Christmas heating plan to save £75k

Heating hours are being further optimised ahead of the Christmas closure period to reflect lower footfall on campus and save tens of thousands of pounds in energy costs.

The heating in buildings on all three UK campuses will be turned off from 13:00 on Thursday 21 December, as colleagues prepare to start their Christmas breaks. This action alone will save us £15,000.

It will take a few hours for temperatures to drop, but colleagues are encouraged to consider working from home on the afternoon of 21 December, with agreement from their line managers, if they can.

In addition, as activity winds down following the end of term, the heating hours in buildings will also be slightly trimmed, by up to an hour at the start and end of each day, until the closure period. This will save an additional £25,000.

The Sustainability team is also in dialogue with a number of Schools and Functions to further optimise heating according to their individual needs and building use during this quieter period, with a further £35,000 savings already earmarked and further conversations welcome.

The latest heating optimisation plans are part of the ongoing Energy Savings Programme led by the Estates Sustainability team. This is aiming to save a million pounds this academic year, with more than £600,000 already being delivered thanks to action taken so far.

‘Grateful for colleagues’ actions’

These plans are motivated by our environmental sustainability ambitions as well as a need to make savings in the face of soaring energy prices – with our annual bill having more than trebled to £17m in the last two years.

Everyone is also encouraged to switch off any non-essential electrical equipment before the closure period to contribute to these important savings.

Dan Fernbank, Energy and Sustainability Director, said: “We are so very grateful to all colleagues doing their bit to save energy on campus. Whether big or small, these actions add up to a big positive impact that is crucial to our environmental and financial sustainability.”

Findings from our Christmas energy saving measures will be applied to the Easter 2024 closure period.

Despite the pressing need for savings, colleague comfort remains a priority. If you have a concern about these heating plans, please contact the Estates Helpdesk to discuss with a member of the team.

Look out for examples of other energy-saving actions colleagues have been taking as part of our Our Future First content next week.