Energy saving projects

We have an ongoing project in partnership with Security looking at lighting that is on out of hours across campus. Any lights switched on are investigated, any light failures are repaired and lighting controls installed were appropriate. Since the project started, we have investigated and resolved over 180 queries raised. We have also invested in the following lighting replacements and control upgrades:

• The lighting in Bede Halls of Residences corridors and communal areas were upgraded to LED with an annual energy reduction of over 70%. Annual savings are expected to be 67,828 kWh, £10,000 and 15 tonnes CO2e.
• Over 1200 fluorescent fittings in Clephan Building were replaced with LED fittings with an annual energy reduction of 68%. Annual savings are expected to be 225,343 kWh, £33,350 and 50.70 tonnes CO2e. Hawthorn and Queens were also done as part of this £1M project
• The lights in Gateway House lift lobbies were upgraded to LED on all 6 floors and sensors were installed with an annual energy reduction of 79%. The annual savings are expected to be 40,000 kWh £9,339 and 9 tonnes CO2e.
• The corridor lighting in Hugh Aston Building was upgraded to LED with expected annual savings of 52,327 kWh, £8,674 and 11 tonnes CO2e.
• The 18 stairwell lights in John Whitehead Building were upgraded to LED fittings with an expected annual energy reduction of 56%. The annual savings are expected to be 3,884 kWh, £544 and 874 kg CO2e.
• In Leicester Media School – Bede Island (FoT) all light fittings were upgraded to LED with sensors. The expected annual energy reduction is 83%. The annual savings are expected to be 91,301 kWh, £12,974 and 35.11 tonnes CO2e.
• All the fluorescent light fittings in Pace Building studios 1, 2, 3 and 4 have been replaced with LED fittings and lighting controls with an annual energy reduction of 68%. The annual savings are expected to be 20,474 kWh, £3,000 and 4.61 tonnes CO2e.
• The metal halide floodlights in Trinity House chapel were upgraded to LED with an estimated 72% energy reduction. The annual savings are expected to be 501 kWh, £74 and 112 kg CO2e.
• There have been further LED lighting projects in Portland Building Prayer rooms, Innovation Centre, Phil Tasker Building, Hawthorn Building and Queen’s Building.
• Lighting controls have been installed in all Bede House toilets and Queens building ground floor toilets. Art Factory and Mill Studios stairs and toilets. These were previously controlled by light switches and were frequently left on.
• LED lighting upgrades and controls will continue across campus, the upcoming projects include; the remainder of PACE, Portland building, Queen Elizabeth II Leisure Centre and John Whitehead.

Please note that energy reductions above are based only on the lights removed and replaced, and not the energy consumption for the whole building.

We currently have eight Solar PV arrays on campus.

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Structural surveys have been carried out across campus to determine the feasibility of installing further Solar PV arrays. There have also been feasibility studies conducted for a low carbon heat pump heating system at The Watershed, QE2 Leisure Centre and Bede Halls of Residences.

Moving controls of lighting and heating to the BMS system allows for better control and less energy wastage. Some completed examples of this include; Hugh Aston overhead door heaters, Trinity House boilers, Beaumont Park AHUs, Bede House Air Conditioning and AHU controls and Campus Centre Atrium lights and these lights now switch off when outside light levels are high.

PIRs and CO2 monitors have been installed on Ventilation plant across campus, these save energy as they ensure that the plant only runs when spaces are occupied.

Ventilation control was successfully incorporated into the lecture theatres at Hugh Aston and the expected annual savings are 50,000 kWh, £5,000 and 4 tonnes CO2e.

Controls have also been installed on the AHU for the nightclub in Campus Centre. These controls ensure that the AHI only runs when scheduled or occupied. The controls have reduced the energy consumption by 57%. The annual savings are 104,107 kWh, £16,000 and 23 tonnes CO2e.

ºÚÁÏ´«ËÍÃÅ signed off the Heat Decarbonisation Plan (HDP) in 2023 which provides a roadmap of how we will replace fossil fuel heating systems with low or zero carbon alternatives across campus.

The Heat Decarbonisation Plan forms part of the Carbon Management Plan.

ºÚÁÏ´«ËÍÃÅ appointed a consultant to undertake an overview of the existing building stock, this included an assessment of energy performance compared to energy benchmarks, an assessment of the heating systems and then looked ahead to any potential campus changes and development. The approach taken was to select the cost-effective combination of measures to decarbonise campus heating and hot water supply.

It was established that the central campus has a strong heat density and a centralised heat network would be viable here. This centralised heat solution would deliver 77% of the campus’s current heating requirement. In the outlying areas localised solutions will be implemented.

We have already started to decarbonise heat at ºÚÁÏ´«ËÍÃÅ, so far, the university has replaced the gas boilers in its Leicester Media School with air source heat pumps (ASHPs) transitioning from using natural gas to electricity obtained from carbon neutral resources. The Campus Centre has also transitioned away from natural gas, replacing both its gas boilers and gas fired ventilation air heaters with ASHPs.

We have an automatic meter reading system that collects data from over 500 electricity, gas and water meters across the campus. We monitor this data daily to identify any unusual patterns of usage. Having this data means we can act quickly to resolve any issues.

For example, when we see unexpected high-water consumption, we would investigate by walking round the building and then raising a job with the Estates Helpdesk if we are unable to locate the source. Some commons things are taps stuck on, urinals flushing too often and toilets constantly flushing.