Further and higher education - Training colleges and universities to be energy efficient

Annual energy costs for the Further and higher education (FHE) sector are around £400 million, resulting in CO2 emissions of around 3 million tonnes per year. It is, however, possible to reduce these emissions by around 25%.

Further and higher education (FHE) is a growing sector, with student numbers increasing by a factor of five over the past thirty years. This means that the energy consumption of colleges and universities is also growing. Establishments are under constant pressure to provide optimum learning facilities on a limited budget so it makes sense to look at the way energy is used in order to release much needed additional funds for curricular resources.

Implementing a few simple techniques can reduce energy consumption. It will also boost the environmental credentials of a college or university.