Student Initiatives for Sustainability in Residences

1
Student Initiatives for Sustainability in
Residences

• Peter Hopkinson, Co-Director
• Higher Education Environmental Performance
  Improvement ( HEEPI)
• www.heepi.org.uk

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AGENDA

• The role of students in the design, operation and
  management of residences to improve
  sustainability performance and promote greener
  lifestyles ?

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Sustainability performance criteria ?

• Environmental- energy and water consumption-
  waste and recycling- transport- construction
  and demolition
• Health and safety- ventilation, indoor air
  quality
• Social- community impacts, noise- well being
  and happiness
• Flexibility

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ENERGY PERFORMANCE04-05 RESIDENCE BENCHMARKS

• 13 Universities - 133 residences
• Final data set 83 Fossil Fuel 25 Electrically
  heated

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RESIDENCE PERFORMANCE- Fossil fuel heated
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RESIDENCE PERFORMANCE- Electrically heated
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BEST FOSSIL FUEL- ASHBURNE, MANCHESTER
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ASHBURNE HALL (SHEAVYN)

• Total Energy PI 72 kWh/m2
• 1994 extension to traditional redbrick building
• Floor area 14,572 m2 238 students
• Self catered with en-suite
• Temperature 21 deg C
• Well managed - BMS system (TAC Satchwell) on
  temperature-compensated circuit (ie able to
  compensate according to outside and inside
  temperature)
• Boilers 4-5 years old, non-condensing

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BEST ELECTRIC- KINGS COLLEGE DOVER ST
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KEY ENERGY ISSUES FROM WORKSHOPS AND DATA

• General conclusion
• Wide range in performance not age related
• Electrically heated better than gas
• Residences lagging behind other HE estate in
  energy attention/actions
• Key issue is responsibility and management
• Achieving better energy performance has 2 main
  elements
• Design and Control
• Operation

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Design and Control some key issues

• Individual control is highly valued
• Fine tuned, modularised central heating systems
• New build- separate metering of heat, light and
  small power- information for Estates control and
  awareness building

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CONTROLS AND SUB-METERING

• Enable display of energy and water consumption in
  public areas
• Consider individual metering
• Detailed analysis of consumption
• Provision of facilities

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Operations- the role of the end-user (student)

• US HE experience
• Student green dorms and green living programmes
• Behavioural focus to energy management 2
  opportunities
• Influencing consumption directly- billing,
  competition
• Raising awareness- campaigns, competition
• Students as managers

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DURHAM UNIVERSITYSustainable Living Action Group

• Harvard Green Living programme
• Peer to peer education programme
• - 10 more recycling- 5 reduction in energy
  consumption- 20 less waste on move-out
• Antje Danielson Harvard now Durham- setting up
  college based programmes

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LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITYEnergy League Table

• Joint scheme of Estates and Union
• Monthly and termly performance posted on Union
  web site
• Energy reps in each hall raise awareness
• Rewards for best performing hall
• 3 reduction in energy 2005-6
• 5.4 reduction predicted for 2006-7
• Savings of 13,500 pa

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SHEFFIELD HALLAM UNIVERSITYIndividual Metering

• Individual metering- latest built residences
  each flat metered separately, with display of
  consumption- advice to students on conserving
  energy- rebates for those not consuming above
  certain target
• Private landlord education- courses on
  community, environmental issues etc

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Bradford Ecoversity
500 bed space sustainable student village (SSV)
International design competition Ove Arup
Design Brief, Design and Build. Student
community input to building design new
technology selection Pilot new technologies -
environmental impact and user acceptability Trial
new monitoring and feedback systems (e.g.
visible meters) Trial behavioural change
programmes
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Student perception of existing HoR what they like

• Proximity to campus
• Privacy
• Social space
• Mixture of students
• Large kitchens

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What they dont like

• Noise after 11.30
• Excessive security
• Cramped kitchens
• Fixed furniture
• Lack of social space
• Poor management
• Drab, run down

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What students want

• More and closer facilities
• Student run and led-services
• Light, well ventilated social areas
• Soundproofing
• Trees and greenery
• Better external lighting
• More storage
• 6-10 students per unit
• 55-65 week rent, flexible options

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Sustainability features

• Better heating controls
• Recycling facilities
• Financial incentives for positive environmental
  behaviour
• Lighting controls
• Water saving controls
• Information and feedback

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Ecoversity and student green living

• Use best practice in student initiatives to
  influences sustainability performance across all
  accommodation
• Includes SSV, existing other Halls, private
  accommodation and students at home
• Pilot student ambassador and green living
  programmes

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Conclusions

• Wide range of energy and sustainability
  performance in HoR
• Student interest and demand (?) for greener
  residences is growing
• Greener residences makes business sense
• Design stage offers cope to design in better
  control and metering
• Student initiatives can improve sustainability
  performance and add to control and metering
  systems
• Students can make sustainability fun and add new
  angles