Sustainability
Energy
We recognise that the Earth faces a climate emergency and the best way to limit the damage caused is to reduce our direct greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible. We will do this through a combination of building design, technology and behaviour change, including a move away from fossil fuels and an increase in our energy efficiency.
The University has been working to reduce carbon emissions from energy consumption since before our youngest undergraduates were born. By 2018/19 we had reduced our carbon emissions by 46% compared to 2004/5, despite growing in size.
University actions
- Reducing the size and increasing the efficiency of our estate
- Decarbonising our heating systems away from gas to renewable sources
- Investing in our building infrastructure, including insulation, controls upgrades, LED lighting and other technologies
- Working with all colleagues to identify opportunities to reduce energy consumption in day-to-day operations
- Use 100% renewable electricity by 2040 using a combination of on- and offsite generation
- Seeking to remove R410A and set up appropriate monitoring protocols for refrigerant gases in line with F-gas regulations
- Energy wastage monitored by building management systems.
Masterplan targets
2023/24
Map digital footprint
The IT industry uses 3.6% of the world’s electricity, and it produces 1.4% of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions (gov.uk). We are one of the first universities to start mapping the environmental impact of our digital services. The Digital Services team are carrying out a comprehensive review of the devices we all use and the systems we run our operations on to enable us to use the most efficient equipment possible. This mapping also takes into account the environmental impacts associated with manufacturing, purchasing and recycling/disposing of the equipment.
Learn more about how to reduce your digital carbon footprint
2023/24 – 2026/27
Investment in renewables
To reduce dependency on the grid and increase the proportion of renewable energy generated on campus, photovoltaic (PV) panels will be installed on suitable buildings to generate solar electricity. Installation is planned for the Roger Bettles Sports Centre in 2023/24 and 2024/25, then Mallard House and Heron at Brookfield, plus the Danielle Brown Sports Centre, in 2025/26 and 2026/27. (Subject to funding, project approval and delivery of the Estates Masterplan.)
Increased space use efficiencies
The Estates Masterplan highlights the challenges and inefficiencies of running the 24th largest estate in the country. We will continue our work with the space planning team to ensure rationalisation of the estate and more efficient use of remaining space, including academic offices, teaching space, laboratories/research space, and spaces used for staff and student down time.
Heat decarbonisation
Currently, the majority of the University’s heating systems run on gas. The Heat Decarbonisation Plan begins the transition to fossil-free heating, upgrading or replacing boilers with low carbon technologies such as Air Source Heat Pumps. Installation is planned for the Attenborough Arts Centre (excludes the extension) and the Roger Bettles Sports Hall (excludes the new build area) in 2023/24 and 2024/25, then Gilbert Murray House at Stamford Court in 2025/26 and 2026/27. (Subject to funding and project approval.)
A significant proportion of the buildings on the University’s main campus are served by the Leicester District Heating Scheme, a contract which expires in September 2037. We will therefore be restricted in benefiting from heat decarbonisation until after this date.
Energy demand reduction
Reducing energy consumption in buildings reduces both carbon emissions and energy bills. The Energy Demand Reduction Plan covers energy used by infrastructure and services in buildings such as heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting (regulated energy) and energy consumed by building users (unregulated energy). An example of projects to reduce regulated energy use is the installation of LED lighting in the Hodgkin Building, Attenborough Arts Centre and Roger Bettles Sports Centre in 2023/24 and 2024/25, with that in the Henry Wellcome Building scheduled for 2025/26 and 2026/27. (Subject to funding and project approval.)
2025/26
Reduce emissions from refrigeration gases
Seeking to remove R410A and set up appropriate monitoring protocols for refrigerant gases in line with F-gas regulations.
2026/27
Smart buildings
Further upgrades to the Building Management System (BMS) will enable greater granular control of heating and cooling in spaces, plus more sensitive adjustment of temperature set points.
Policies
- Carbon management plan (PDF, 396kb)
- Space heating and cooling (PDF, 151kb)
- BREEAM design guide (GD02) (PDF, 534kb)
- Low energy design guide (GD01) (PDF, 534kb)
- Sustainable design and planning design guide (GD03) (PDF, 457kb)
- Low zero carbon and renewable technologies design guide (GD04) (PDF, 727kb)
- Building Advisor Asset Health Report (October 2023) (Word, 4.6mb)
Informed by research
- In 2016, we opened the UK's largest Passivhaus building, the George Davies Centre, to bring together world-leading medical research and medical education.
- Mobilising digital innovations at the Institute for Digital Cultures.