Reducing Kirklees College’s Energy Usage

Philip Sugden, Director of Estates and Facilities at Kirklees College

Climate change is one of the most spoken-about issues across the world right now, and that is no different at Kirklees College.

Over the past year, the Estates and Facilities team has been working tirelessly to try and drastically reduce our energy consumption. They are monitoring the utility consumption through a management software system that measures our utility consumption on a half-hour basis. The system runs on a ‘Red, Amber, Green’ light system, Red being the most expensive period and Green being the cheapest. By managing this we can run the buildings more efficiently, reducing our energy consumption which helps us on our way to becoming a more eco-friendly college.

Furthermore, all college sites have been changed to operate on LED lighting systems to reduce our carbon emissions by 4,500tCo2 and solar panels are being installed at the Engineering Centre (340 panels), Brunel Construction Centre (128 panels) and Huddersfield Centre (288 panels) generating a forecasted 2,520.71 kWh per annum.

The team has also been implementing ways to tackle our waste. Our recent partnership with Biffa will help us keep a close eye on measuring our landfill waste and new can drop-off points and crisp packet donation boxes have been placed around the college to try and improve our waste management.

We have recently introduced designated can recycling bins across the college to help boost recycling. The bins were provided by Every Can Counts, an organisation whose mission is to “inspire, encourage and empower people to recycle their drinks cans wherever they are.” By providing designated drinks can recycling bins, we can help Every Can Counts meet their target of a 100% recycling rate for drinks cans.

Over the coming year, we will be setting up a sustainability task force to think of and implement more green ideas to help Kirklees College achieve its target of becoming a truly sustainable college for the benefit of the planet.

Reducing energy usage and becoming more sustainable is a big challenge for Kirklees College and supports our strategic goal of playing an influential role in combating climate emergency.