Climate and Ecological Crisis Action Plan Annual Report 2021-22

Climate and Ecological Crisis Action Plan

Glossary and definitions

Abbreviation Definition

AMR Automated Meter Readings

BCP Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

BGB Bournemouth Gateway Building (BU building on Lansdowne Campus)

BMS Building Management System

Biomass boiler A heating system that generates heat from biomass e.g. woodchip

BREEAM Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method; a standard for sustainable construction

BU Bournemouth University

Carbon Factors Factors that convert activity data into estimated greenhouse gas emissions data. The DEFRA carbon factors to be used for each reporting year are within the latest version published before the reporting year. The carbon factors used for the 2021/22 are the DEFRA GHG conversion factors published 2nd June 2021.

CECAP Bournemouth University’s Climate & Ecological Crisis Action Plan, to reach net zero emissions and embed environmental action across the university by 2030/31

Abbreviation

GIA

Definition

Gross Internal Area; the total footprint area of all BU’s buildings minus the widths of the walls

GHG Greenhouse gases

GSHP Ground Source Heat Pump

kWh and MWh Kilowatt Hour and Megawatt hour

LED Light-emitting diode; a low energy lightbulb

LCP Local Climate Partnership (for Dorset and BCP area)

NbS Nature-based solutions; solutions to climate and ecological challenges that provide benefits to both nature and humans

Net zero emissions

Reducing gross emissions and then offsetting any residual emissions until the amount released is equal to the amount removed from the atmosphere

PGB Poole Gateway Building (BU building on Talbot Campus)

Solar PV Solar photovoltaic panels

SBT Science-based targets

(t) CO2e

(kg) CO2e (tonnes of or kilograms of) Carbon Dioxide (CO2) equivalent; the concentration of CO2 that would cause the same level of warming as a given type and concentration of greenhouse gas

DEFRA UK Government Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

DH Dorset House (BU building on Talbot Campus)

EAUC Environmental Association of Universities and Colleges

EEMS Environmental and Energy Management System, BU is certified to both ISO14001 and ISO50001

ESD Education for Sustainable Development

Scope 1 emissions

Emissions from activities under an organisations direct control such as those from gas boilers, fleet vehicles and on-site refrigerant leakage

Scope 2 emissions

Scope 3 emissions

Emissions from energy purchased for an organisation’s operations

Emissions from activities not directly controlled by an organisation such as those from the products we buy, commuting and waste disposal

SOV Single-occupancy vehicles, used typically to describe driving in a car alone

SUBU Students’ Union of Bournemouth University

UN SDGs United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

Bournemouth University’s (BU) Climate and Ecological Crisis Action Plan (CECAP) is our response to mitigate our contribution to the negative environmental, social, and economic impacts that encompass the climate and ecological crisis and adapt to its impacts. This report is our annual progress update for the 2021/22 academic year. It is structured against our eight objectives and identifies both areas of progress and of improvement.

We report our actual greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) for 2021/22 against our targets for all scopes. This reporting year, the COVID-19 pandemic continued to have an effect through increased ventilation in our buildings while travel emissions are increasing due to reduced

Our vision

restrictions. We continued to add renewables to our estate to tackle our energy emissions and during the year that saw the peak of the energy crisis, focused on reducing our operational energy use as much as possible.

Our net zero emissions vision is a BU community that recognises the need to live in harmony with the natural world to protect the survival and wellbeing of all communities and takes action to enrich society for the benefit of people and planet.

This vision and our CECAP aim to support the achievement of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

It’s heartening to see so many people across our BU community working to address the climate and ecological crisis, an effort that has been recognised this year both internally and externally. Our approach includes academics embedding sustainability in their teaching, our operational environmental management systems and capital investment, supporting our students to start businesses to address the crisis and our research which continues to help protect and preserve a sustainable environment. We are committed to continue our approach to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030/31 with everyone in the BU community playing their part.

Professor John Vinney Vice-Chancellor Bournemouth University

Summary of progress against net zero emissions target

Where we started: Our aim: How we’re doing: 45% since 2005/06

50% 36% across all three scopes and net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030/31

across GHG sources currently being measured against the 2018/19 base year.

The CECAP maps out our route to become a net zero emissions university with environmental sustainability embedded across its operations, teaching and research. To implement the Plan, 94 actions have been identified across 10 themes. Our progress is tracked through our CECAP Group and reported to the Sustainability Committee. A summary view of our progress is below, and more detail is provided in Appendix 1:

Greenhouse gases

In 2018/19, BU’s GHG emissions scopes 1 and 2 and measurable parts of scope 3 were recorded as 6,723 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) for the year.

In 2021/22 this reduced to 4,335 tCO2e.

BU has set a target of achieving net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by the academic year 2030/31. Underpinning this is rapid decarbonisation across all the university’s activities. The CECAP sets targets for BU’s actual emissions reduction that show us how much the university needs to reduce GHG emissions from the new baseline year of 2018/19 before offsetting. To achieve this, the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) tool was used to set Science Based Targets (SBTs) for each year.

Our target for scope 1 emissions was missed this year, but targets for scope 2, scope 3 and overall emissions reduction were met.

Emissions reductions from the base year in percentage by scope and year

The largest reduction across the scopes comes from scope 3; this is mostly due to the reduction in business travel (in particular flights) which is still lower than before the pandemic, reducing BU’s emissions by over 1,100 tCO2e compared to the base year. However, this year’s emissions from flights have increased by 300 tCO2e when compared to last year (2020/21), highlighting the importance of reducing travel or using a more sustainable mode of travel where possible.

The scope 2 (purchased electricity) target has been met; this is due to a reduction in DEFRA carbon factors from the decarbonisation of the national grid, an increase in renewable generation from the on campus solar panels and also a reduction in electricity consumption from the grid from energy projects, such as the upgrade of the Talbot Campus transformers and continued monitoring and managing energy usage across sites. Electricity usage for ventilation has increased compared to the base year as equipment is run for longer to reduce Covid-19 transmission.

The scope 1 (direct emissions) target has been missed. A reduction of 10% compared to the baseline year was achieved, rather than a 16% reduction. This reduction comes mainly from fugitive emissions; the emissions from BU’s main heating source, natural gas have increased by 100 tCO2e compared to the base year. This is due

to the increased heat needed in our buildings that follows the increased ventilation for Covid-19 safety. The decarbonisation of heat is a key challenge for reducing buildings emissions and a Heat Decarbonisation Plan is being developed with a contractor that will lead to increased on site low carbon or renewable heat generation.

Improvements in data management

This year we have continued to improve data management in line with best practice principles (for example the Greenhouse Gas Protocol’s Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard). This supports CECAP objective 8 and several of our CECAP actions. As we continue to improve our data capture, methods of calculation and include more sources of GHG emissions, we are able to provide a GHG footprint that is as relevant, complete, consistent, transparent and accurate as possible. The changes have improved the completeness of our data by including new activities in the report, for example travel from attendees to open days. It has also improved accuracy and our ability to correctly track GHG emissions over time by improving data quality. We have explained our rationale for these changes in the Data Management section and full details of GHG emissions calculations are in the Emissions Report in Appendix A.

Sources of emissions

The two charts below show the changes in the sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the base year compared to 2021/22. For a further details, see the Emissions report in appendix A.

Total GHG emissions by activity, baseline year vs 2021/22 (tCO2e)

Top 5 achievements

1

We are 1st in the UK for Climate Action

We were proud to be ranked in the top 3% globally (42nd out of 1,406 institutions) in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2022, the only global benchmarking scheme that assesses universities against their contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Within this, we ranked 1st in the UK for three SDGs: SDG13 Climate Action (13th globally); SDG8 Decent Work & Economic Growth (4th globally) and SDG12 Responsible Consumption & Production (4th globally). Later in November 2021, we were awarded the national THE DataPoint Merit Award for our exemplary environmental action in the sector based on the data we submitted to (THE) Impact Rankings 2022.

4

Installed more low and zero carbon technologies

We have continued to invest in low and zero carbon technologies this year. This includes installing a new solar PV array on the roof of Jurassic House, further installation of LED lighting across the estate as well as upgrades to our Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) and High Voltage transformers which have both increased our electricity efficiency. These three projects are estimated to save around 72 tonnes of CO2e per year.

5 We supported our Eco Entrepreneurs

We’ve continued to expand our awareness-raising and engagements with students and staff through various media and activities. We launched our Eco Entrepreneurs Fund, supported by Santander and BU, to fund £9,000 for student and recent graduates who are launching or growing business ideas which address the climate and ecological crisis. We also held the inaugural Climate Justice Challenge and rolled out Carbon Literacy training to 75 staff, students and alumni.

2 Completed our first curriculum mapping against the climate and ecological crisis

In autumn 2021, we used a detailed approach to map how the units taught across our four faculties align to the UN SDGs and the climate & ecological crisis. This was our first university-wide mapping of environmental content which found that 88% of courses align to the SDGs and 40% of courses achieve our CECAP aim to have content on the crisis at each level of study. The Sustainability Academic Network are using these to further support academic staff to achieve this target.

3 Embedded climate action within Estates Development

We have embedded the CECAP into our new Estates Development Framework (EDF). This included a new specific programme of projects to progress towards net zero over the revised EDF period with £1.25million of funding committed between 2022 and 2026.

To summarise our progress in numbers this table shows where we are against our KPIs for 2021/22:

Performance this year

36% Reduction in GHG emissions across all scopes. Progress towards net zero.

62% Electric Vehicle fleet

6% On campus renewable electricity

15% On campus heat from renewable and low carbon sources

100% Purchased renewable grid electricity using REGO backed tariff

59% of total energy from renewable, low carbon and REGO backed purchased renewable energy

88% of courses align to the UN SDGs

40% of units at each level of all programmes to have content which addresses the climate and ecological crisis

Top 3% Ranking against institutions in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2022

66% of non-residential and non-construction waste recycled

11.7kg /FTE

Total non-residential and non-construction waste per head (kg per full time equivalent)

Target and date

13% by 2021/22, 50% by 2030/31

100% by 2025

10% by 2025

Heat Decarbonisation Plan will set target

100%

Heat Decarbonisation Plan will set target

100% by 2025

100% by 2022/23 academic year

Top 15%

85% recycling rate

20 kg waste per Full Time Equivalent (FTE)

73% of construction waste recycled 95%

2% of water from rainwater harvesting

Target to be agreed

Objective 1: Demonstrating sustainable leadership

We aim to demonstrate sustainable leadership both internally and within the community. This means embedding the responsibility for climate action within all relevant policies and committees and ensuring that our procedures and reward processes recognise this priority. We also hope to be a regional leader, supporting our local community and sector to act collaboratively, innovatively, and effectively to address the climate and ecological crisis. It is our objective that staff across the University will align our governance structures with addressing the crisis and then commit to their implementation, even when facing challenges.

ISO14001 and ISO50001

Our Environmental and Energy Management System is the foundation of our university-wide work to embed environmental action and continue to improve every year. We are certified to EcoCampus Platinum level and, as of 2020, we are one of only a handful of universities to be externally certified to both ISO14001 and ISO50001 for environmental and energy management, respectively. The focus of ISO50001 particularly has in recent years helped us to secure the data we need to understand and target energy improvements and support business cases for investment. For example, this year we have installed 35 new meters for recording utilities consumption at Chapel Gate which will allow us to identify, develop and define new energy projects on that site.

Sustainability Committee work

Our Sustainability Committee is responsible for our Environment and Energy Management System and reports directly into the University Leadership Team. Committee members represent academic faculties, our students and Students Union, our staff unions as well as essential functions of IT, Procurement, Marketing & Communications and Estates. The Committee is chaired by Stuart Laird, Director of Estates, and co-chaired by Dr Fiona Cownie, Associate Professor, Faculty of Media and Communication. As a team the Committee works to challenge each other and provide a formal place to share sustainability leadership across BU. They review and approve all our environmental policies and proposals are regularly brought for support. This year, students on the MBA programme shared their proposals to help BU achieve net zero, with ideas for carbon capture using plants on campus, a sustainable student app and a technology solution using hydrogen.

Winning the Vice Chancellor’s Staff Award

In 2022 the work of the wider sustainability team was awarded the Vice Chancellor’s Award for Enriching Society. This was in recognition of the far-reaching work of the team including its collaborations across the university in projects including Eco Entrepreneurs, its emissions-reducing leadership and academic support to embed sustainability into our teaching and research.

Sustainable Procurement

Our supply chain is responsible for a large proportion of our emissions so this year we have continued working to reduce its impact. In September 2021, we joined Net Positive Futures, an online portal where our suppliers can create an action plan to improve their environmental, social and economic impact. Through this, we can gain an insight into the work of our suppliers, including their emissions reduction targets.

Our Sustainability Team now create questions for and partially score tenders, where a default of 15% of the total score should be allocated to sustainability. This has supported us to take advantage of sustainability opportunities such as for our new sportswear, manufactured by EV2, which will mostly be made from recycled polyester.

Working with University Hospitals Dorset (UHD) for Climate Action

We have been close partners with UHD for several years and are increasingly working together to integrate sustainability across our organisations. Through this partnership:

• BU is an active member of the UHD Sustainability Committee enabling collaboration and mutual support as UHD embeds its Green Plan,

• UHD and BU are planning research to better understand and reduce patient travel for local imaging diagnostic services,

• BU has shared the improvements it found to be most successful for encouraging active and sustainable travel directly to UHD,

• We have been able to build links between the BU CECAP and UHD’s Green Plan.

Stuart Lane who studied MSc Green Economy at BU is now the Sustainability and Carbon Manager at UHD. He shares: “UHD’s strategic partnership with BU has paved the way for an even closer working relationship between the sustainability teams and is revealing a stream of exciting opportunities to support each other towards our sustainability goals. These will not just reduce the negative impacts of our operations but enhance our ability to provide positive impacts for our staff, wider community, the local environment and beyond.”

Local Climate Partnership

The partnership between BU and University Hospitals Dorset has paved the way for the foundations of a new Local Climate Partnership for Dorset and BCP which is in development. To demonstrate BU’s commitment, we have edited the objectives of our Sustainability Policy to say that BU is committed to achieving sustainability good practice throughout its activities by:

“Working in partnerships with the local community, the education sector and other key stakeholders to share good practice and implement and celebrate sustainable development. Through partnerships with local organisations including BCP Council, Dorset Council and University Hospitals Dorset we will support our region on its journey to becoming net zero.”

For BU this collaboration is vital to enable us to positively contribute to our region reaching net zero. By working together, we can address barriers and constraints more easily and share our academic and research abilities to support organisational and regional transformation towards more sustainable approaches. Our initial conversations have included sharing experiences, progress and plans with around 20 organisations in

BCP and Dorset. This relationship building forms a vital foundation for cooperation and trust upon which we will be operating a structure of subgroups working together on important issues.

COP26

A group of BU staff travelled by train or lift share to attend COP26, the international climate conference, in Glasgow. In addition to providing us with an insight into the current state of climate policy to share with our Sustainability Committee and help shape our climate response, we were able to establish international networks. Dr Emma Jenkins, Director for the Institute for the Modelling of Socio-Environmental Transitions (IMSET), attended multiple events based on heritage and climate change, the research focus of IMSET, which has helped further research opportunities. You can read about Emma’s experience of COP26 here.

SUBU Freshers Fair

Freshers Fair is one of the biggest events in a university calendar. The 2021 Fair offset its emissions by planting over 9000 trees, supported by BU alumni-driven company, Gaia. The Fair also encouraged its stall holders to reduce waste and promote ethical consumption through a sustainability audit.

Climate Assembly – Get Your Voice Heard

Our BU Climate Assemblies are important events to allow students and staff to learn more about what BU are doing and importantly to have their voices heard and able to influence our approach. This year the feedback sessions covered biodiversity and connection to nature and decarbonisation.

If you are a student, staff or local community member interested in joining future Climate Assemblies, please email: sustainability@bournemouth.ac.uk

Objective 2: Aligning education and research with our crisis response

We aim for our education and research to both align with the crisis through course content, research outcomes and the way we deliver these.

Education

Target: all programmes to include the climate & ecological crisis in at least one unit per level (year) by 2022/23. In 2021, we completed our first comprehensive mapping to measure how many of our courses align to the climate & ecological crisis. We were pleased with the results which found that around two-third of courses did so. Of note, 88% and 83% of our programmes in the BU Business School and Faculty of Science & Technology, respectively, achieved this aim.

64% 40%

courses aligned to climate and ecological crisis courses aligned to climate & ecological crisis at every level

40% of our programmes included content around the climate & ecological crisis at every year of study, as per the CECAP aim. Recognising our target of this figure being 100% by the end of the 2022/23 academic year, the Sustainability Academic Network have been prioritising work to support academics to achieve this aim. Work has included:

1 Rolling out ‘Climate & Ecological Crisis in education’ training workshops for academic departments

2 Creating a bespoke area on Brightspace, our academic portal, with resources, training and guidance for academics

3 Launching our inaugural Excellence in Education for Climate & Ecological Action Award to recognise and share best practice

Dr Ben Thomas, winner of the Excellence in Education for Climate & Ecological Action (EECEA) Award 2022

Ben has been teaching sustainable design at all levels of our design and engineering courses since 2007. Within his teaching, he raises awareness of the climate & ecological crisis and provides students with sector-specific skills and knowledge to understand their role and ability to contribute. Activities within his unit include a practical product dismantling exercise, where students dismantle common household products to understand their materials and design, then use a Life Cycle Analysis software to measure the carbon footprint of the product during all stages of its life. This model can be used to reduce the environmental impact of the product, closely informed by lecture materials and design philosophies.

A judge of the EECEA Award shared:

“This is an excellent example of developing and integrating highly relevant skills and knowledge. It challenges students to think creatively to develop solutions and to reflect on the wider societal perspectives and will also encourage students to see that they can help society in general to develop a more sustainable approach.”

Practice

We want to ensure that students don’t just gain the skills, knowledge and values to address the climate and ecological crisis in their curricular learning, but also within our co-curricular and extracurricular opportunities as well.

Students receive commendations for sustainable product design

Five Product Design students from BU won nine awards between them at the New Designers 2022 show in London, amongst 2500 graduates. Ryan Waterhouse won the Best New Product Designer Award - the highest prize awarded at the show - for his product Terra Nova which aims to improve the world’s soil quality through better monitoring of nutrients. The world grows 90% of its food in topsoil. The current rate at which nutrients degrade suggest that topsoil will run out in just 60 years, posing a significant threat to food production.

There were double successes for Angela Piazza and Joe Samuels who both received ‘Anglepoise Loves’ commendations for products with sustainability at their hearts. Angela’s product takes non-recyclable plastic waste, which is shredded then made into reusable roof tiles. These tiles could provide heat reflective roofs for communities in India, as well as reduce landfill waste and increase the income of families living in deprived houses who collect waste from dumpsites.

Ryan is a dedicated and talented designer whose final project has the potential to make a difference to a problem which affects us all.

The Tiger of the River children’s book

Dr Adrian Pinder, Director of Bournemouth University Global Environmental Solutions (BUG) has published a new illustrated children’s book called ‘The Tiger of the River.’ The story describes the life journey of ‘Matisha’, a female hump-backed masheer fish and her adventures as she migrates upstream through the River Cauvery to lay her eggs. Dr Pinter created the book to raise awareness of marine conservation so that “rivers worldwide are valued for all their wildlife and all the essential ecosystem services they deliver.”

Gemma Bullock, Ryan’s supervisor on his Terra Nova product

Research

BU academics are working to further understanding and awareness of how we can most effectively tackle the climate and ecological crisis and support our global ecosystems. Here are some of the research projects we have been part of in the past academic year:

Nature-based Solutions for Climate Change in the UK: A Report by the British Ecological Society

BU academics Rick Stafford, Pippa Gillingham and Luciana Esteves contributed to authoring and editing a new landmark report on Nature-based Solutions for climate change and biodiversity produced by the British Ecological Society.

I truly believe it will be a landmark in setting the agenda and scientific and policy framework for the roll-out of nature-based solutions in the UK, and thereby to our collective aspiration to build a vibrant, resilient and resurgent natural world and stable climate in which our society and communities can thrive.

Professor Yadvinder Malhi CBE FRS, President-Elect, British Ecological Society, on the new report.

Assessing Environmentally Effective Post-COVID Green Recovery Plans for Reducing Social and Economic Inequality

Given the current environmental crisis there have been multiple calls for a green recovery from COVID-19 which address environmental concerns and provide jobs in industries and communities economically damaged by the

pandemic. In this paper, the BU team holistically evaluated a range of recovery scenarios, evaluated on environmental and socio-economic equity metrics, including ending fossil fuel subsidies, investment in ecological conservation, jobs in renewable energy, heat-pump installation and the inclusion of carbon taxes. The paper suggests a comprehensive green recovery and green new deal are needed, and highlight a need to reimagine economies, without the focus on economic growth.

BU students involved in EU conservation project

A group of BU students worked alongside conservation experts on an EU-wide project called SAMARCH to understand the migration habits of wild salmon and sea trout in the river Frome in Dorset. The prevalence of wild salmon and sea trout in UK rivers has been on a drastic decline, and the team are working to understand what conservation and management activities could take place to ensure their long-term survival. The project will help inform the management of salmon and sea trout in the waters across the Channel.

Centre for Sustainable Business Transformation

In marching towards achieving the UN SDGs and net zero emissions, there are growing expectations on businesses to be sustainable. In response, BU launched the new Centre for Sustainable Business Transformation. The centre brings together experts from multiple faculties to assist businesses, not-for-profit organisations, and policymakers in their pursuit of delivering on the sustainability goals. You can read about the Centre here.

CSBT

Centre for Sustainable Business Transformations Bournemouth University

Businesses recognise the need to have positive societal and environmental impacts while pursuing their corporate goals. Our aim is to work with businesses and organisations to create new knowledge and networks to enable firms to … advance sustainability and prosperity and help address the UNSDGs.

Professor Marcjanna Augustyn, Head of the Centre for Sustainable Business Transformation

Objective 3: Implementing Nature-based Solutions (NbS) to address the crisis

Our CECAP actions include identifying opportunities to support nature, encouraging students and staff to connect with nature and incorporating nature into education and research.

This year we conducted ecological surveys to identify areas of improvement across campus, continued to explore nature-based solutions (NbS) and further developed new nature connection projects.

Rainwater harvesting

In 2021-22, 720,000 litres of rainwater were collected from rainwater harvesting in Poole Gateway Building, Bournemouth Gateway Building and the Fusion Building. This is an increase of 22% compared to last year.

Ecological surveys

In summer 2022, we contracted an external consultant, LC Ecological Services, to complete ecological surveys of our three main campuses: Talbot, Lansdowne and our Chapel Gate sports site. The comprehensive reports highlighted the existence of the nationally scarce species hairy bird’sfoot-trefoil on our Talbot Campus, as well as areas for improvement. They were presented to our Biodiversity Group who will translate them into a Biodiversity Action Plan in line with our CECAP. We also became the first university nationally to have added survey data to the NBN atlas for the public to freely access.

We are a Hedgehog Friendly Campus

We were certified as a Bronze Hedgehog Friendly Campus in 2022. Since the turn of the century, populations of hedgehogs in rural areas have fallen by at least 50%. With such a sharp decline, we wanted to ensure our campuses could support hedgehog populations so joined the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) as one of the universities working to make their campuses hog friendly. We have since installed hedgehog houses on Talbot Campus, ran awareness raising campaigns and conducted training sessions.

No Mow May & Bug Hotels

This year we took part in No Mow May. This national campaign, led by Plantlife, encourages individuals and companies to leave areas un-mowed during May to support wildflowers to grow and better support pollinators. We continued the campaign through June across three areas of our Talbot Campus.

We also ran a workshop for our community to build a bug hotel made from upcycled garden materials. Bug hotels provide an incredible habitat for insects and minibeasts, including woodlice, spiders and ladybirds.

Connection to nature

nature reserves in Studland and an old farm now being managed as a rewilding project.

Nature connection area at Chapel Gate woodlands

A new nature connection area has been created in the woodlands at our Chapel Gate sports site. It has already held several workshops and outdoor learning sessions with students, members of staff and the local community. We aim to further utilise this space in the next academic year, allowing staff to book it for meetings or team-building sessions and to collaborate with SUBU to host sessions in the space that support wellbeing.

Developing our offsetting approach

Local nature-based solutions research

Last year we committed to invest £4,085 in research to help inform our local offsetting approach. The project was completed by BU students under the supervision of BU professor Dr Rick Stafford. It involved site visits to 5 locations across Dorset including BU’s own Chapel Gate Sports campus, a private estate in the Purbeck Heaths,

One of the students, Ellie Jones, entitled her research project ‘Assessing carbon sequestration rates from conservation management: price and potential for multihabitat nature-based carbon sequestration in Dorset.’ She concluded that “although some management options, i.e., woodland creation, bring about large sequestration benefits, high biodiversity habitats, i.e., grasslands and heathland, can bring about both sequestration and biodiversity benefits in tandem. Furthermore, the results show that the cost per additional tonne of carbon sequestered varies considerably between different conservation projects. On average, the cost of this offsetting is higher than traditional methods (i.e., tree planting), however, it is a good option for those wishing to localise their offsetting, and so these additional costs might be acceptable.”

BU is committed to our core approach of reducing our emissions and only offsetting the remainder which can’t be eliminated. We are using this research to inform our approach and explore opportunities for our community to connect with nature whilst offsetting emissions.

To further progress our approach for 2022/23 we will be investing £2,030 in a trial to engage students in tree planting projects identified in the research we carried out this year. This amount has been calculated in recognition of BU exceeding our target for scope 1 emissions by 92.79tCO2e this year and multiplying this by a carbon cost of £21.96/tonne of carbon equivalent.

CECAP actions addressed:

NA1.1, NA1.2, NA1.3, NA1.4, NA1.5, BH2.3, BH1.3, BH1.4, ES1.1

Objective 4: Reducing GHG emissions through engagement and behaviour change

We aim to mobilise the BU community to actively engage with and support our CECAP objectives by developing and implementing a range of inspiring and educational opportunities. Parts of our carbon footprint are heavily determined by student and staff behaviours so we are improving our campuses to make sure sustainable options are easier, more accessible, and more attractive so they can use their choices to make a difference.

Behaviour change

Fairtrade Award

We were proud to become one of only three universities to achieve the Fairtrade Award 3 stars under the Fairtrade Universities & Colleges (FTUC) scheme, ran by SOS-UK and the Fairtrade Foundation. The Award was the result of three years of work to embed Fairtrade and ethical purchasing throughout our supply chain, curriculum, and student opportunities, and involved student auditors to assess our work.

There has been a great deal of strong work undertaken by BU over the past two years, despite the challenges. This is commendable. The issues of sustainability and consumption remain high on the agenda, and have become integrated into the life of the institution.

FTUC auditors

Food (Olio and Too Good To Go)

Our caterers, Chartwells, have been focusing this year on reducing food waste. As part of this work, they have joined Too Good To Go and Olio: two food-sharing schemes that offer unwanted items that would go to waste either a reduced price or free, to be distributed amongst the community. As a result, we have saved 1196 meals and 2.6 tCO2e.

Chartwells also launched their innovative Social Kitchen: free cooking sessions to support students to learn how to cook well. Sessions have focused on Fairtrade and plantbased options to encourage environmentally sustainable and ethical cooking choices.

Waste

This year we introduced new recycling streams for crisp packets, sweet wrappers and stationery across both campuses to increase recycling capacity for these nonrecyclable items. Our total waste increased to a similar level of 2019-2020 due to the increased activity on campus compared to last year. We produced 203 tonnes of waste due to everyday activity and recycled 66% of this. Across all sites and including construction, we produced 306 tonnes of waste and recycled 73%.

SUBU’s Big Give, which annually collects and donates unwanted student items before they move out to charities, this year donated 1333 bags and is estimated to raise over £18,000 for the British Heart Foundation. 438kg of food was donated to the Trussell Trust Bournemouth Foodbank and overall, the campaign saved 16.2 metric tons of waste and 95,615 kg CO2.

SUBU Recycling Roadshow

SUBU launched their Recycling Roadshow in 2022. This campaign aims to help students understand how to recycle both in halls and for when they move into private accommodation. The Roadshow took place across five halls and our campus and will be expanded next year.

Engagement

Carbon Literacy Training

This year, we launched our Carbon Literacy training for students, staff and alumni to educate our BU community about the climate crisis, its implications for society and what they can do to reduce their carbon footprint. This one-day course has a specific BU focus to share what we are doing to mitigate and adapt to climate change before participants create pledges to reduce their carbon footprint, both as an individual and within a wider group. Personal pledges ranged from reducing meat consumption to setting up a Repair Café.

Over this academic year, we trained 40 students, 42 staff, and 4 external members including alumni and students from the Arts University Bournemouth.

Eco-Entrepreneurs Fund

BU launched the Eco-Entrepreneurs Fund in partnership with Santander Universities UK to seek out and support fledgling businesses, created by BU students and alumni, which have an environmental benefit. In its inaugural year, eight businesses who presented in front of a panel of judges were awarded £9,000 in grants.

The overall competition winners, who received a £2,500 grant, were Matt Cosier and Nick Cooper from Gaia Card, a membership scheme which connects customers with sustainable businesses while supporting reforestation. Three other businesses – searchBOSH, an online rental platform; Four Acre Farm, a no-dig market garden and fruit orchard; and Gro Promo, an eco-printing company were awarded £1,500 while the remaining four businesses received £500. The funding was provided by Santander and BU.

Climate Justice Now!

We recognise that the climate and ecological crisis is intrinsically linked to all UN SDGs and is an issue of social justice, equality and ethics. For this reason, we launched Climate Justice Now! a six-week skills-building programme hosted with Middlesex University London. Students received training from sector experts on international climate politics, Fairtrade and food security, before taking part in a public debate during COP26.

The participating students gained a great insight into the interconnectedness of environmental and social sustainability as well as skills in debating, teamwork and communication. We plan to expand this scheme further in 2022.

I learnt a new skill of how to form an argument and debate but I also learnt a wealth of new information and made new friends.

Student who took part in Climate Justice Now!

Climate Action Student Team (CAST)

Working with SUBU, we launched the Climate Action Student Team. Students within the team worked across the year to host events, support projects, and complete research across the themes of food, travel, energy and communications. Two of the CAST members, Tanya Bellows and Emily Ayling, won SUBU’s ‘Outstanding Contribution to Sustainability’ Award.

Climate Action Month

In March 2022, we once again organised Climate Action Month: 31 days of events to enable and empower our BU community to take climate action by sharing knowledge, discussion and top tips. Events covered nature connection, low-carbon heating, entrepreneurship, waste, cycling as well as the Dorset 2030 and Creating Harmony in Community conferences.

We also held an additional Climate Month in November 2021 to coincide with the COP26 conference. Events covered COP26 as well as topics of climate justice, climate resilience, and local climate impacts and solutions.

Green Rewards

went up against were amazing. It really does give me hope about the future to learn of so many revolutionary ideas and impactful businesses.

We continued the use of Jump’s Green Rewards scheme for staff engagement. Over half of our staff body were engaged with the programme and completed more than 26,000 activities. These ranged from eating meat-free meals and washing their laundry at 30°c to switching to an ethical bank and learning from SUBU’s Allyship Hub. The winning teams, Research Development & Support and Finance & Performance were awarded £250 which was donated to Just1Tree, a tree-planting organisation founded by a BU alumni.

It really is an honour to win the EcoEntrepreneurs Award. The businesses we

Matt Gosier, founder of Gaia Card, winner of the Eco-Entrepreneurship Fund and BU graduate.

If you are a student or staff interested in any of these opportunities, please email sustainability@bournemouth.ac.uk or look out for them on our central communication channels.

Sustainable travel

Sustainable Travel Events & Engagement

This year, as well as our usual array of cycling offers, we also hosted cyclist cafés, led rides, bike maintenance sessions and celebrated National Bike Month.

We joined the Love to Ride platform to encourage more staff to take up cycling. Since joining in November 2021 over 1141 rides have been logged by members covering 9,656 miles.

Our BU Bicycle User Group now has over 120 members who share experience, tips and feedback. For National Cycle to Work day, volunteers from the group handed out coffee vouchers to anyone who cycled for their commute.

As part of National Bike Month, we hosted a Bike Safety Fair. The BCP Safer Roads Team were on hand to share route planning and safety tips while the local community police team offered free bike tagging. We also gave away free bike lights, high visibility vests and backpack covers as well as personal safety alarms.

We continued our free Bike Doctor Sessions: running fortnightly to provide free bike services to students and staff. We also ran our first bike self-maintenance session inviting people to bring their to work on alongside our bike doctor and learn basic bike maintenance and repair skills.

In collaboration with Cycle Like a Girl, we organised a led ride and bike maintenance workshop event as part of Climate Action Month to support female cyclists. Cycle Like a Girl are a local community interest company who aim to help more women to feel confident riding a bike.

Our student Climate Action Student Team Cyclist Cafes, networking sessions to encourage our cyclist community to come together and discuss all things cycling.

We ran free Bikeability training in partnership with BCP Council and Beryl. Qualified bikeability instructors delivered both a beginners and advanced cycling confidence sessions.

Travel Plan progress

The revised Travel Plan was launched in 2019 and includes campus-specific single occupancy vehicle (SOV) targets for both staff and students. The 2021/22 commuter travel surveys show an increase in staff using SOV (up from 42% in 2012 to 53%) which is disappointing but to be expected due to Covid-19 measures. Our target is for SOV use to fall below 37% by 2025.

We will continue to promote active travel in 2022/23 with new changing and shower facilities in Poole House, renewed contracts with local bike suppliers and physical events such as the start of term Big Bike Fair.

CECAP actions addressed:

BH1.3, BH1.4, BH1.5, BH2.2, BH2.3, NA1.3, NA1.4, NA1.5, DI1.1, DI1.2

Objective 5: Rapidly reduce GHG emissions through technology solutions

Objective 6: Implementing net zero carbon capital development

Core to our CECAP is reducing our emissions by 50% by 2030/31 against our 2018/19 baseline. Achieving this includes implementing projects across all activities which reduce our emissions. This requires renewable energy and water technologies, optimising building energy and water use, and moving from gas to electricity for heat and hot water.

The CECAP is embedded into our Estates Development planning and budgets. This enabled us to continue investing in technology to reduce our GHG emissions and make plans for further decarbonisation over the period to 2025 with a £1.25m investment planned.

New solar PV array for Jurassic House

Jurassic House is home to our data centre on Talbot Campus. In December 2021, it became the 7th building of ours to have solar panels installed. The new system is expected to save over 5 tonnes of CO2e each year, equivalent to two return flights to New York from the UK. You can read more about this here.

UPS upgrades

Working with our IT Team we have replaced the Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) systems within all the IT Comms rooms with new more efficient units. These have been sized to meet the needs of each area ensuring that these are operating at the most optimum efficiency. As a result, the efficiency of these systems has increased from 87% to 98% creating estimated reductions of 100,000 kWh and 26 tCO2e per year.

Replacement high voltage transformers with ultra-low loss transformers

Following a review of the services infrastructure it was identified that the current tier 1 high voltage transformers were circa 32-47 years old. They had significant energy losses which accounted for 7% of the power consumed on Talbot Campus. We replaced three transformers this year with new tier 3 high efficiency, ultra-low loss transformers which also have a new Midel biodegradable oil. Tier 3 level transformers go beyond the minimum standard of Tier 2 required under regulations. The new units also reduce the risk in failure which would have a significant impact on operations should the existing ones failed. The reductions in energy and carbon are being measured over the coming years and could be as much as 26 tCO2e per year.

Continued to replace lighting with LED low energy lighting

It is now a standard procedure to replace any relevant lighting with LED low energy lighting. Over the year, we installed 60 LED light fittings in Dorset House and 900 in Weymouth House. This is estimated to save around 15 tCO2e per year and approximately 35,000kWh.

Technology and energy projects completed in 2021-22

Solar array on Jurassic House roof

Sustainable IT

Current data suggests BU data centres are responsible for 10% of our total electricity use. Data from 2020/21 showed the data centre in Jurassic House used 618,607kWh and in Studland House, 261,373kWh. In our baseline year (201819), it constituted 9% of our total use, but this proportion has increased due to extra demand placed on data centres with increased home working.

The Sustainable IT working group have been meeting bi-monthly to address sustainable IT issues and support delivery of the Sustainable IT Policy. This has resulted in new objective being set by Director of IT to achieve a 15% reduction in power consumption of IT equipment in data centres and comms rooms each year.

To achieve this aim, in 2022/23 they plan to replace some data centre equipment that will consume around 50% less power, supported by an estates project in 2023/24 to improve the cooling and heating of the data centres to reduce energy consumption. Energy data from the metering system will be used to track the improvements.

All IT users are encouraged to follow the Sustainable IT Policy including switching off monitor screens and ensuring IT equipment goes into standby mode when not in use.

BREEAM ‘Excellent’ for our Phase 2 refurbishment of Studland House

Our Sustainable Construction Policy guides our capital development programme. It requires us to achieve BREEAM Very Good status for refurbishments and this year we completed the refurbishment of Studland House, a staff building in the centre of Bournemouth at our Lansdowne Campus. We are proud to say we exceeded our standards and achieved an ‘Excellent’ BREEAM rating with a score of 72.9%. We are focused on making the best of all our buildings and this means creating spaces which our staff love working in while reducing their environmental impact. Work on this project was nominated as a finalist in the South Coast Property Awards 2022 in the ‘Sustainable Development of the Year’ category.

CECAP actions addressed:

RE1.1, EB1.1, EB1.2, EB1.8, IT1.3

Passive carbon cooling trial for comms room

Working with IT Services BU are trialling a passive cooling system in the comms room of Weymouth House. The system is designed to utilise outside air to cool the space minimising the need for cooling via air conditioning. Initial savings from portable metering show that the reduction in energy was 95%. Additional benefits beyond energy reductions are the reduced maintenance requirements related to air conditioning. Monitoring for this trial is continuing and further opportunities for more comms rooms is being investigated. These will look at options to use outside air to cool or to recover this heat and reuse it within the building.

Lower emission bus refresh

Our UNIBUS service, operated by MoreBus, has seen a return to high levels of usage as a main source of transport for students and staff. Patronage data shows that bus occupancy is back to around 80% of pre-pandemic levels across all UNIBUS services with some routes delivering record numbers of passengers to BU. Local changes to routes and operators also mean that UNIBUS passholders have gained access to additional routes within their pass.

As part of the UNIBUS fleet refresh in 2021/22, we are rolling out new Euro 6 buses that are fitted with stop/ start technology as standard. These will be operational in September 2022 and will reduce CO2 emissions per litre of fuel by 2.62 kg with an increase of 0.38 miles to the gallon. This is estimated to save around 20 tonnes of CO2 per year (based on estimated milage of 264,245 miles as travelled in 2021/22). The new businesses will also reduce gaseous, noise or vibration emissions at bus stops.

The new buses will also be branded to share the impacts which BU has on the world around us showing our aim for a more sustainable, inclusive and healthy society. Watch our videos here to learn more about our story.

Energy crisis work

During the early part of 2022 the Russian invasion of the Ukraine escalated the global energy crisis resulting in repercussions for every business and household in the UK. Over the summer of 2022 we commenced work to identify new ways to further reduce our energy consumption. This included close working with maintenance teams and our IT department to plan and implement several new projects. Initial work has included improvements to lighting controls of Bournemouth Gateway Building to reduce the amount of energy consumed whilst maintaining 24-hour access for students and further tightening our controls across all buildings to avoid wasting energy. This included adding more time clocks and controls into our Building Management System and close alignment with opening hours maintaining ventilation and temperature without wasting energy. Covid-19 continued to impact energy usage as more ventilation (and therefore often heating) is required for safety and the Estates Team monitored and managed the impact on electricity and gas consumption.

Case study: Digital signage energy reduction

Our work this year included an energy review of running digital marketing screens around campus to identify wasted energy. As a result, a new Digital Signage Policy has been implemented to reduce the operation of the 82 screens only to core hours when the buildings are in use.

Our Marketing & Communications team analysed the potential carbon emission saving as a result of this change. Before the changes all devices operate between 7am -11pm (16 hours per day) and the changes reduced this by 5 hours per day. Additionally, the signage network will be on standby at weekends unless being used for an event, further contributing to cost and energy savings for BU.

This change is expected to see the daily carbon emission figures drop to 20kg CO2e per day (from 30kgCO2e) and 8,649kgCO2e (from 11,118kgCO2e), saving the equivalent of 38 iPhone 14’s emissions during their lifetimes, per year.

Developing our Heat Decarbonisation Plan

We were very pleased to be awarded nearly £99,300 in Low Carbon Skills Funding from the UK government to develop a Heat Decarbonisation Plan for 21 buildings across Talbot Campus, Chapel Gate, Lansdowne campus and Yeovil. This funding will enable us to carry out building assessments to identify opportunities to transition our buildings to low carbon or renewable heating sources. We will take a whole building approach, looking at opportunities to reduce the amount of heating needed by improving the thermal performance of our buildings. This will include using thermal imagery techniques to understand where heat loss is occurring.

Website carbon footprint

According to the Eco-Friendly web alliance the average website produces 2-2.5 grams of carbon for every visit: this can be reduced to around one gram per visit by adopting easy practices.

This year we held a joint event as part of Climate Action Month with Eco Friendly web alliance to support students and staff to learn about website carbon footprints. This supported students and staff to reduce the carbon footprint of their own websites and raised awareness of what large organisations can do to reduce this largely unseen emissions source.

Some of the key lessons learnt include minimising large videos, photos, Java Scripts and heavy website themes or frameworks. Our Marketing & Communications team reviewed these for our own website and agreed to:

• Provide advice to editors on good practice for using imagery

• Embed sustainability principles when developing digital projects in the short term

• Adopt sustainable procurement principles in the BU website rebuild project with our partners in 2022/23 and consider sustainability impacts in our design and build decisions.

Technology plans for 2022/23 More Solar PV array

In 2022 we have been installing a new solar PV array onto the roof of our Poole House building on Talbot Campus. This will be our 10th array and includes 236 new solar panels. These will generate an estimated 100,000kWh per year depending on the conditions. The energy produced by the new PV system is expected to save approximately 23 tCO2e. This means we will have over 700 solar panels feeding renewable electricity into Poole House, so in the summer this could be enough to cover the baseload. We expect the new solar panels to be ready in early 2023.

We are preparing plans to add new solar panels onto the roof of Dorset House and expect to spend around £100,000 on this new system to be ready by the end of 2023. This is part of our continued plan to add more sources of renewable energy on campus to achieve 10% of electricity from onsite renewables by 2025 (up from 5% in 2020).

New active travel facilities with solar thermal hot water

In 2022/23 we will be installing a new active travel facility at Talbot Campus on the ground floor of Poole House. This is part of our commitment to encourage people to cycle and walk to university to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions from commuting. The new facilities will include space for changing, lockers and showers which will be partly powered by solar thermal energy funded by the CECAP capital fund.

Roll out of electric vehicle chargers on campus

We have purchased 25 electric vehicle charging points for our staff, students and visitors to use and plan to install these across our estate during 2022/23. These will be 7-11kW chargers and are aiming to support the transition to electric vehicles. They will be in addition to the BCP council rapid charger already located at Talbot Campus which is open to the public and are in addition to our BU chargers which support our own electric fleet vehicles.

Heat decarbonisation of Talbot Campus

We are developing our heat decarbonisation plan and have developed the first phase of activity which is likely to include the removal of end-of-life gas boilers and replacement with low carbon energy sources. We have produced plans for switching to air source heat pumps for three of our buildings on Talbot Campus and expect this to stop us using over one million kWh of gas per year from 2023-24. We will also be increasing our solar PV to progress towards our target of 1MW peak solar electricity by 2025.

Continued energy conservation projects

We have a rolling programme of installation of energy conservation measures including replacing lighting with LEDs, with the focus on areas across the Talbot Campus such as circulation, storage and service areas and on the Lansdowne Campus replacement of lighting in the underground carpark area in Studland House. We also plan to look for more opportunities to move to passive cooling approaches rather than energy intensive air conditioning systems. This is building on our trial installation of a free cooling system in the Weymouth House comms room this year.

Intelligent campus

Our research this year showed that we already have much of the foundation of an intelligent campus with our Building Management System enabling us to closely control HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) equipment remotely. This year we have progressed investigating how we can use sensor technology to better understand campus utilisation and enable closer energy management of our buildings. In 2022/23 we will be identifying trial buildings and developing businesses cases to form our approach to intelligent campus. This extends our central focus on using data to drive sustainability.

CECAP actions addressed:

TR1.3, TR2.3, EB2.4, EB2.1, EB4.2, EB5.1, RE1.1, IT1.2

We have increased our renewable generation

We have worked hard to increase our renewable generation on site and this year our estate increased its number of Solar Photovoltaic arrays from eight to nine thanks to the addition of the new solar PV on Jurassic House.

On site renewable energy technologies contributed 6% for electricity and 14.5% for heating our buildings. The amount of electricity produced on site increased from 500 MWh to nearly 561 MWh.

Increase in onsite renewable and low carbon energy generation from 2011-12 to 2021-22

Energy and water projects undertaken by BU aim to increase energy performance/ efficiency, reduce leaks and unexpected high consumption and increase on site renewables.

Our annual on-site energy and heat production could power

194 average UK homes and heat 109 for a year!

GSHP output (kWh)

Biomass output (kWh)

Electricity generated onsite (kWh)

Emissions avoided from renewable and low carbon on-site generation

The below chart shows the emissions avoided from generation on site from the Solar PVs (Photovoltaics), Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHPs) and the biomass boiler for each year.

Objective 7: Managing climate change risk

BU’s Climate Change Risk Register sits within our Environment and Energy Management System and documents the risks posed to our operations because of climate change. As these risks become more common its vital that we progress mitigation and adaptation measures via our CECAP whilst also further embedding understanding of these risks across BU.

Our Climate Change Risk Register includes a range of scenarios including extreme flooding events, hot weather events, low temperature incidents, wildfires, failure of national/regional electricity, gas, water supply and IT infrastructure, failure/disruption of supply chains and infectious diseases. It includes details of the impact and mitigation measures as well as the adaptations required in the short, medium and long term. All these risks feed across the CECAP: for example, adaptation to the risk of Extreme Flooding Events is aligned with our building standards where all new builds must include rainwater harvesting. Similarly for hot weather events our Biodiversity Group have been considering opportunities for tree planting, building shading through canopies and other window shading techniques to reduce impact on campus users.

New risks

2022 has brought increased risks which we have embedded into the BU risk management process. Specifically, we have added two new risks into the estates risk register:

1) External Factors including Russia/ Ukraine conflict and global energy crisis is impacting supply of gas and causing prices to rise for gas and electricity. And

2) Russia/ Ukraine conflict and global energy crisis is impacting supply of gas and electricity which could cause gas shortages and/ or power cuts in 2022-2023. The identification of these risks has prompted activities to prepare for scenarios and ensure that BU is best able to continue providing education and research.

Learning across the university sector

BU are members of the EAUC Managing Climate Risk Community of Practice. This is a place for universities to share their work around climate risk and learn from each other. This year Lois Betts, BU Sustainability Manager and Shona Nairn Smith, Head of Operations and Resilience have attended online workshops with other universities.

Discussions have included how to get climate change listed on university corporate risk registers, which many universities are grappling with. We have also explored case studies from other universities about their approach to specific climate risks such as flooding and energy resilience. Recent discussions have also commenced about climate risk specifically related to sports management which will be important for BU and our Chapel Gate sports facilities.

AFRICAB: building resilience in Sierra Leone

Our Disaster Management Centre continued its AFRICAB project based in West Africa, which seeks to assimilate, accommodate, reduce and overcome resistance factors in order to enhance the governance of disaster risk and enable disaster management frameworks to function more efficiently. The three-year project has been based on constructive cooperation with disaster management partners in Sierra Leone, including the newly created National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) and Freetown City Council (FCC), and involved extensive field research and practitioner engagement.

The project, led by Professor Lee Miles, has produced numerous impacts that have and are likely to continue to enhance disaster management in Sierra Leone. At the national level, the AFRICAB Final Report included eight thematic areas and 27 key recommendations for national policymakers and stakeholders. The report was launched on 30 September 2021 and was endorsed by Chief Minister Jacob Jusu Saffa and Director General of NDMA, Lt Gen (Rtd) Brima Sesay. You can download the report here.

Objective 8: Data management and reporting

In order to make informed decisions we work hard to have a robust system for data capture and reporting which we are continually improving. Our Environmental and Energy Management System (EEMS) is externally certified to ISO14001 and ISO50001.

Measuring

Energy

• Direct manual meter reads

• Automatic meter reading (half hourly data)

• Financial data (invoices).

Waste, food & procurement

• Pay-by-weight automatic monitoring

• Visual waste audits

• NetPositive Futures supplier engagement tool

• Contract meetings with suppliers

• Sales information from catering outlets.

Travel

• Annual travel survey

• Direct data on journeys made from UNIBUS contract

• Automatic business travel booking data.

Monitoring

SmartSpaces alarms

Invoice and manual data validated in Systems Link software

Weekly data review for energy by Sustainability & Energy Analyst

Monthly contract meetings

Annual reporting to Sustainability Committee

Analysis

Monthly reports produced and reported at Estates

Senior Management Team meetings

Annual ISO50001 energy review

Identification of significant energy users

Identification of opportunities for improvement

Targets and objective-setting

Energy projects and estate changes

CECAP Annual Report created

Emissions and energy usage is reported on monthly and is annually reviewed by the Sustainability Committee. The annual ISO50001 Energy Review assesses the impact of variables such as estates size or weather on our energy usage and identifies areas of Significant Energy Use at the building, user or equipment level, and Opportunities for Improvement which are used to set targets, objectives and to identify potential projects. For key areas, including waste and transport, environmental targets and monitoring are embedded into contract standards to ensure we can gather and monitor this information.

This year we have continued to make improvements to our metering which gives us our data foundation for carbon reporting. We have added 35 new meters to our system to include sub metering at Chapel Gate and as part of the Studland House office refurbishment. For Chapel Gate these meters will give us better quality data to identify and develop new energy and water projects to deliver further carbon savings.

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions data

To improve data management and ensure that we are reporting as many GHG sources as completely and accurately as possible, a guidance document for emissions data has been produced to move our data reporting closer to best practice.

This guidance includes:

• Definitions of the boundaries of the organisation (BU)

• Definitions of the activities included and excluded from the current GHG footprint calculation, by scope.

• Definition of the reporting and base year

• A list of information to be included in the annual CECAP report

• A statement of the activities included within each scope for the current and baseline years.

• A statement of the activities that are not included within each scope for the current and baseline years, with the reasons for exclusion if necessary.

• The total gross GHG emissions for scopes 1, 2 and 3 in tCO2e, for the latest year and compared to the baseline year and the SBT targets for the latest year.

• Any offsets purchased if relevant (and the net emissions).

• Relevant normalised data (e.g. GHG emissions for the current and baseline year in tCO2e corrected for estate gross internal area for the year).

• Emissions avoided through projects (e.g. onsite renewable electricity generation from Photovoltaics)

• A policy for addition/ recalculation of the base year or previous years triggered by a threshold amount (1% of the original base year), in line with the GHG Protocol to account for the below changes and allow for accurate tracking of emissions over time:

• Structural changes to the organisation (mergers/ acquisitions/ outsourcing) that impact activities responsible for GHG emissions

• Changes to methodology:

◘ Improvements to carbon factors or activity data collection or calculation methods

◘ Improvements to the footprint by addition of activities not currently reported on

• Correction of significant errors (above the threshold amount)

• A log of changes caused by the above recalculation policy

• Recommendations for data verification

• Data sources, responsibility and calculation method for each data source.

• Recommendations

possible by including more sources of emissions (for example, this year we are including the emissions from travel to open days) and ensuring that data is of good quality and methods of calculation are the same for each reporting year. This allows for the tracking of emissions across reporting years to aid decision making on projects for reducing emissions.

We aim to continually improve our reporting, particularly around key emissions areas. For example, in recognition of the large environmental impact from procurement, over summer 2022 we have started work with an external consultant, to estimate the emissions of our purchases more accurately. We aim for this work to be completed next year and help guide our emissions reduction trajectory for this area. We have also conducted new analyses including into our digital footprint for example, exploring emissions from our website. This year we have added emissions from travel for Open Days into our scope. This data will help us set a target for reduction through incentivising sustainable travel options. The inventory of scope 3 data that is reported is also to be expanded, following advice from the new standards being produced by the EAUC (The Alliance for Sustainability Leadership in Education) and aligning with the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard.

for future

improvements

to the GHG footprint

The aim of these changes is to ensure that BU is reporting our GHG emissions as completely and as accurately as

The impact on the baseline from the additions of activities and improvements in data quality are shown in the below chart and table.

Liquid Petroleum Gas

Biomass (Non-CO )

Fleet vehicles

Fugitive emissions

Grid Electricity

Electricity T and D

Flights

Bus Fleet Water

Rail

Waste water

Grey Fleet Operational waste

Construction waste

Open Day travel

Changes made to reporting methods in 2021/22 with reasons and impact

and distribution emissions to scope 3, in line with GHG protocol. Net change to footprint is zero, but 226.9, 179.73 and 175.9 tCO2e were moved from scope 2 to scope 3 in

External reporting

Estates Management Return (EMR)

HESA, the Higher Education Statistics Agency, collate and publish environmental information from the Estates management record data returned by universities across the UK. We submit annually to the EMR data across categories including buildings and space, energy, emissions and waste, and transport. You can see all the published information on the HESA website.

THE Impact Rankings (SDG Report)

The THE Impact Rankings assess universities contributions to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and forms a global benchmark. BU has submitted data to the Ranking since its launch in 2019 and for the past three iterations have done so for all 17 SDGs. The Ranking asks for data across our operational practice, education and research impact. It covers areas such as governance, environmental management, student support, equality and access activity and collaborative, impactful research. You can read the 2022 methodology here

People and Planet

People & Planet’s University League is the only comprehensive and independent league table of UK universities ranked by environmental and ethical performance. It is compiled annually by the UK’s largest student campaigning network, People & Planet. The League table uses information on our website to address its criteria,

so we do not formally need to report to it. Nonetheless, we annually take stock of its reporting and review it at the Sustainability Committee to address areas it highlights for improvement. You can find the latest League table here

SDG Accord

We have signed up to the SDG Accord: a sector-wide commitment to supporting the SDGs within our institutions. We contribute annually to the SDG Accord reporting which asks us to reflect on the SDGs we have been, and plan to be, taking the most action on and to share areas of best practise to support other institutions to further their own action. Collaboration is a key part of achieving and support these global goals effectively.

Race to Zero

Powered by the UN Environment Programme, EAUC & Second Nature - Race to Zero is a global campaign to rally leadership and action in the education sector. Since we’ve pledged as part of this scheme to reach net zero emissions as soon as possible, this report also represents our annual update on the actions we are taking towards this target.

CECAP actions addressed: BH2.1, RP1.1, RP1.2, RP1.4, RP1.5

Next steps

Last year we shared our seven priorities for 2021-22 and we would like to share our progress with these as a summary in the table below:

Our campus

We said:

We will increase the amount of energy we generate on site and add two new solar PV arrays for Jurassic House and Poole House.

We did:

Completed Jurassic House PV array saving five tonnes of carbon every year and we have installed a huge new PV system on Poole House with 236 new panels and expect to switch this on in end of 2022.

Next steps:

We are preparing to install new solar PV on Dorset House in 2023. As well as a new solar thermal hot water system for Poole House active travel.

This will help us to progress towards our target of 1MWp solar electricity generated on site by 2025.

We will replace three existing HV transformers at Talbot Campus. We will invest in studies into Heat Decarbonisation at Talbot campus and Chapel Gate.

We did replace the transformers. We have secured £99,300 funding and invested it in producing Heat Decarbonisation plans for 21 buildings. We have used this to apply for more funding from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme to pay for low carbon heat sources.

We need to finalise the Heat Decarbonisation Plan in 2023 and identify our road map for removal of gas for heating.

If we are successful in gaining more funding we plan to use this to install low carbon heat sources in 2023 to save 220 tonnes of carbon equivalent.

We will invest in ecological surveys of our campuses to create an action plan.

We did complete the surveys and are implementing the recommendations.

We will continue to implement the recommendations

Our people

We said:

We will create more student opportunities

We did:

We did roll out Carbon Literacy training, and launch our Eco Entrepreneurs Fund, Climate Justice Now programme and volunteer Climate Action Student Team.

Next steps:

We plan to expand the Climate Justice Now programme to run nationally, run new student volunteer and nature connection opportunities and explore other impactful collaborative communication routes.

We will complete university wide mapping of course alignment to climate crisis and UN SDGs.

We will be making changes to our business travel policy and supporting our staff with sustainable travel guidance.

We will investigate ways to measure the actions our suppliers are taking to reduce their impact.

We completed this inaugural mapping to identify that two-thirds of courses include the climate crisis in their content; 40% do so at all levels.

We have seen an increase in business travel as Covid travel restrictions are lifted. Our business travel policy changes are yet to be implemented and will come in 22-23.

We implemented a trial of NetPositive to capture actions our suppliers are taking.

We will repeat this mapping in winter 2022 to map progress against our CECAP objective.

We plan to publish guidance for staff to make their essential travel more sustainable in 22-23

We are working to calculate the carbon footprint of what we buy and hope to be able to share this in 22-23.

Appendix 1: Emissions Report

Executive Summary

The purpose of this appendix is to provide a transparent accounting for the GHG emissions reported in the CECAP report including the scope, boundaries, data sources and activities currently included in the reporting.

This year, written guidance for the calculation of the GHG emissions footprint of BU was produced to align reporting more closely with best practice. This is to support objective 8 of the CECAP and several of the data management CECAP actions. The main sources for this work was the CECAP, the Greenhouse Gas Protocol’s Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard and the UK government’s Environmental Reporting Guidelines. A number of changes and recalculations have been made following this (see changes section).

In 2018/19, BU’s GHG emissions across all scopes were 6,772 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) for the year. This year the total is 4,335 tCO2e

Table 1: Summary of BU’s GHG emissions back to baseline year

Introduction

Principles

The aim of this report is to align BU’s GHG emissions reporting to best practices (e.g. the Greenhouse Gas Protocol’s Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard and the UK government’s Environmental Reporting Guidelines) and improve data management along the following principles (based on the GHG’s standard):

• Relevance: the inclusion of appropriate sources that reflect the emissions of BU and supports decision making by BU

• Completeness: an inventory of GHG sources that covers as much of the GHG emissions produced by BU as possible

• Consistency: the use of consistent data sources and calculations with any changes made to methods, activities or boundaries documented.

• Transparency: the recording of data sources for audit and addressing all issues clearly in reports

• Accuracy: the reduction of estimates and uncertainties around emissions amounts by collection of the appropriate data.

Boundaries

The CECAP recommends the use of the UK Government Environmental Reporting Guidelines to define organisational boundaries. As per Annex A of the Reporting Guidelines (and noted in the CECAP) BU is using an operational control boundary. Under the operational control approach, a company accounts for 100% of emissions from operations over which it or one of its subsidiaries has

operational control. This allows BU to measure and control emissions that the organisation can take steps to reduce. The GHG standard notes that having operational control “does not mean that a company necessarily has authority to make all decisions concerning an operation. Operational control does mean that a company has the authority to introduce and implement its operating policies.”

Reporting dates and base year

This report covers the year 1st August 2021 to 31st July 2022. The base year is 1st August 2018 to 31st July 2019. BU’s actual emissions targets are SBT targets created with the SBTi tool V1.1 “well below 2 degrees” model.

Operational Boundary and Scopes

In order to fully account for BU’s GHG emissions and identify future opportunities for reduction, activities across scopes 1, 2 and 3 need to be accurately recorded. Scope 1 to 3 are defined in the Table 3. Methods of data collection and calculation of emissions have been defined for each emissions source that BU reports on (see Emissions by Source for 2021/21 section, below).

Scopes 1 and 2 are currently recorded fully and the table indicates which areas of Scope 3 are only partially recorded, or not recorded at all. BU is working to expand the inventory of scope 3 activities that are being reported. In particular, we are working to calculate emissions from purchased goods and services and these have been identified as a priority, given the likely amount of emissions and the opportunity for BU to engage with suppliers to reduce these significantly.

Table 2: BU’s GHG emissions against CECAP targets per year

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Table 3: Inventory of sources included or excluded in scopes for BU GHG emissions reporting

Changes this year and impact on GHG emissions calculation

In order to ensure accurate tracking of emissions over time, in line with CECAP recommendations and Chapter 5 of the GHG Corporate Accounting Standard, recalculation of the base year and previous years will be completed at the time of calculating the annual GHG footprint for the below reasons if those changes (either alone or cumulatively) are equal to the threshold for recalculation. This threshold is 1% of the original base year total emissions (5,880 tCO2e). The reasons for recalculation are listed below:

• Structural changes to the organisation (mergers/ acquisitions/ outsourcing) that impact activities responsible for GHG emissions

• Changes to methodology:

• Improvements to carbon factors or activity data collection or calculation methods,

• Improvements to the footprint by addition of activities not currently reported on,

• Correction of significant errors (above the threshold amount).

The reasons for these changes, along with the impact of these changes on the CECAP baseline have been summarised in the Data Management section of the report. This has increased the accuracy and completeness of the GHG footprint calculation by increasing the activities reported on and the quality of the data. The SBTi targets are recalculated from the new baseline based on the percentage reduction amounts from V1.1 of the SBTi tool outlined in the CECAP appendices.

Some recommendations for future improvements in data management are shown in Table 4

CECAP appendix 4 recommends the inclusion of leased assets e.g. St Mary’s, Portsmouth in the GHG footprint e.g. purchased electricity, gas and water at this site, unless it can be shown that BU has no operational control over the building.

just mileage.

that kWh data would be adjusted for boiler efficiency and used to convert to tCO2e (tonnes could be used but this would also require an estimate of the weight impact of moisture content in the fuel).

Calculation of electricity emissions from end users using BU’s electricity, where those end users pay BU for the electricity. This figure should be moved from Scope 2 to Scope 3 (downstream) as per the GHG Scope 3 Corporate Accounting Chain Reporting Standard.

Emissions by Source for 2021/21

Scope

1 and Scope 2

Natural Gas

Data management:

The BU Sustainability Team (Energy Manager/ Sustainability and Energy Analyst) are responsible for recording the natural gas data. This is recorded in the SystemsLink Energy Manager software as part of the ISO50001 certified Environment and Energy Management System (EEMS).

Data sources:

1. Preferred data source: direct manual reads of all billing level meters as recorded by the BU Facilities Team and/ or the Sustainability team,

2. If the preferred data source is not available for all or part of the estate, Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) data either from BU’s AMR system or the utility supplier will be used,

3. If the AMR data is unreliable or incomplete for all or part of the estate, financial (billing) data may be used.

Calculation:

1. Meter readings (in m3 or ft3) are converted to kWh.

2. The kWh total for the year is converted to tCO2e using carbon factors from DEFRA (the kgCO2e factor for natural gas conversion from gross CV). The version of the DEFRA carbon factors to be used is the last version published before the start of the reporting year (July 2021).

Results in 2021/22:

1,347tCO2e, an increase from the baseline year (1,240tCO2e). Natural gas is the main heating fuel for the BU Estate. Factors that are external to the Energy Management System that increase or decrease natural gas usage include the size of the BU estate, the Covid-19 pandemic and the weather. Controllable factors affected by BU’s operational decisions include the amount of onsite renewable/ low carbon generation (GSHPs and the biomass boiler) and the operation and monitoring of the BMS and AMR systems as part of the ISO50001 Energy Management System. This reporting year, there was a higher need for heating and ventilation compared to the base year for Covid-19 safety.

LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas)

Data management:

The BU Sustainability Team (Energy Manager/ Sustainability and Energy Analyst) is responsible for recording the LPG data. This is recorded in the SystemsLink Energy Manager software as part of the ISO50001 certified Environment and Energy Management System (EEMS).

Data sources:

1. Preferred data source: direct manual reads of all billing level meters as recorded by the Chapel Gate Operations Manager and/ or the Sustainability team,

2. If the meter readings are unreliable or incomplete for all or part of the estate, financial (billing) data may be used.

Calculation:

1. Meter readings (in m3) or delivery amounts (in litres) are converted to kWh.

2. The kWh total for the year is converted to tCO2e using carbon factors from DEFRA (the kgCO2e factor for LPG conversion from gross CV). The version of the DEFRA carbon factors to be used is the last version published before the start of the reporting year (July 2021)

Results in 2021/21: 75.42tCO2e, an increase from the baseline year (68.62tCO2e)

LPG is the heating fuel for the Chapel Gate Sports ground because this is not connected to the natural gas network. Similar to natural gas, the weather and changes to operations due to Covid-19 have impacted the emissions amount.

Biomass (non-CO2 only)

Data management:

The BU Sustainability Team (Energy Manager/ Sustainability and Energy Analyst) is responsible for recording the biomass data. This is recorded in the SystemsLink Energy Manager software as part of the ISO50001 certified Environment and Energy Management System (EEMS).

Data sources:

1. Preferred data source: AMR from the primary heat meter (generation) of the biomass boiler.

2. If the AMR is incomplete or unreliable, a meter read (taken quarterly or annually) can be used.

Data sources:

1. The AMR records the usage in kWh.

2. The kWh total for the year is converted to tCO2e (non-CO2 only) using carbon factors from DEFRA (the kgCO2e factor for woodchip biomass). The version of the DEFRA carbon factors to be used is the last version published before the start of the reporting year (July 2021). The non-CO2 factor is used due to the lifecycle of the woodchip; during the life of the trees that the woodchip is derived from, as much CO2 is removed from the atmosphere as is added from its combustion.

Results in 2021/22: 6.17tCO2e, a decrease from the baseline year (7.95tCO2e).

The biomass boiler in Poole House is responsible for low carbon generation of heat; it is carbon dioxide neutral as growing the trees for the woodchip removes as much CO2 as is emitted into the atmosphere from its combustion. However, there are other GHG gases released into the atmosphere during combustion, so it is not carbon dioxide equivalent neutral. This reporting year, there was a similar but slightly decreased need for the biomass boiler compared to the base year and 2019/20, due to a reduction in the heating requirements in Poole House for the year, due to weather and heating controls.

Biomass (Non CO2) emissions (tCO2e) by year

Fleet Data management:

Vehicles directly owned by the university for transport

• Diesel, petrol and hybrid vehicles

a. The BU Sustainability Team (Travel and Transport Manager) are responsible for recording the mileage, fuel and cost data for the 4 diesel fleet vehicles and 1 petrol hybrid we have as reported by the users of the vehicles. This is recorded in an Excel worksheet and held in the university’s internal computer drives.

• Electric vehicles

a. The electricity used to charge the 8 fleet EVs are reported as part of the scope 2 grid electricity emissions (fleet vehicles are charged on site). There is a recommendation to separate this out in future reporting.

Grounds vehicles

The BU Sustainability Team fuel and cost data for the grounds vehicles as reported by the users of the vehicles. This is recorded in an Excel worksheet and held in the university’s internal computer drives.

Data sources:

Vehicles directly owned by the university for transport

• Diesel, petrol and hybrid vehicles

1. Preferred data source: litres of petrol or diesel purchased.

2. If the preferred data source is not available, mileage data per vehicle is recorded.

Grounds vehicles

1. Litres of fuel totalled for the year is converted to tCO2e using carbon factors from DEFRA (the kgCO2e factor for diesel or petrol fuel). The version of the DEFRA carbon factors to be used is the last version published before the start of the reporting year.

Results in 2021/22:

16.5 tCO2e, a decrease from the baseline year (19.5tCO2e). The amount of electric fleet vehicles has increased, and this has been reflected in the decrease in emissions. We now have 62% electric fleet vehicles. During the Covid-19 pandemic, there has also been a decrease in non-Estates fleet usage also.

F gas (Fugitive emissions)

Data management:

The contractor for refrigeration maintenance provides an annual report that includes the type of refrigerant and amounts lost to leaks.

Data sources:

Leaks from refrigeration in kg and type of refrigerant as recorded by contractor.

Global Warming Potential information for refrigerants (from DEFRA).

Calculation:

• Leaks: total refrigerant lost in in kg

• Leak tests: total refrigerant added minus total refrigerant removed in kg

• Kilograms of each leak or leak test totalled for the year is converted to tCO2e using GWP from DEFRA. The version of the DEFRA carbon factors to be used is the last version published before the start of the reporting year.

Results in 2021/22: 30tCO2e, a decrease from the baseline year (309tCO2e). The large base year amount was due to the result of three large leaks from air conditioning units occurring on Talbot Campus, which was an anomaly. Completeness of data has been improved this year, compared to the original CECAP report, which gave the original baseline amount of 135tCO2e. Data quality for this source can still be improved to align with the method in the UK government reporting guidelines.

Electricity

Data management:

The BU Sustainability Team (Energy Manager/ Sustainability and Energy Analyst) is responsible for recording the electricity data. This is recorded in the SystemsLink Energy Manager software as part of the ISO50001 certified Environment and Energy Management System (EEMS).

Data sources:

1. Preferred data source: direct manual reads of all billing level meters as recorded by the Facilities Team and/ or the Sustainability team,

2. If the meter readings are unreliable or incomplete for all or part of the estate, financial (billing) data may be used.

Calculation:

1. Meter readings are converted to kWh.

2. The kWh total for the year is converted to tCO2e using carbon factors from DEFRA (the kgCO2e conversion factor for electricity generation). The version of the DEFRA carbon factors to be used is the last version published before the start of the reporting year.

3. The DEFRA factor used will be for the consumption amount only; the Transport and Distribution amount will be recorded in Scope 3

4. BU purchases REGO certified green electricity from renewable sources, however the GHG reporting is from a location based (based on the grid emissions), not market based (based the electricity purchased). This may be reviewed if future electricity purchases are made as part of a Power Purchase Agreement.

Results in 2021/22:

1,980 tCO2e, a decrease from the baseline year (2,662 tCO2e)

There is a reduction in emissions from electricity from the base year, mostly due to reduction in DEFRA carbon factors, a reduction in activity on campus compared to before the Covid-19 pandemic and an increase in renewable generation on site from solar PVs. The increase in ventilation has impacted electricity less than natural gas, although there has been an increase in usage in areas that use electrical heating (e.g. EBC) or are mechanically ventilated or use GSHPs.

In 2021/22 we continued to purchase electricity through REGO backed green tariffs. This means that 100% of our electricity comes from renewable sources. However, we report our grid electricity emissions using the emission factors from the national grid (location based-reporting).

Energy summary

The estate was 97,160m2 by the end of the reporting year; this is 14% larger than 2005/6 and 5% larger than the CECAP baseline year of 18/19. However the estate is smaller than it was in the last reporting year; during 2021/22 the university exited both Melbury House and Royal London House, following relocation of staff and student spaces allowed by the construction of Bournemouth Gateway Building (see table below).

The energy consumption per square meter of GIA (gross internal area) in 2021/22 is 195kWh/m2, a reduction since 2005/06 (235kWh/m2) and an increase from the baseline

year (182.5kWh/m2). The increase is likely due to the changes to the HVAC settings during the pandemic and also due to the estate size changes throughout the year.

Scope 3

Electricity transmission and distribution

Data management:

The BU Sustainability Team (Energy Manager/ Sustainability and Energy Analyst) is responsible for recording the electricity data. This is recorded in the SystemsLink Energy Manager software as part of the ISO50001 certified Environment and Energy Management System (EEMS).

Data sources:

The kWh total will be recorded as per the purchased electricity in Scope 2.

Calculation:

The kWh total for the year is converted to tCO2e using carbon factors from DEFRA (the kgCO2e conversion factor for electricity transmission and distribution). The version of the DEFRA carbon factors to be used is the last version published before the start of the reporting year.

Results in 2021/22:

175 tCO2e, a decrease from the baseline year (227 tCO2e). Similar to the consumption emissions for electricity in Scope 2, the reduction in emissions from transport and distribution are due to lower DEFRA carbon factors, increased on-site renewable generation and slightly lower activity on campus following the pandemic.

UNIBUS travel

Data sources:

1. Provided by UNIBUS (litres of fuel)

2. DEFRA carbon factors, published July 2021.

Results in 2021/22:

129tCO2e, a decrease from the baseline year (391tCO2e).

Passenger numbers are still slightly down when compared to pre-pandemic operations. When full commuting data is included in scope 3, a more accurate and holistic accounting of staff and student commuting will be reported on.

Flights business travel

Data sources:

1. Provided by Select Travel (miles)

2. DEFRA carbon factors, published July 2021.

Results in 2021/21: 308 tCO2e, a decrease from the baseline year (1,426tCO2e). The number of flights taken for business travel are still below the base year amounts but have increased postpandemic again. This highlights the need to continue using online meetings and conferencing where possible.

Rail business travel

Data sources:

1. Provided by Select Travel (miles)

2. DEFRA carbon factors, published July 2021

Results in 2021/21: 6tCO2e, a decrease from the baseline year (31.8tCO2e). Rail travel has also increased compared to last year, but the number of journeys are still lower than before the pandemic.

Water and wastewater

Data sources:

1. Manual meter reads (m3), where manual reads are unavailable, financial data is used.

2. DEFRA carbon factors, published July 2021.

Results in 2021/22:

13.44 tCO2e, a decrease from the baseline year (49.35 tCO2e).

Water and wastewater emissions have decreased compared to the baseline amounts due to a reduction in DEFRA carbon factors (down around 60% since the base year) and also to the slightly lower activity on campus after to the pandemic.

Operational waste

Data sources:

1. Provided by waste contractor

2. DEFRA carbon factors, published July 2021.

Results in 2021/22: 4.32 tCO2e, a decrease from the baseline year (8.9 tCO2e). Lower activity on campus due to the pandemic has decreased the operational waste emissions.

Construction waste

Data sources:

1. Provided by construction contractor

2. DEFRA carbon factors, published July 2021.

Results in 2021/22: 0.9tCO2e, a decrease from the baseline year (3.3tCO2e).

Construction waste, including that of BGB has increased compared to the baseline year and is likely to reduce again in the new reporting year due to less capital development activity.

Open Day travel

Data management:

The BU Sustainability Team (Sustainability Support Officer/ Travel & Transport Manager) is responsible for recording the commuting data for Open Days. This is recorded in an internal I-drive folder.

Data sources:

The data is collated by the UK Recruitment and Outreach team using information voluntarily provided by attendees for this purpose.

Calculation:

1. An algorithm is used to convert postcode data into distance travelled (km) using a linear estimate. The mode of transport (e.g. car, public transport) is then converted

to tCO2e using carbon factors from DEFRA (the kgCO2e conversion factor for Passenger Vehicles) using their average type figures. The version of the DEFRA carbon factors to be used is the last version published before the start of the reporting year.

2. Where mode of transport is not included, it is assumed the attendee travelled by car. Where the postcode is not included, an average emissions figure is assumed.

Results in 2021/22: 0.9tCO2e, a decrease from the baseline year (3.3tCO2e). The increase compared to the base year is small and indicates that open day attendance is at similar levels to the year before the pandemic.

Appendix 2: CECAP actions progress report

The CECAP maps out our route to cutting our emissions by half and aligning with the BU2025 plan which puts sustainability at the heart of the university’s strategic aims: it commits us to taking a leading position on our environmental impact and to support our students and staff to take a responsible approach to sustainable development.

In order to implement the CECAP, 94 actions have been identified across 15 themes. All actions have been assigned a facilitator and a person or team responsible, as well as a timeline: if the start date is yet to be reached, an action may be noted as ‘not started’. A dashboard and actions summary allows us to report progress, including to the CECAP Group and Sustainability Committee.

Governance

This theme recognises that to meaningfully and robustly embed our response to the climate and ecological crisis, our governance structures must support the response across all aspects of BU life.

GO1.1 Climate focus for BU2025 refresh

GO1.2 Review policy framework to ensure all policies respond to the crisis

GO1.3 Reappraise Departmental KPIs

GO1.4 Review, and amend as appropriate, the Academic Career Framework

GO1.5 Make individuals explicitly responsible - adopt goal alignment

GO1.6 Review existing controls on development and research funds

GO1.7 Create a body to oversee the purchase of carbon offsets

GO1.8 Agree effective carbon price to inform offsetting strategy and project viability

GO1.9 Adopt polluter pays principles for certain activities

GO1.10 Rename and extend the remit of the CMP Group and Sustainability Team to cover all emissions sources

GO1.11 Include relevant areas of the response in the TORs of all committees

GO1.12 Implement a staff and student assembly

GO1.13 Revise governance to support a reduction in the environmental impact of research

GO1.14 Ensure the climate and ecological crisis is included on BU risk register

Behaviour change

This theme is focused on mobilising the entire BU community to support our response to the crisis.

BH1.1 Create a CECAP charter that all staff must sign up to

BH1.2 Develop and implement crisis literacy training

BH1.3 Continue and develop staff focused behaviour change initiatives

BH1.4 Continue and develop student focused behaviour change programmes, including collaborations with other departments

BH1.5 Enhance and promote existing mechanisms to reward pro-environmental behaviour

BH2.2 Ongoing annual communication and engagement plan

BH2.3 Sustainability team to work with other departments and teams to engage students in the crisis response

Education for sustainable development and research

This theme is focused on embedding the climate and ecological crisis and broader sustainability into our curricula and research.

ES1.1 Continue to align programmes with the SDGs and include the climate and ecological crisis in all levels of programmes in the indicative content of at least one unit per level by 2022/23

ES1.2 Continue to align research with SDGs and investigate reporting of research aligned to CEC

ES1.3 Continue and develop staff focused behaviour change initiatives

ES1.4 Develop a Living Labs programme to support the CECAP

Adaptation and resilience

Many of the recommendations which might have been included here have been embedded in other areas, although the issue of staff understanding the need to have their own response to climate and ecological challenges is highlighted by this theme.

Capital projects

This theme focuses on the impact of major building projects but also considers how other large capital investments can support the climate and ecological crisis response.

Ref

NB1.1 New builds that respond to the climate and ecological crisis

NB1.2 Ensure budget setting reflects required project outcomes.

NB1.3 Enhance effectiveness of minor works programme to address the climate & ecological crisis

NB1.4 Maximise the carbon benefit of large scale refurbishments

NB1.5 Prioritise nature-based solutions

Existing buildings

This theme focuses on reducing the amount of energy it takes to run our buildings by improving the efficiency of their systems and making sure we use the buildings as efficiently as possible.

Ref Title

EB1.1 Roll-out LED lighting to all BU buildings

EB1.2 Continue with RGF projects as they are identified

EB1.3 Carry out estate-wide energy focused BMS audit

EB1.4 Optimisation of new gateway buildings

EB1.5 Poole House smoke vent compressor

EB1.6 Fan and pump replacements, and control enhancements

EB1.7 Consider options to enhance PPM and reactive maintenance impact

EB1.8 Upgrade Talbot Campus transformers

EB2.1 Identify buildings to trial replacement of gas boilers with heat pumps

EB2.2 Identify opportunities to reduce space heating system temperatures in existing buildings

EB2.3 Monitor new technologies and seek opportunities to trial

EB2.4 Replace dependence on LPG at Chapel Gate

EB3.1 Centralised cooling provision at Talbot Campus

EB3.2 IT cooling

EB4.1 Better monitoring of building utilisation

EB5.1 Adopt active energy management principles.

EB6.1 Rainwater harvesting

EB6.2 Greywater recycling

EB6.3 Purified water systems

EB6.4 TC borehole feasibility study

EB7.1 Replacement of all refrigerants with low / zero GWP alternatives

Nature

This theme focuses on the development of nature-based solutions to the ecological crisis

Update relevant policies to include nature-based solutions

Consider co-benefits of approach to offsetting

Identify opportunities to support nature

Encourage staff and students to connect with nature

nature into education and research

Renewables

This theme looks at how we can maximise our generation of renewable energy on-site (especially through the use of photovoltaics) to decarbonise the energy we use and provide resilience in our energy system.

Examine the potential for battery storage technology associated with PV arrays

This theme considers a range of ways to reduce the amount of business and commuting travel we do and to reduce the impact of essential travel using lower carbon transport modes and vehicles.

Reduce the impact of the BU bus fleet

Move to all electric vehicle fleet by 2030

Implement staff salary sacrifice scheme for EVs

Introduce stop-start technology on new buses from 2021/22

Refresh the BU bike share scheme

Work with suppliers to only provide lower impact commercial hire vehicles

Provision of pool cars

Encourage remote working

Promote active travel

Waste Completed On track Off track At risk Not started 0 1 0 0 0

IT

Reduce total non C&D/residential waste produced to 20kg/FTE

Ref Title RAG status

Completed IT1.2

Support enhancements to remote working

Low energy IT and energy focused IT controls

Review UPS provision and replace significantly under-utilised units

This theme looks at how we can maximise our generation of renewable energy on-site (especially through the use of photovoltaics) to decarbonise the energy we use and provide resilience in our energy system.

Title RAG status PC1.1

Completed PC1.2

On track Completed On track Off track At risk Not started 1 1 0 0 0

This theme focuses on improving our ability to act effectively through better data, target setting, and taking steps to align our reporting with best practice over time.

BH2.1 Developing a baseline of scope 3 carbon emissions and setting a target for carbon reduction.

reporting with best practice

Diversity and inclusion

This theme focuses on the need to include people from all backgrounds in the response to the climate and ecological crisis.

1.1 People from all backgrounds are fully included in the CECAP

Develop initiatives that actively diversify the environmental sector