As part of our strategy to cut carbon emissions and be Net Zero by 2030, the University has carried out work this year at FCH and Oxstalls to slash the amount of carbon associated with heating our campuses.
Having secured a £1.2 million grant from the Salix Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS2) we embarked on this project to replace gas boilers with air source heat pumps at Oxstalls Halls of Residence (blocks B to F), FCH Principal’s House and the Chapel at FCH.
The new heaters will save around 578,000 kW/h of gas every year, the equivalent of about 117 tonnes of CO2. In addition to these important savings, the project has enabled better control of our plant and equipment, reducing our energy consumption further still, equivalent to saving around 143 tonnes of CO2 annually.
On the University’s roadmap to being Net Zero by 2030, these heating upgrades represent a fantastic 19% reduction in our Scope 1 emissions.
Project team with Dr Jon Furley (UOG), Graham Greedy and Nick Andrews from Frankland (UK), and James Waites from Arup
New system ready to install
Outside Principal’s House, FCH, with Dr Jon Furley (UOG), Ollie Theobald from Arup, and Anna Kuratnikova, Elise Sharpe and Chiara Lorenzetti from Salix
Underneath FCH chapel
Underneath FCH chapel
I’m really excited about this project and that this funding has allowed us to make a great start on our Net Zero journey. We have been able to replace some old boilers with efficient, modern, zero carbon heat pumps whilst also optimising settings across the FCH and Oxstalls campuses to help reduce future consumption.
We have learnt a lot from this work and this will support future action. It’s the first step on our journey, but 2030 isn’t far away and we need to act now to protect our future!