Harper sets carbon emission targets

Posted 31 March 2011

Harper Adams University College has set carbon emission reduction targets for the next ten years and has completed the Higher Education Carbon Management (HECM6) programme.

The programme is designed and delivered by the Carbon Trust and aims to help institutions to cost-effectively reduce carbon emissions during a five year period.  Now in its seventh year it has only recently included smaller institutions such as Harper Adams in Shropshire.

Environment and Waste Management Officer, Karen Hughes, said: “HEFCE (Higher Education Funding Council for England) is now linking capital funding from the government via the Capital Investment Fund round 2 (CIF2), to carbon reduction performance.

“This means we had to have a carbon management plan in place by March 31that states how Harper Adams intends to achieve an absolute reduction in carbon emissions by taking into account its scope one and two emissions - gas, electricity, fuel in owned vehicles and fuel for heating, and the HECM6 programme helped us achieve this. “

Harper Adams has signed up to the sector and government target of 43% reduction of CO2 emissions by 2020 on a baseline of 2005/6 and set an interim target as part of the carbon management programme.

Karen added: “The University College has set itself two targets; one for the end of the carbon management programme in 2015 and the 2020 key milestone set by the government to meet its objectives on climate change.  We intend to reduce our emissions from 3,886 tCO2 to 2,463 tCO2 by 2015 and to 1,946 tCO2 by 2020.

“We plan do this through a variety of projects such as the installation of a 450kWh anaerobic digester, due for completion this summer, replacement of traditional fluorescent lighting with energy efficient LED lighting, installation of absence detection sensors in rooms to reduce non -essential heating or cooling of the rooms and lighting, install timers on the kitchen water boilers and replacing single pane glass windows with double glazed units, just to name a few.

“Projects that have been identified in the carbon management plan will be implemented over the next five years with new ones being continually identified as technologies develop and changes in working practices take place.”

The anaerobic digester will produce heat and electricity from food and farm waste and will provide the University College with more than half of its annual energy requirements.

Richard Rugg, Head of Public Sector at the Carbon Trust, said: “Cutting carbon emissions as part of the fight against climate change should be a key priority for Universities and Colleges - it's all about getting your own house in order and leading by example. 

“The UK government has identified the Higher Education sector as key to delivering carbon reduction across the UK in line with the Climate Change Act targets, and the HE Carbon Management programme is designed in response to this. It assists Higher Education institutions in saving money on energy and putting it to better use elsewhere, whilst making a positive contribution to the environment by lowering carbon emissions.

“Harper Adams University College partnered with the Carbon Trust on this ambitious programme in 2010 in order to realise substantial carbon and cost savings. This Carbon Management Plan commits the University College to a target of reducing CO2 by 32% by 2015 and underpins potential revenue savings to the institution of around £1.1 million by that date.

“There are those that can and those that do. Universities can contribute significantly to reducing CO2 emissions. The Carbon Trust is very proud to support Harper Adams University College in their on-going implementation of carbon management.”