News archive

New energy manager

Published 23 February 2010

The university has appointed a new energy manager to cut carbon emissions in all of its campuses in Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings.

Abigail Dombey is out to drastically reduce the university’s £2.4 million annual energy bill and the 11,000 tons of carbon it emits into the atmosphere every year.

She is looking for practical ways of economising. She said: “The university has already made real progress in reducing carbon emissions and saving energy but we need to work to further reduce our emissions and we can save huge amounts of money at the same time. Those are my priorities.”

Abigail said she’s looking to all 22,000 students and 2,400 members of staff to help by switching off lights, computers, monitors and printers and avoiding using portable electric heaters.

That means, she said, work colleagues Mr Hot and Ms Cold helping themselves and avoiding thermostat wars: “Perhaps Mr Hot could take off his jacket and tie if he’s too hot and Mrs Cold could put on something warm like a jumper.

“We want all of our buildings to be comfortable and for people to feel comfortable in them but we must look to ourselves to help resolve some issues, especially when it is down to individual preferences.”

The university has joined authorities including Brighton and Hove City Council in signing up to the 10:10 project which aims to achieve a ten per cent cut in emissions this year.

The 10:10 Campaign celebrates any reductions over three per cent. Abigail said: “I’m confident the university will easily exceed this, and I am hopeful that we will reach ten per cent by the end of the year.”

Abigail is asking for energy saving ideas and wants people to contact her. And she is planning to offer prizes for those coming up with good suggestions to save energy and carbon. Since her appointment, the university has been accepted into the Carbon Trust Higher Education Carbon Management Programme which helps universities with carbon reduction strategies. The university is also participating in a loan scheme from the trust to fund energy-saving measures including improving cavity wall and loft insulation for university buildings.

Abigail said: “We don’t have a choice about carrying out energy efficiency initiatives. The Higher Education Funding Council for England is starting to link capital funding with carbon reduction and those organisations failing to meet carbon reduction criteria could face 40 per cent cuts in capital funding. HEFCE has also set a target of reducing emissions by 20 per cent by 2012.”

The Government, she said, is also demanding payments for each ton of carbon emitted: “It will repay the money with percentage rewards or penalties, depending how well you do.”

Abigail currently is working on a plan to install automatic monitoring meters in all buildings so, at the touch of a button, she will see where energy is being used and when. She wants improved lighting controls with movement and daylight sensors to cut out waste. However, staff and students need to play a part too: “People should turn off lights when they are not needed and switch off computer monitors if they are going to lunch or popping out of the office.” Abigail added: “I passionately believe we need to do everything we can to reduce carbon emissions and if there are sceptics out there I’d still ask them to help because everything we do, even the small things, will still save the university money.”