Energy efficiency improvements attributed to uplift in community wellbeing at University of Liverpool

The University of Liverpool showcased more than a decade of investment in improving energy efficiency during a site visit with Salix staff.

The Salix team were on campus to discuss investments made under the England Recycling Fund, and the positive impacts the projects have had on the University community since first inception, in particular with relation to staff wellbeing.

The LED lighting projects undertaken as a part of the scheme showcase the influence that your everyday environment can have on your health.

University of Liverpool Mechanical Design Engineer Anne Marie Whelan says: “It can’t be underestimated how much well designed, purposeful lighting can add to the feel of a room and its impact upon people’s mood and wellbeing.”

Funding for the scheme is being delivered by Salix Finance on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

On the visit, Salix spoke with University staff who mentioned that the upgrades have made the buildings a brighter, nicer place to be, with lecturers attributing upgrades to improvements in their own wellbeing, as well as the wellbeing of their students, particularly during the shorter, darker days and winter months.

While the visit centred around a completed project at the Central Teaching Labs, University staff also took Salix to see other buildings funded under the scheme and pipeline sites that they hope to fund through the fund before it’s closure in early 2025.

The Central Teaching Labs building is used flexibly by students studying chemistry, physics, physical sciences and archaeology, as well as for events on the evenings and weekends. Both undergraduate and postgraduate students frequent the building for use of the spaces it provides.

Lecturers who teach in the building noted that the previous lighting was so poor it could sway measurements, and impacted learning opportunities particularly for students studying optics and radiation, where specific lighting controls were previously unable to be applied.

When looking at the scope of the project and upgrades required, engineers ensured they were upgrading fixtures to be fit for purpose, with certain labs now having different settings based on their use.

Anne Marie added: “It has also given us a fantastic opportunity to go much further than just replacing ‘like-for-like’ lighting installations, by engaging with lighting designers to come up with solutions that were far more fit for purpose for the types of activities taking place.”

The England Recycling Fund asks scheme recipients to re-invest financial savings related to reduced costs as a result of measures applied year-on-year to continue to fund further energy efficiency projects.

Since first receiving the £800,000 fund in 2009, the University of Liverpool has completed 45 energy efficiency projects across the campus worth a cumulative project balance of £2,547,346.

The University is now looking forward to future projects that could be completed over the next financial year 2024/25.

Anne Marie comments: “We are looking forward to planning further Salix-funded lighting projects in 2024 which very much aligns with our strategic aims and target of being a net zero organisation by 2035.”

The England Recycling Fund is due to close on 31 March 2025, with all capital works funded by the scheme required to reach completion prior to this deadline.