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The University of Sunderland has a long-standing commitment to sustainability, and carbon reduction is firmly embedded into University of Sunderland plans, strategies, policies and governance structure.
As part of our Environmental Sustainability Plan, we are committed to achieving Net Zero Carbon of Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2040, and Scope 3 emissions by 2050.
Between 2022-23, we were able to ensure:
Despite continuing to invest in carbon reduction projects, there was a small increase in Scope 1 and 2 emissions compared to 2021/22. This was partly due to the increase in the carbon intensity of grid electricity for 2022/23, as well as a continued increase in activity and return to normality on Campus following COVID restrictions of previous years and an increase in students in our accommodation.
During 2022-23 the University installed 435 kWp of solar PV across the Campus. This will generate over 380,000 kWh of electricity each year, equivalent to the annual electricity use of 130 UK homes, saving around 77 tonnes of CO2 each year.
Work has also continued to improve the energy efficiency of our buildings, including LED lighting upgrades and improvements to the Building Management Systems. We have also rolled out water metering and targeting meters, to help to reduce water consumption.
We report annually on Scope 1, Scope 2 and a selection of Scope 3 emissions for which we have reliable data. These include those from: gas, electricity, petrol, diesel, refrigerant gases, business travel, waste, water and electricity transmission losses.
All of our electricity is purchased through “Green” energy tariffs, but we report emissions as grid average.
|
|
|
2018/19 |
2019/20 |
2020/21 |
2021/22 |
2022/23 |
Units |
|
Scope 1 |
Gaseous fuels |
2,012 |
1,813 |
2,046 |
1,961 |
1,992 |
tCO2e |
|
Vehicle fleet |
15 |
|
21 |
24 |
16 |
tCO2e |
|
|
Refrigerant Gases |
|
|
|
|
|
tCO2e |
|
|
Total |
2,027 |
1,813 |
2,068 |
1,985 |
2,007 |
tCO2e |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Scope 2 |
Purchased electricity (Grid) |
3,036 |
2,529 |
2,016 |
2,134 |
2,437 |
tCO2e |
|
Total |
3,036 |
2,529 |
2,016 |
2,134 |
2,437 |
tCO2e |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Scope 3
|
Business Travel |
1,034 |
493 |
26 |
689 |
718 |
tCO2e |
|
Water |
77 |
71 |
26 |
30 |
35 |
tCO2e |
|
|
Waste |
12 |
10 |
9 |
10 |
9 |
tCO2e |
|
|
Transmission & Distribution (Electricity) |
259 |
218 |
178 |
195 |
211 |
tCO2e |
|
|
Total |
1,382 |
792 |
239 |
924 |
973 |
tCO2e |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
Total emissions |
6,445 |
5,134 |
4,323 |
5,043 |
5,417 |
tCO2e |
|
|
Emissions per Student |
0.382 |
0.287 |
0.208 |
0.216 |
0.204 |
tCO2e |
|
The table above shows our reported carbon emissions for the last five years. 2019/20 to 2021/22 are artificially low due to the impacts of COVID, hence why there is an increase in emissions for 2022/23 compared to these years. The increase in Scope 2 emissions is also caused by an increase in the carbon factor of grid electricity.
Over this period the University has seen a 57% increase in student numbers, and carbon emissions per student has decreased by 47%.
The graph below shows a breakdown of our annually reported emissions for 2022/23. Emissions from buildings make up the majority of these emissions, with St. Peter’s Campus being the largest single source.
Business travel emissions are mainly from air travel (around 95%), with over 3 million kms travelled by air, which is the equivalent distance to flying to the moon and back four times.
A pie chart showing where our emissions came from 2022/23. Operational Buildings City Campus comprised 26%. Student Accommodation comprised 20%. Operational Buildings St Peters Campus comprised 29%. Operational Buildings Other comprised 7%. Fleet comprised 0%. Business Travel comprised 13%. Refrigerant gas comprised 0%. Waste comprised 0%. Water comprised 1%. Other comprised 4%.
A bar graph showing Annual Scope 1 and 2 Carbon Emissions. The vertical axis displays Emissions (measured in tCO2e) from 0 to 14,000, and the horizontal axis displays the year from 2005-06 to 2022-23. 2005-06 had carbon emissions of 13,000. 2006-07 had carbon emissions of between 10,000 and 11,000. 2007-08 had carbon emissions of between 10,000 and 11,000. 2008-09 had carbon emissions between 10,000 and 11,000. 2009-10 had carbon emissions of between 10,000 and 11,000. 2010-11 had carbon emissions of just under 10,000. 2011-12 had carbon emissions of just under 10,000. 2012-13 had carbon emissions of 10,000. 2013-14 had carbon emissions of just over 10,000. 2014-15 had carbon emissions of between 8000 and 10,000. 2015-16 had carbon emissions of between 8000 and 9000. 2016-17 had carbon emissions just under 7000. 2017-18 had carbon emissions of just under 6000. 2018-19 had carbon emissions of just over 7000. 2019-20 had carbon emissions of just under 5000. 2020-21 had carbon emissions of just over 4000. 2021-22 had carbon emissions of just over 4000. 2022-23 had carbon emissions of just over 4000.
The University’s target for Scope 1 and 2 emissions is to be Net Zero by 2040. As described above, there has been an increase in emissions for 2022/23 compared to previous years. However, there is a reduction of 600 tonnes compared to pre-covid levels of 2018/19, and a reduction of 66% compared to the 2005/6.
In addition to reporting annually on the emissions above, the University is also committed to collating data on other significant sources of emissions, including staff and student commuting and emissions from its supply chain. However, this data is not as reliable as that we report on annually which is why it is not included in the figures above.
Staff and student commuting data is extrapolated from surveys conducted every few years, with the last survey in 2021. The survey is voluntary, so responses vary and are only a small percentage of the overall staff and student numbers.
|
MODE |
Student CO2e – Tonnes |
Staff CO2e – Tonnes |
|
Car Alone |
4,007 |
1,870 |
|
Car Share |
228 |
16 |
|
Bus |
811 |
56 |
|
Bus and train |
113 |
5 |
|
Train |
405 |
20 |
|
Metro |
238 |
36 |
|
Motorbike |
- |
1 |
|
Taxi |
35.55 |
1 |
|
Total |
5,838 |
2,006 |
As can be seen from the table above, emissions from commuting are estimated to be around 50% higher than those Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions reported on annually. Single occupant car journeys are the largest source of emissions, accounting for almost 70% of staff and 27% of student journeys.
The University is developing a new Travel Plan Strategy which will be published in early 2023/24 to start to tackle these emissions.
Emissions arising from our procurement activity through our supply chain are calculated by the HESCET tool, based on spending against different spending codes. Although this gives us an estimated carbon emissions figure, it is very inaccurate as it only looks at amount spent and does not take into account differences in emissions between individual suppliers or products.
The available data we have gives a total emissions figure of 19,325 tonnes CO2e for 2021/22, with construction, Information and Communication Technologies and Business services being the three largest sources.
A pie chart showing Supply Chain Emissions 2021/22. Construction comprised 29%. Business Services comprised 27%. ICT comprised 26%. Medical and precision instruments comprised 7%. Other procurement comprised 5%. Other manufactured products comprised 2%. Paper products comprised 2%. Unclassified compromised 1%. Food and catering compromised 1%. Manufactured fuels, chemicals, and gases comprised 0%.
We are currently working with other public sector organisations in the north east and with other universities to develop a strategy for more accurate reporting of supply chain emissions and actions to work with suppliers to reduce emissions.
Work will continue to improve the energy efficiency of our buildings, with the following projects planned:
In addition, to the actions above, we recognise that the move to Low Carbon Heating remains the biggest challenge to achieving our Net Zero targets. We will commence work on heat decarbonisation plans, starting with St Peter’s Campus and Panns Bank student accommodation, to help inform the journey towards being fossil fuel free and achieving Net Zero Carbon for these emissions by 2040.
The University will be publishing a new Travel Plan Strategy early in 2023/24. This will aim to reduce emissions from staff and student commuting. We will also aim to identify our procurement contracts with the highest carbon impacts, so we can develop actions to work with suppliers to reduce emissions.
To see our current Carbon Management Plan, or to pass on ideas on how to reduce our carbon footprint contact:
sustainability@sunderland.ac.uk