Carbon management

The University is determined to manage and reduce its emissions through monitoring and reporting usage, resource efficiency, investment in mitigation technologies, and improved awareness.

• Reduce our contribution to climate change
• Reduce our spend 
• Conserve resources
• Comply with legislation

The University's Scope 1 and 2 carbon footprint during the 2024-25 academic year was 2,316 tonnes CO₂e (gas, fuel used within University vehicles, fugitive emissions and electricity). Scope 3 emissions were at least an additional 9,000 tonnes (including water, waste disposal, procurement). However, the University does not yet measure and monitor all of its Scope 3 emissions; but we are intending to complete our full carbon footprint by the end of its Strategic Plan (2028).

Our Environmental Sustainability Policy and Carbon Reduction Plan 2025 to 2028 ensures that we continue to reduce our consumption, carbon emissions and improve our environmental sustainability across all aspects of the University. The University has set net zero targets for our Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2040 and Scope 3 by 2050, if not sooner. Our reductions will contribute to the net zero targets of both the Liverpool City Region (by 2040) and the UK (by 2050).

Did you know?

• We have reduced our emissions (Scope 1 and 2 emissions from gas, fugitive emissions, fuel used within University owned vehicles and electricity) by 56% between 2005-2006 and 2024-2025.

• The University does not have any externally provided accommodation; we do not have any relationship agreements, outsource contracts or student community living provisions of accommodation that are purpose built and run for students that may accommodate students from several universities.   All of our accommodation is provided through in-house in student halls or within private rental properties.

• The 2024-2025 carbon footprint from our in-house halls of residence was 545 tonnes CO₂e from Electricity and Gas and 8 tonnes CO₂e from water

• We have received over £2.2M in public sector decarbonisation scheme grants to decarbonise three halls of residence (St Julies, Angela and Gerard Manley Hopkins Hall) and a social space (Trinity Hall) with a combination of ASHP, electric panel heaters, double glazed windows, solar panels and the internal insulation of external walls.  We have now electrified 28% of our estate.

• Scope 3 emissions form part of our Carbon Reduction Plan 2025 to 2028 and we report on Purchased goods and services through the HESCET Tool (which includes capital goods and transportation of goods), waste (operational), grey fleet, water and waste water.  We have a target date of the of 2027-2028 to produce a comprehensive Scope 3 footprint.  In-house student accommodation is not reported separately, but is reported holistically within the university emissions.

Carbon Reduction Plan

The University's Carbon Reduction Plan 2025 to 2028 (CRP) covers energy consumption, fugitive emissions and the fuel used within University vehicles (Scope 1 and 2 emissions), waste and recycling, construction waste, water, supply chain emissions (the University uses the HESCET tool and incorporate both the capital goods and transportation into our purchased foods and services emissions), business travel, and staff and student commuting (Scope 3 emissions). The CRP outlines out net zero targets and contains a range of carbon reduction projects, awareness raising campaigns, and feasibility studies, which will determine the scale, financial costs, and carbon reduction of potential future projects.

Current projects

• Improvements to the Building Management Systems (to allow greater control over the operation of the buildings)
• Working with our suppliers on their own sustainability journey, and creating their own action plan using NetPositive Futures Supplier Engagement Tool
• We have permanent clothing banks on all campuses to collect unwanted, good quality clothing, shoes, and other items
• LED lighting and presence controls across campus.
• Student printer paper is Woodland Trust Certified
• The University Estates team are working to ensure all contractors are part of the Safe Contractor SSIP, where sustainability actions are assessed and awarded 

Completed projects

• Hopkins Hall decarbonisation scheme (part funded by the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme Phase 3c). This two-year project will see the gas heating and hot water system be replaced by electric panel heaters and Air Source Heat Pumps
• The flagship I3 Building is all electric with solar panels on the roof to generate its own electricity
• 3 Islington Sq has been refurbished to be fully electric with secondary glazing installed to improve the building fabric
• Installed of our electric pizza oven in Our Place
• Heat Decarbonisation Plans have been written for University buildings which have gas generated heating and/or hot water; and some electrically generated heating and hot water as part of Phase 4 of the Low Carbon Skills Fund.  These Heat Decarbonisation Plans detail projects to decarbonise the buildings using a fabric first approach (i.e. efficiency first, improvement of the building fabric and finally low carbon solutions); these projects are fully costed and a timeline for implementation has been provided to ensure that we achieve our net zero targets.
• Replaced the Hockey Pitch Lighting with LED
• Refurbishment of Angela Halls of residence with an Air Source Heat Pump, internal wall insulation and electric panel heaters (part funded by the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme Phase 3a)
• Refurbishment of Trinity with an Air Source Heat Pump, double glazed windows and PV (part funded by the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme Phase 3a)
• Refurbishment of St Julies halls of residence with electric panel heaters, PV, wall insulation, non-concussive taps and shower restrictors (part funded by the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme Phase 2)
• Installation of non-concussive taps in both residential and non-residential bathrooms
• LED lighting on Ground and First Floor library book areas; Cornerstone
• Replacement heating and hot water boilers at Cornerstone
• Installation of gas and electricity sub-meters across the University (so we know which building is consuming what)
• Replaced single glazed with double glazed windows in part of HCA
• Increased the amount of insulation in the HCA West Wing roof
• Installed double glazing at Plas Caerdeon
• Installed Solar panels on the Health Sciences building
• Pack for Good 2019: we are working with the British Heart Foundation to collect unwanted items when the students leave their residences rather than binning them. In 2018-2019 (between October and July), we collected 444 bags of unwanted items, raising over £6,216 for the charity.
• Replacing the roofs and windows of Angela and Austin Halls of Residence
• Replacing roofs with increased insulation in Angela and Austin Halls of residence, School of Social Sciences, and Warrington
• Reducing the number of boilers serving halls of residence and replacing the domestic hot water pipes and increasing the associated insulation
• Increased the number of solar panels on Health Sciences building

• "Don’t stand by and waste energy" – the quickest, easiest and cheapest way to reduce our carbon emissions is to Switch It Off
• Think – Reduce – Reuse – Recycle
• Bring a mug with you to our catering outlets 
• Explore the rest of the Sustainability pages for lots of handy hints and tips.

Why is carbon management important?

Reduce our contribution to climate change

Climate Change is recognised as one of the greatest environmental challenges facing the world. Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. A considerable proportion of the rise in greenhouse gases can be attributed to human emissions, with these changes potentially accelerating in the future.

Reduce our annual utility spend

The cost of utilities is increasing year on year. By reducing our consumption, we can make savings that can then be used elsewhere within the University.

Conserve resources

The fuel used to provide our energy is a finite resource and we need to conserve these reserves. The energy the University uses each year is enough to heat over 1,000 homes.

Water is a precious resource; it is not as abundant as you might think! Around 75% of the earth’s surface is covered by water, but only about 0.3% of it is available for consumption. Using water also increases out carbon footprint through using gas for heating the water, for pumping the water to its point of use, and for its treatment.

Comply with legislation

There is now wide ranging legislation, strategies, regulation and guidance throughout all sectors to minimise carbon emissions:

Climate Change Act (2008) - The British Government has adopted rigorous targets in respect of reducing carbon emissions (greenhouse gases), and the University sector in particular is expected to be at the forefront of sustainable practice.

The government wants the public and higher education sectors to lead by example through reducing bills and driving decarbonisation across the UK economy. We are in a unique position to make a key contribution through our teaching, research, our influence on students, staff and communities; through our business operations, and through the operation of our campuses.