Energy

The use of energy (electricity and gas) is essential and unavoidable, and we are determined to use our energy more efficiently and effectively through the way we use it and by the installation of low carbon technologies.  This will reduce our consumption and carbon emissions (and reduce costs).

During the 2020-2021 academic year, Liverpool Hope University consumed over 4.4 million kWh of electricity and over 9.3 million kWh of natural gas, at a cost of £1.04 million. The planned development of the campus and the ever-increasing price of fuel means this cost will rise year on year. The University is determined to reduce the kWh consumed, and therefore the cost, through maximising the efficiency with which the utility is used, through the use of low carbon technologies, and by behaviour change.

You can make a difference!

• Myth - one person can't make a difference. WRONG! Any actions you take will make a difference, especially when multiplied across our community.
  
  

• Switch off all lights and appliances that are not needed and at the end of the day. Why not have a nominated person and checklist to ensure that all non-essential appliances are switched off, and unplugged if necessary?
  
  

• Myth – it takes more energy to turn lights on and off than to leave them on. WRONG!
  • Lights should always be switched off when leaving the room
  • Make the most of the daylight - open blinds and keep window ledges free of clutter
  • Only turn on the lights that are required
  • Could you use a desk lamp rather than turning on the lights for the whole office?
    
    

• Myth – It’s not worth turning things off at the plug. WRONG! Vampire power still sucks power when devices are on standby (appliances could still use 6-8% power), so turn them off when not in use.
  
  

• Switch off projectors when you leave the room - they only take 30 seconds to power back on, but save energy and extend the lamp life

• Myth – Photocopiers should be left on, since switching then on and off all the time can damage them. WRONG! Switching photocopiers off causes no damage.
  
  

• Only fill the kettle as much as you need – this saves energy (overfilling the kettle sees £68 million disappear in a cloud of steam each year in energy bills) and means you don’t have to wait as long for your drink. Visit United Utilities for more details.
  
  

• If your office has an automatic water boiler, see if it can be turned off in the evenings and at weekends.
  
  

• Put a lid on your pan when cooking, it saves 90% of the energy required to cook your food and it saves times as well.
  
  

• Set your computers to energy saving mode if they are not used for a short while.
  
  

• Myth – Screensavers save energy. WRONG! They do not save energy, so when not in use switch off your monitor.
  
  

• Switch off your monitor – even if you are away from your desk for a couple of minutes Leaving a PC monitor on all night wastes enough energy to microwave 6 dinners.
  
  

• Switch off your computer - regularly turning off our computer not only saves energy but also extends the machines life due to a reduction in mechanical wear

• Tidy your inbox and files stored on your computer - keeping large quantities of data (such as multiple copies of the same document or old documents) increases the amount of energy needed in your server room.
  
  

• If temperatures are too high, turn the heating down rather than opening windows. Did you know that for every 1°C increase in temperature, energy consumption increases by 8%?
  
  

• Do not increase the thermostat to a high setting to heat the room faster (vice versa for air conditioning). This is a myth – it does not make a difference, but it can cost a lot. People may forget and leave the settings on, so the room may overheat and waste energy. If the windows are then opened to cool the room, the warm air escapes and energy (and money) are wasted.
  
  

• Dress appropriately for the season – your body temperature can increase by 3°C just by wearing a jumper.
  
  

• Ensure that central heating radiators are not blocked by furniture, wherever practically possible, to enable the heat to come into the room.
  
  
• If the radiator is cold, it does not mean the heating is off.  The buildings are thermostatically controlled and the heating may have gone off is the building is at its optimum temperature; the heating will come back on again if the temperature drops.

• Reduce the need for air-conditioning by:
  • Switching off equipment and lighting where possible to reduce heat gains
  • Closing the doors and windows when the air conditioning is on
  • Shading your windows to prevent the sun rays from entering your office and the air from warming up
  • Opening the windows instead.
    
    

• Report any lighting, heating or cooling problems on the Estates webpages and click "online requests"
  • e.g. Doors and windows that are not sealed correctly
  • e.g. Heating and cooling that is running at the same time.
    
    

• Buy energy efficient products: all electrical products have a European energy label, which tells you how efficient the appliance is at using energy ( A++ is the most efficient and G is the worst).
  
  

• Carry out a mini office Energy Audit to see how eco-efficient your office or department is

• Solar photovoltaic panels have been installed on the EDEN, Health Sciences, Plas Caerdeon, St Julies and are currently being installed on rinity
• The EDEN Building has solar thermal heating
• We are replacing our lighting with LEDs and controls
• I LOVE MY Campus Challenge is an awareness and engagement programme for both staff and students
  
  • Staff - the Challenge celebrates and recognises environmental achievements, whilst also assisting and encouraging teams to further improve their environmental performance.
  • Students - an energy competition between halls of residence to see which hall can reduce its energy consumption compared to the previous year
• We have installed a Building Management System to nearly 3/4 of our estate to help us better control the heating and hot water systems.
• Electricity and gas sub-meters have been installed throughout the University, so we can now measure consumption at a building level and 
• The University is investing in a network of electricity and gas sub meters to monitor the electricity and gas consumption at a building level
  
  • The sub meters will be connected to the University’s online energy software, allowing us to monitor trends in consumption and focus resources.

• The University has reduced its electricity consumption by 28% since 2005-2006
• The University has reduced its gas consumption by 19% since 2005-2006
• Our Sustainability Strategy and Carbon Reduction Plan have been approved in 2022 and sets out our ambitions and pathways to ensure that we continue to reduce our consumption of utilities, increase our sustainability and reduce our carbon footprint
• The University has a number of solar photovoltaic panels on site – on the EDEN, Health Sciences, Plas Caerdeon, St Julies Halls of residence and they are currently being installed on Trinity at our Aigburth campus.
  
  
• The University has 23 buildings over 250 m², and all have a Display Energy Certificate rating of D or above.
  
  • Non-dwellings are responsible for almost 20% of the UK’s energy consumption and carbon emissions. Display Energy Certificates have to be displayed in all buildings over 250m² occupied by a public authority.
  • DECs provide a building energy rating from A to G (where A is very efficient and G is the least efficient), and are based on the actual amount of metered energy used by a building over the last 12 months. The usage of the building is compared to a benchmark that represents performance indicative of all buildings of this type, with a rating D being a typical building.
  • The DECs are used to raise awareness of energy use and to inform staff, students and visitors about the energy use of the building.
    
    
• Check out the Carbon Trust’s website for other energy facts:
  • Office lights left on overnight use enough energy in a year to heat a home for almost five months
  • A 2°C increase in Office temperature creates enough carbon in a year to fill a hot air balloon
  • A computer left on overnight for a year creates enough carbon to fill a double decker bus
  • A photocopier left on standby overnight wastes enough energy to make 30 cups of tea.