achieving net zero carbon by 2030
Achieving net zero carbon by 2030
We continue to carry out significant work to reach our net zero ambition – across our estate and across our wider operations.
Net zero means that the UK’s total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions would be equal to or less than the emissions the UK removed from the environment.
We’re decarbonising our campus
We’re well underway with our 900-bed new student accommodation building project, which will be one of the world’s largest student accommodation schemes built to Passivhaus standards. Passivhaus is the gold standard in energy efficiency, and the only internationally recognised, performance-based energy standard in construction.
We’re also working through our plans to remove gas fired heating and hot water from our buildings. We’ve outlined how we’ll achieve this in our Heat Decarbonisation Plan.
There’s also major campus consolidation work in place. We have a demolition plan for some buildings on the Frenchay campus, and we’re already carrying out roof works and cladding improvements on remaining older buildings.
Smarter, cleaner, sustainable energy generation
As part of our sustainable energy mix, we continue to embrace solar energy.
Solar arrays on the Frenchay campus generated 456MWh electricity, 2% of the campus electricity use in 2021–22, with the CHP generating 3,723MWh, 19% of Frenchay consumption.
But we know there’s more we can do. We’ve carried out feasibility studies (which are now presented for funding) to add more arrays to campus roof spaces. The extension to the Frenchay T-block solar array, and the addition of a solar array on W block have been included in the tender for building works to W block, to take place in 2023.
Better-for-everyone energy procurement
As a University, we procured 18% of grid-supplied electricity direct from UK wind farms.
The remaining grid-supplied electricity came from REGO-backed renewables. (REGO, the Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin, provides transparency to consumers about the proportion of electricity that suppliers source from renewable generation.)
More effective energy management
We’re continuing to develop our energy management platform.
We’re now actively managing our energy and water usage. We’re more attuned to unexpected consumption, and our maintenance and operations team are busy targeting energy savings and reducing wastage across our buildings.
To improve lighting conditions and save energy use, we’ve recently installed new lighting and controls in the iconic Arnolfini building, part of our City Campus.
Estimated combined savings of 155 tonnes of CO2 for 2021–22 and financial savings of over £80,000 in energy and water costs.
People taking positive climate action
In February 2022, we launched the first carbon literacy online training module, Carbon and You, for all staff and students.
It’s the first in a series of modules and other engagement work, and shows how we can all take positive, practical action to support our net zero goal.
We’ve also delivered climate action cafes and created a new Radical Action group to focus on campus energy through a full review of all heating times.
Positive climate action has been encouraged through the increasing use of our metering data and software. We actively work with the accommodation team to continually monitor water use; we’ve also created a new carbon footprint for all of our accommodation offerings to enable understanding of their impact.
Our Green Skills programme is working with people from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, offering climate change and sustainability training, mentoring and internships.
Our Clean Skills for Growth programme supports the wider community, particularly SMEs, to get to grips with carbon management and climate change. Part of Workforce for the Future, the programme offers practical workshops delivered by experts, as well as one-to-one support from sustainability consultants.
Our Clean Skills for Growth programme supports the wider community, particularly SMEs, to get to grips with carbon management and climate change. Part of Workforce for the Future, the programme offers practical workshops delivered by experts, as well as one-to-one support from sustainability consultants.
Our Clean Skills for Growth programme supports the wider community, particularly SMEs, to get to grips with carbon management and climate change. Part of Workforce for the Future, the programme offers practical workshops delivered by experts, as well as one-to-one support from sustainability consultants.
What we said we’d do. Where we are with progress.
Scope 1 and 2
Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions, primarily from gas and electricity, have begun to reduce again, following an increase post-Covid 19 due to increased heating and ventilation across the estate. We’re on-track to achieve our Scope 1 and 2 targets.
Scope 3
A net zero trajectory has to include scope 3 carbon to be credible, so we’re busy developing the Scope 3 methodology. We’re working with the EAUC (the alliance for sustainability in education), and other universities and colleges to establish a standardised methodology for carbon emissions calculations across the HE sector.
Scope 3 emissions*
* Scope 3 emissions are our best estimate based predominantly on spend data. These calculations are subject to revision as assumptions are confirmed/revised and as spend data is replaced with more granular data.
** Employee commuting includes overseas student travel to and from their home locations at the start and end of each year, but not yet UK students.
Turning internet searches into trees.
Right across UWE Bristol, we’ve switched our default search engine on all our campus computers to Ecosia, contributing to the planting of thousands of trees around the world.
Turning internet searches into trees.
Right across UWE Bristol, we’ve switched our default search engine on all our campus computers to Ecosia, contributing to the planting of thousands of trees around the world.
Turning internet searches into trees.
Right across UWE Bristol, we’ve switched our default search engine on all our campus computers to Ecosia, contributing to the planting of thousands of trees around the world.