The Consultus International Group have been supporting a leading university, in the East Midlands, to make their Net Zero aspirations achievable.
Background
The UK government’s commitment to reaching Net Zero presents a sustainability commitment for all organisations, including universities.
To achieve these targets, the need for a clear strategy and roadmap, devised in conjunction with a leading Net Zero delivery partner, is evident.
This client owns over 60 properties, which are a wide and varied mixture of educational and residential buildings, and wanted to make a positive impact on their carbon footprint.
The Consultus International Group has worked with them since 2018, at first solely to deliver energy procurement that is 100 per cent renewable, along with bill validation services.
Further expertise led to Consultus being invited to submit a proposal for their Net Zero offering, as part of a tender process, which proved successful.
Solutions
Consultus were, ultimately, selected after identifying pressing Net Zero challenges and how they could best meet the client’s specific needs.
The university’s leadership team are determined yet realistic, so an action plan was established that was technically and commercially viable.
Through the input of Consultus’ Net Zero experts, priority areas and potential projects were outlined, along with what operational changes would be necessary to meet these objectives.
An initial focus went to the primary sources of energy demand and how they drive CO2 emissions, so the decision was subsequently made to focus on renewables.
As a result, Consultus could match the university to its award-winning Net Zero Pathway, which was tailored for a client who required long-term vision.
Outcomes
With the university being a large establishment that is looking to accelerate its Net Zero journey, their supply chain must follow suit, with a blueprint now in place.
After a research and evaluation process, which included several site audits, Consultus produced an in-depth Sustainability Strategy Report, which the university has incorporated.
The prospect of self-generation assets, such as solar panels, have been explored and evaluated, through a feasibility study, which can be deployed from these findings.
Further considerations included constraints such as physical space, site construction and minimising disruption, to the university and its neighbours.
Consultus were able to recommend high-level potential investment options that can ensure cost certainty for power, along with improving energy security and resilience.
Carbon reduction calculations, should they be implemented, are backing up all of these options, along with a high-level summary of emerging technology.
David Peake, Chief Strategy Officer (Net Zero and Sustainability) for Consultus, said: “It’s been pleasing to see that we have added value to our client, as a Net Zero consultant. We collaborated and communicated with them, throughout the process.”
“By listening to their observations, we understood what the challenges were and tailored our service, to exactly what was required.”