1. Overview
1.1 Background
The UK has committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. To mitigate the impacts associated with climate change, it is imperative that organisations start making and implementing plans to significantly reduce their own carbon emissions. As a future focussed organisation, the University of Derby recognises that it must embrace current thinking, employ innovative practices, and take the lead in its journey to zero carbon. The task ahead of all Universities and organisations is a challenging one and the changes required may be unlike anything the University has had to undergo before. The way we use our buildings, how we operate and heat them, how we best utilise our land; there will be many difficult decisions ahead of us. However, as a university we are in the privileged position of being able to take advantage of our research, skills and knowledge to guide us through these challenges and do what is best for our students, staff and the environment.
1.2 Working Towards Net Zero by 2050
An organisation’s carbon footprint can be split into three different scopes as detailed below.
- Scope 1 emissions – direct emissions from sources owned or controlled by an organisation e.g., gas boilers, fleet vehicles and any other fuels used on site
- Scope 2 emissions – indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity
- Scope 3 emissions – any other indirect emissions
The University of Derby has committed to working towards reducing its scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions to net zero by the year 2050.
In 2024/25 our total scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions were 5272 tonnes of CO2e. This includes emissions produced by the University, Derby Theatre and Derbyshire Student Residences Limited. University owned residences make up approximately 23% of the University’s total emissions.
In order to reduce these emissions to zero, the University will need to make significant changes over the coming years. This Carbon Management Plan aims to provide further detail on how this will be achieved.
| Emissions Type |
Baseline 2005/06 tCO2e |
2024/25 tCO2e |
| Gas |
3,028 |
3,178 |
| Electricity |
3,853 |
2,057 |
| Fuels |
57 |
37 |
| Oil |
709 |
0 |
| Total |
7,647 |
5,272 |
1.2 Interim Targets
To ensure continued progress the University has committed to the following interim targets.
Working towards reducing carbon emissions to:
- 4,800 tonnes CO2e by 2028
- 4,000 tonnes CO2e by 2032
- 3,000 tonnes CO2e by 2036
- Net Zero by 2050 (approximately 2,000 tonnes of CO2e is likely to be offset)
2. Carbon Reduction Journey to Date
2.1 Decarbonisation of UK Electricity Grid
A considerable proportion of the carbon reduction associated with our electricity consumption is due to the decarbonisation of the electricity grid in the UK. As the UK has switched from coal to gas and renewable power together with the continued contribution of nuclear, the carbon emissions associated with electricity have decreased year on year. The amount of renewable capacity connected to the grid has continued to increase and this trend is set to continue with plans to decarbonise the grid altogether by 2035.
2.2 Photovoltaic Panels
There are currently photovoltaic solar panel arrays on the following roofs:
- Cavandish Building 58.1 kWp
- West Wing – Kedleston Road 26.64 kWp
- Sports Centre – Kedleston Road Southern Array 71.786 kWp
- Sports Centre – Kedleston Road Northern Array 95.68 kWp
- Markeaton Street Eastern Array 57.8 kWp
- Markeaton Street Western Array 14.25 kWp
- One Friar Gate Square 49 kWp
2.3 Combined Heat and Power
A Combined Heat and Power (CHP) unit was installed when the boilers were last replaced at Kedleston Road in 2016. The CHP unit generates electricity and any heat produced as a by-product of the electricity generation is used for space and water heating. The electricity generated cuts down the amount of electricity we need to take from the grid, which saved carbon emissions and running costs at the time of installation. However, due to the continued greening of the electricity grid, the carbon savings associated with this type of technology decreases each year. The CHP unit will therefore not be replaced when it reaches the end of its life.
2.4 Lighting
Fluorescent tube lighting continues to be replaced by more efficient LED lights. This has been part of a gradual replacement program whereby old lights are replaced with more modern and efficient light fittings when they fail. Most areas now have LED lights for example Markeaton campus while proposal has been made for One Friar Gate campus and where appropriate, these are motion sensors to reduce wastage.
2.5 Building Management System
The University has a Building Management System which manages the operation and maintenance of our buildings. It can be used to closely manage the University’s heating and ventilation systems, ensuring they are only running when they are required, improving the efficiency of our buildings.
2.6 Fleet Vehicles
The University's fleet consists of 30 vehicles, 30% full EV, 43% hybrid, and only 27% Diesel where cleaner fuels are unavailable. Due to changes in operational structure and vehicles, we have reduced the fleet CO2 by 4.42T from 2023/24 to 2024/25.
2.7 Digital Solutions and Services
In 2025, the university replaced the double monitors and docking station with a single curved screen. Similarly, in 2023 the university moved away from the use of desk phones to a new telephone system called Teams Phone. All desk phones are being removed, resulting in a saving of approximately 15 tonnes of CO2e.
A new device power saving policy has been implemented, with PCs shutting down when not in use at 9.30pm each evening. They are also set to sleep during the day when not in use.
3. Carbon Reduction Journey towards 2050
3.1 New Buildings Strategy
Refurbishment and repurposing of existing building stock will always be the first choice, with new buildings only being constructed if unavoidable. All newly constructed buildings will be carbon neutral in both their embodied and operational emissions and will not include any gas heating.
The Cavandish Building is the first university building to be carbon neutral. The carbon emissions associated with the embodied energy have been calculated and offset (more information on offsetting is provided in Section 3.10), whilst emissions associated with its operation were kept at zero through careful materials selection and use of technology.
Where existing structures are difficult to upgrade in terms of technical feasibility or historic protection an assessment should be undertaken to review the economic balance alongside lifecycle carbon assessment to enable decision making, in certain areas strategic divestment & replacement facilities may be most appropriate.
3.2 Renewable Energy
The installation of more photovoltaic panels on appropriate roof space is a relatively straight forward project that will result in immediate reductions in carbon emissions. Although there are already photovoltaic panels located on seven University buildings, as outlined in Section 2.2, there are opportunities for these to be expanded. All suitable roof space is being considered, as well as the potential for solar car ports and solar farms on the small areas of suitable land that the University owns. All photovoltaic panel arrays will be closely monitored and maintained to ensure they continue to work to their full potential.
However, due to the decarbonisation of the electricity grid as detailed in Section 2.1, the long-term carbon reductions associated with this type of renewable energy is minimal. The University is aware that it will need to take a much broader approach to reducing its carbon emissions if it is going to work towards reaching net zero by 2050.
In addition to photovoltaic panels, the installation of a wind turbine is another option for increasing renewable energy. Although it is currently difficult to obtain planning permissions for onshore wind turbines, it is thought that this will likely change as the country moves towards decarbonisation of the grid. A single large turbine would be more cost effective than a smaller turbine and would be able to generate a substantial proportion of the site’s annual consumption. However, as with solar power, the continual decarbonisation of the electricity grid will result in decreased carbon savings during the lifespan of the turbine.
Despite the reduced long term carbon savings associated with these technologies, on-site or near site generation will provide the University with a degree of energy security in future years which could prove extremely valuable. Self-generation is expected to remain an important means of reducing reliance on the grid. Self-generation of power would also help to protect the University against fluctuations in the electricity market.
3.3 Fabric First Approach
Due to the age of many of the University’s buildings, their thermal performance is poor because of inadequate insulation and in some instances excessive solar gain. By improving insulation and windows we can make them as efficient as possible before we invest in low carbon heating options. Making these types of improvements can have excessive costs, cause high levels of disruption for long periods of time and have long payback periods. However, this work is an essential starting point if we are going to decarbonise our heating systems. The initial buildings being considered for these types of renovations are the tower blocks at Kedleston Road.
Although there are long payback periods, an improvement in thermal performance will significantly improve the comfort levels for building users and avoid large temperature swings as the heating and cooling systems will not be required as frequently.
3.4 Low Carbon Heating
As stated in Section 2.1 the carbon emissions associated with electricity from the grid decrease each year. This means that the proportion of the University’s carbon emissions that are produced by the gas it consumes will gradually increase. To make significant reductions to the carbon footprint of the University, low carbon heating solutions will need to be considered. Currently, many of our buildings are not suitable for these types of solutions due to being thermally inefficient. It is hoped that improving the fabric of these buildings first will enable us to take advantage of low carbon heating solutions in the future when the technology is more developed. For example, by reducing the space heating demand and switching from gas boilers to heat pumps, the associated carbon emissions could reduce by up to 80-90%.
Due to the length of time it will take to improve the fabric of its buildings, the University is planning to build an energy centre that provides flexibility through a two-stage solution. This will consist of a primary air source heat pump that will provide heating for buildings that have been fully refurbished and can handle a lower heating temperature. Alongside this there will be local water source heat pumps to provide higher heating temperatures to those buildings that have yet to be refurbished.
3.5 Space Utilisation
We must use our space as efficiently as possible to avoid heating unoccupied areas. This may require closing off parts of buildings at certain times and carefully managing out-of-hours activities.
During winter 2023, 50% of the South Tower at Kedleston Road was mothballed, with staff and students relocated to other parts of the site to reduce energy consumption. From 2027, we aim to increase mothballing of South Tower to 85%, with a long-term goal of fully mothballing the building by 2028.
From September 2023, out-of-hours room bookings have been restricted to specific areas wherever possible, minimising the need to heat entire sites for small numbers of users. The University’s Room Booking Team and BMS engineers work closely together to reduce energy wastage.
As part of the Estates Master Plan (2025–2030), the University aims where possible to shift activity away from older, less efficient buildings and into more modern, sustainable facilities. This will enable older spaces to be mothballed while maximising utilisation of newer buildings.
In September 2025, the University opened a new, highly energy-efficient building—Cavendish. Its Building Management System (BMS) is integrated with the timetabling system, ensuring that teaching rooms are only heated or cooled when scheduled for use. Additionally, occupancy-monitoring technology has been installed in teaching spaces to track actual usage and drive space utilisation.
When rooms are found to be unoccupied despite being booked, heating or cooling is automatically turned off to reduce both carbon emissions and costs. This occupancy data also supports improved timetabling decisions and helps drive further improvements in space utilisation.
3.6 Building Management System (BMS)
We have upgraded our BMS system with the latest version of the Schnider BMS which has allowed us to fully integrate the BMS system to offer uniform benefits across the University of Derby sites.
We are implementing enhancements on the BMS system that will allow us to monitor plant usage and identify potential energy saving opportunities. We are also piloting a system to unify the room booking system with the BMS plant schedule to maximise the efficiency available.
We have a BMS improvement roadmap to strategize the develop of our BMS. Its key aims are to improve student experience and reduce the energy usage of the mechanical and electrical plant. The additional information we will be able to attain using our BMS, will allow us to develop strategies to prioritize the improvement of the mechanical and electrical plant and its controls to reduce overall energy consumption.
3.7 Electrical Infrastructure Upgrades
The electrical infrastructure at Kedleston Road was upgraded from 1.4 MVA to 4 MVA to ensure the site is future proofed as we moved to a greater electrical load with the addition of the Super Lab. In the first instance we are installing an increased sized supply to support decarbonisation of heating. This will be followed up with infrastructure changes, for example, the replacement of substations to achieve efficiency gains.
3.8 Lighting
Replacing lights gradually as and when they fail as described in section 2.4 is not the most effective method in terms of energy and carbon savings. Some fittings may have long life spans and so it could take many years to replace all the older lighting. Lighting will therefore be replaced all at once on a zone-by-zone basis where possible. This will also provide an opportunity to improve the lighting control systems to reduce the number of hours of operation and reduce light output during hours of inactivity. A significant number of these projects have now been completed.
3.9 Behavioural Change
Alongside the changes to our buildings and infrastructure, it is crucial that our staff and students come on this journey to net zero carbon with us. We want everyone at the University to feel like they can play a part and make a positive difference to our carbon footprint. Through the Green Pulse Campaign regular communications, switch off campaigns, better utilisation of our estate and energy audits, we hope to increase awareness amongst our staff and students regarding what they can do to make a difference. We want everyone to feel responsible for helping the University to save energy through their everyday activities.
3.10 Carbon offsetting and insetting
If the University implements all the projects highlighted in this report, there will still be at least 2,000 tCO2e of scope 1 and 2 emissions that will need to be offset on an annual basis. Multiple standards are available for carbon offsetting projects. The majority of verified projects are based abroad rather than in the UK which can prove problematic for organisations wishing to give something back to their local environment.
Whilst carbon offsetting tends to be done through external investment in projects that are separate to the organisation’s operations, carbon insetting aims to reduce carbon emissions within an organisation’s supply chain. This could be achieved through working closely with our key suppliers to help them reduce their emissions, or investing in local carbon reduction projects that will provide visible benefits in the region.
The University plans to carry out a review of all the offsetting and insetting options available to determine which schemes are the best fit for our organisation.
3.11 Sustainable Travel Plan
Continued implementation of sustainable travel initiatives aligned to the five core objectives of the integrated sustainable travel plan. Primary focus is making significant progress in reducing high carbon emitting travel including single occupancy car travel, by increasing sustainable active travel and promoting alternative mobility solutions in collaboration with local authorities and external stakeholders such as Toyota and Kinto UK.
Essential projects, such as the establishment of mobility hubs funded by central government grants, as well as enhancing connectivity between our Derby Campus sites and the new Business School, are key milestones in our efforts to create an active travel campus.
3.12 Hydrogen Fuel Strategy
Implementing a hydrogen fuel strategy provides opportunities for decarbonisation of energy and transport, and drive the transition to a more sustainable and resilient energy future.
Clean hydrogen fuel creation and usage through a hydrogen fuel strategy has the ability to support in the following ways:
3.12.1 Hydrogen can be effectively used as an energy storage medium, allowing excess renewable energy generated during periods of low demand to be stored and later converted back into electricity or heat when needed. This capability helps address the intermittency of renewable energy sources and enables a more reliable and resilient energy system.
3.12.2 Hydrogen can power fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) providing a zero-emission alternative to traditional internal combustion engines. Hydrogen can also be used in heating systems and power generation.
3.12.3 Diversifying our energy sources and reducing dependence on fossil fuels enhances energy independence and security. Hydrogen can be produced from renewable energy, natural gas and via carbon capture and storage (CCS).
3.12.4 Developing a hydrogen fuel strategy also drives technological innovation and encourages the advancements in hydrogen production, storage, and distribution infrastructure, as well as the development of fuel cell technologies. These advancements spur research and development activities within our academic environment.
3.13 Bus Service Strategy
The Unibus service will continue to be reviewed to ensure it remains aligned with the University’s operational and sustainability needs, while monitoring future opportunities for lower-emission transport solutions as the local infrastructure develops. The reintroduction of the Unibus fare in 2025 has encouraged increased walking between sites, whilst still maintaining the service for those requiring connectivity to the wider public transport network.
3.14 Summary of carbon reduction projects
The graph below illustrates the savings associated with the carbon reduction projects and opportunities. These savings were calculated by a third-party consultant, Consultus.
The University is committed to monitoring and reporting on its scope 3 carbon emissions. The scope 3 categories listed above are those that we are required to report on for HESA, with the exception of the Unibus figures which have been separated out as a point of interest.
The University has committed to working towards reducing its scope 3 emissions by 80% by the year 2050 and 10% by the year 2030 using 2024/25 as its baseline year.
The rest of Section 6 provides a brief overview of our current scope 3 carbon reduction activities.
6.2 Travel
The University has a Sustainable Travel Plan designed to improve the institution’s travel behaviours, reduce the need for travel and encourage staff, students and visitors to choose more sustainable travel modes. The University’s vision is to incentivise and encourage sustainable travel wherever possible, through providing facilities for walking and cycling, improving the way we utilise public transport links by working through partnerships with local authorities and businesses, and encouraging remote and digital methods of working.
International business travel should be minimised as much as possible and only undertaken if essential. Where practical, travel to northern European countries should be via rail. The Unibus currently uses diesel buses to transport staff and students between city sites. Although the use of buses is much less carbon intensive than the use of personal vehicles, the majority of city sites are within easy walking and cycling distance of one another. We would therefore like to encourage zero/low carbon active travel options.
Sustainable Travel Hubs have been developed at the University’s main Kedleston Road site as well as at the new Cavendish Building. These hubs provide electric vehicle charge points, Real Time Information screens with live travel updates and secure undercover cycle parking.
6.3 Waste
Initiatives to reduce waste and improve recycling rates continue to be rolled out, including the expansion of food recycling, improvements in signage, on site composting and the reduction in disposables where possible. The total amount of waste has reduced from 842.5 tonnes in 2020/21 to 683.6 tonnes in 2024/25. Recycling has increased from 37.9 % in 2020/21 to 41.6% in 2024/25 and is set to further increase in 2025/26 due to the addition of food waste recycling across halls of residence.
6.4 Water
Water efficiency measures are considered as standard within all refurbishment and new build projects. In 2024/2025, we reduced our water usage from 136,868 m3 in 2022/2023 academic year to 97,966 m3 in 2024/2025, representing a staggering 28% decrease in water usage. This was achieved through improved leak detection and repairs and the use of automatic meter readers (AMR), leading to more accurate billings, partial closure of some the University sites and behaviour change campaigns. The university aims for a further 5% reduction in 2026/2027.
6.5 Supply Chain
Sustainability and net zero carbon are key considerations for the University’s Procurement Team and as such, questions on these topics are included within all relevant tenders. The University is signed up to the Net Positive Tool, which helps our suppliers to develop their own simple sustainable action plan for free if they do not already have one.
