The University adopted its Carbon Management Plan (CMP) in 2010, which commits us to achieving a 34% reduction in our energy-related carbon emissions by 2020 against a 2005-06 baseline.
In pursuit of this target, the Plan identifies five major areas of work:
- Emission reduction schemes: Implementing and capturing learning from pilot carbon reduction measures. This is largely achieved through the work of the Energy and Carbon Reduction Project.
- Policy development and management: This mainly involves the integration of carbon issues within the financial planning and policy development processes of the University, to ensure carbon is a key consideration of everything we do.
- Data gathering and reporting: Improving our energy monitoring processes so that we can identify and prioritise opportunities for carbon savings more effectively.
- Low carbon energy generation: Identifying opportunities to generate our own energy through low carbon technologies.
- New developments: Promoting low carbon building options and techniques.
Further information
Download the University of Cambridge Carbon Management Plan 2010-2020
Find out about the different sources of Cambridge's carbon emissions ('scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions')
Find out about carbon management: the governance of energy and carbon reduction at Cambridge (the ECRP)
The ECRP started by focusing on five pilot buildings, chosen from the most energy-intensive sites in the University estate:
- Department of Chemistry
- Department of Engineering
- The Gurdon Institute
- The Plant Growth Facility (part of the Department of Plant Sciences)
- The University Library
Department of Chemistry
Carbon emissions associated with the Department of Chemistry represent approximately 10% of total University emissions. It is the University’s largest single consumer of electricity and gas.
ECRP activities within the Department include:
- An LED lighting upgrade (see case study);
- Air flow management for fume cupboards through raising user awareness and the introduction of presence sensor technology (see case study);
- Efficiency improvements to the building’s air exhaust system, through the installation of a weather-responsive system;
- Installation of run-down timers on plug-in equipment in use in the Department, including drying ovens and stand-alone electric heaters;
- Replacement of drying cabinets with more efficient models.