Comfort meets energy efficiency at University of York

We visit the site to see what difference the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme is making to students

Universities are the bedrock of our net zero transformation, and it is their vital research that will help us meet ambitious 2050 climate change targets in the UK.

All across the country universities are not only leading on the net zero agenda but their students are actively encouraging and driving it.

Our Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme team recently visited the University of York to find out more about its net zero ambition and how new heat pumps are impacting the way people use the buildings.

As well as energy efficiency savings we discovered how students are benefiting from more comfortable rooms thanks to decarbonisation work.

The University of York, which plans to be a net zero campus by 2030, has successfully been awarded a Phase 3c Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme grant, the first time the university has tapped into the fund.

The grant of £854,805, has been used at the university’s Donald Barron and Barbara Scott Court student accommodation on their Campus West site as well as an office building on Innovation Close, also on Campus West.

It is hoped the project will achieve more than 140 tonnes of total annual direct carbon savings.

Salix client support officer Claudia Head said: “The students have a big part to play in this work, and higher education institutes are key to reducing emissions as well as measuring this work.

“Here at York, it was a big part of the conversation when first year students arrived at the university into their accommodation in September.

“The students and their families who were all moving in asked what was going on as the works were just finishing on site. When the project team explained the switch to air source heat pumps from gas boilers, everyone was impressed and interested in the change being made.

“Students are also more likely to choose universities that have net zero ambition, after all, it’s the students who will be leading this agenda into the future.

“It’s important that the net zero ambition is communicated not just in the research labs, but to the wider student population.”

During the visit our team was able to see two air source heat pumps and two flow heaters at the university’s Donald Barron and Barbara Scott Court site. At the time of the visit the pumps had not yet been installed at Innovation Close.

Claudia added: “We have all been very impressed with the way the university has navigated the project on a very busy site.

“It has faced minor delays such as delaying when the Donald Barron and Barbara Scott Court heat pumps could arrive on site as a concrete pad was needed first, but other than this, it faced no major issues.”

During the visit we met Samuel Snell, mechanical technician, Sam Russell, postgraduate engineering apprentice, Stuart Smith mechanical technician and Roger Ward, director of estates.

The team was also able to talk more generally about the logistical challenges universities face when addressing net zero, particularly around older buildings. 

University director of estates Roger Ward said: “It’s clear that universities play a pivotal role in the UK’s ambitious to achieve net zero, but there is a long way to go.

“We are putting our buildings into a better position, for the future, for our community and for the students of today. Our students demand it.”

The higher education sector is a significant contributor to global emissions, and many are made up of old buildings. There is a clear need to go faster when assessing carbon emissions and for many retrofitting is a way forward as well as a challenge.

Thank you to the University of York for hosting our team, we look forward to revisiting and discussing further progress.