The case for climate action in our higher education institutions

Almost all UK universities have ambitious climate action plans with the objective of decarbonising their existing campuses and ensuring any new buildings meet strict energy and environmental targets.

Yet the jump between strategy development and solution delivery is large and challenging, especially when managing a complex estate with a multitude of other pressures.

From increasing running costs, outdated infrastructure, stretched resources and a lack of clear guidance and targets from the wider sector, the prospect of developing a business case for decarbonisation, whilst managing these competing priorities, can be overwhelming. Couple this with a more aware, informed and concerned generation of students, universities have, for some time, had to decide whether to be pioneers or risk being left behind.

For almost 80 years, Purcell has advocated for the protection of what we have by intertwining heritage conservation with sustainable posterity.

A carbon reduction and climate resilience routemap should consequently be at the centre of any long-term campus or estate management strategy. As a minimum, the aims of this should focus on:

• Eliminating Scope 1 emissions (greenhouse gases emitted from the site itself, usually through heating systems like gas boilers);
• Reducing resource consumption and waste (including energy, water and materials); and
• Preparing for a changing climate, mitigating the adverse effects of increased severe weather events and disruptions to global supply chains.

The route to achieving these aims will vary with each university. The age, size, function, use and occupancy of buildings varies enormously, as do the budgets available for building upgrades and improvements. Nevertheless, the one thing all institutions have in common is that they are in the business of securing a better future for younger generations. When viewed through this lens, climate action can be seen as a once-in-a-generation opportunity; one that arms students, staff and faculties alike with the knowledge and motivation to act themselves, engaging with those whose future is at stake.

Being able to show students their institutions are listening to concerns, taking action, and leading the way is the crux of the initial battle. Any university able to show they are ahead of the curve and equating the progressive ideas being taught in lecture theatres into tangible actions will give the greatest assurances that tuition fees are being well spent.

If considered holistically, and across the continuing lifespan of a university, there is a strong business case for taking climate action, with opportunities to capture benefits that go beyond reducing greenhouse gas emissions and delivering on a university’s green commitments. Some wider benefits include:

• Energy security with potentially lower bills if buildings are substantially more energy efficient.
• Reduced maintenance costs, particularly where old systems can be upgraded.
• Reduce carbon offset/removal costs for the long-term.
• Greater resilience against the impact of changing climatic conditions.
• Attracting climate conscious students/families through delivery of green commitments.
• Healthier and more comfortable buildings, improving productivity and wellbeing.

Developing a strong business case that communicates these benefits formally will help bring others along on the journey. Engaging the right team to help the estate’s team develop this process and assist with the balancing of competing demands is a good first step in setting up the financial frameworks to ensure investments have the maximum impact.

The first step is understanding what work needs to be done.

As a heritage specialist, Purcell has developed a hierarchy to act as a planning tool in the early stages of a project.

It is founded on the principle that the greenest (and cheapest) energy, is the energy you don’t use and can be a useful guide to how to priorities measures based on a ‘whole building approach’, one which considers the interrelating factors of occupants, fabric and services.

Universities should consider obtaining expert advice at an early stage to help develop a masterplan that can align all these competing needs, establish the baseline performance of their estate, and imaginatively optimise the assets they already have. A masterplan that combines the projected business demands with a considered and strategic approach to decarbonisation has the benefits of being able to map works over a longer period.

Purcell recently used optioneering at New College, Oxford, to gain a quick understanding of the potential for energy efficiency changes in a college estate context​. We helped them devise the New College Environmental Strategy, with the aim of working towards net zero carbon, and applied it to our work on their 20^th Century Sacher Building. Three suites of options were considered, enabling clear comparisons to assist the college with prioritising their requirements.

Often seen as prohibitive, listed status brings with it a greater level of consultation (with local authority conservation offices, and often Historic England), as well as greater constraints on how the buildings can be adapted and changed.

Purcell has been expertly navigating this framework in the context of higher education for decades, notably at St John’s College, Cambridge through pioneering sustainability-led fabric upgrades to the original 16th century college building. Our team undertook careful analysis of the existing structure following thorough investigations into building condition and heritage significance. The resultant energy efficiency measures included thermally enhanced glazing and the introduction of breathable woodfibre insulation to the masonry walls. These interventions have since achieved a 39% reduction in peak heating demand.

If done thoughtfully and sensitively, changes to historic buildings can achieve the complementary goals of adapting to climate change whilst safeguarding our heritage. In response to this, Purcell has created the Heritage Building Retrofit Toolkit, an open-access document aimed at empowering building owners to initiate the adaptations necessary to reduce carbon emissions and build climate resilience in their heritage buildings. The approach the toolkit advocates is based on best practice guidance and, if followed, should facilitate a smoother approvals process.

Most of our existing older buildings – and the decisions we have made about their use, upkeep and longevity – have been predicated on environments that no longer exist.

Any plan that looks to futureproof our existing buildings, must therefore consider the environmental conditions, resources and occupant needs that will be dominant in the near future, to avoid abortive work and wasted resources. The opportunities can be far reaching, such as introducing new biodiverse resilient landscapes to reduce hard landscaping and help with storm water management and soil health; rainwater harvesting to be used as irrigation of landscapes in the summer months; roof upgrades used as an opportunity to increase capacity of rainwater goods; external shading and ventilation to reduce overheating. All could be developed as part of a holistic masterplan approach.

Climate action is a Sisyphean – but necessary – journey and the decarbonisation of our heritage is vital if we want to keep it as a marker of our national identity.

Of course, the challenge extends far beyond our academic campuses and for many universities the timing of this call to action could not be worse. But to increase understanding across faculties and estate management teams, and to think about the inevitable action needed over the next decade, may shift mindsets from focusing on the pain to focusing on the progression – and for this, future generations of students will be enduringly grateful.