skip to content

For staff

 

Institute celebrates saving one million kWh since launching energy scheme

We have shown that it is possible to cut energy consumption by avoiding waste without being detrimental to our science.

Kathy Hilton, Building Facilities Manager at the Gurdon Institute

A major research institute is celebrating saving one million kWh of energy since it started a special project to reduce the amount of gas and electricity it uses.
The Wellcome Trust/ Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute has reduced energy consumption beyond its own expectations following the introduction of an Energy and Carbon Reduction Project (ECRP) Board initiative.
The Institute is one of the University’s biggest users of power, and in 2010/2011 it notched up a usage of around five million kWh per year in electricity and four million kWh per year in gas.
At a cost of around 10p per kWh paid to the University it means the institute has saved £100,000 since the scheme began.
The energy saved by the institute could power an eco-friendly fridge-freezer for almost seven years, put 1.6 million loads of laundry through the washing machine and boil enough water to make 55 million cups of tea*.
A variety of tactics were employed to make the savings possible, including:

  • Sensors and monitors used to create real-time public displays showing energy use
  • Rewards for labs which made the greatest reductions in power use
  • New LED lighting and sensors to turn lights on and off
  • Improving major energy-using systems like humidifiers
  • Encouraging individuals to make behavioural changes like turning computers off at night

Kathy Hilton, Building Facilities Manager at the Institute, said: “This has been a wonderful success for the Institute. Much of what we have done has been down to the efforts of staff.
“A challenge we faced was that as the Institute’s research is paramount, any environmental issues and energy reduction initiatives could not adversely affect the scientific research. Over the span of the initiative we have shown that it is possible to cut energy consumption by avoiding waste without being detrimental to our science.”

The milestone has been reached in a little over two years since the initiative was launched at the Gurdon.
It is one of five buildings picked as an ECRP pilot – all of which represent some of the most energy-intensive sites in the University estate. The other buildings are the Department of Chemistry, the Department of Engineering, the Plant Growth Facility (part of the Department of Plant Sciences) and the University Library.
The initial stages of the campaign back in early 2012 involved convincing staff to engage with the project goals and sign up to a simple pledge: “I will endeavour to reduce my energy consumption and carbon footprint wherever practicable”.
In total 76% of Institute staff signed the Gurdon energy pledge at the time of the launch. With more than 300 staff, each individual’s contribution will help add up to a large reduction in power use said Kathy.
Engaging people has been one of the challenges, and highlights: “One fun aspect of the process involved the early morning custodian placing little happy faces and sad faces on the room doors, depending if the lights were turned off or on. This produced both positive and negative feedback. But what was important was that, whatever the reaction, it started a conversation and that has led to major savings.”
Major users of electricity in the institute were its laboratories. Targeting their usage would make big savings - this is where smart meters installed on distribution boards helped.
The data collected from ‘work zones’ (lighting, small power in labs, and equipment rooms) was linked to dashboards which allowed staff to see the progress the area they worked in was making.
To add an element of competitiveness to the scheme an inter-lab energy reduction competition was launched offering a £1,000 grand prize to the lab with the biggest energy savings.
The Institute’s Brand lab was victorious and the overall ‘work zone’ electrical consumption decreased by 19%.
External recognition of everyone’s efforts was also important said Kathy and in 2012 then Institute won a Gold Award in the Green Organisation’s Green Apple Awards.
Kathy said: “The Institute strives to motivate and inspire individuals. Currently they are key to the success of behavioural change and to the long-term aim to embed energy awareness firmly in the Institute culture.”
Reducing energy use also has financial attractions which positively impact on staff: “We were able to say that this is bringing money back to us – and we’ve ploughed that back into improving our tea-room, a facility which benefits all staff.”
The Gurdon Institute celebrated the one million kWh landmark with a special tea party at the end of July.
Kathy says: “The celebration is to say to staff that we are getting awards and recognition for this but it is really down to you.”
The initiative has seen the institute move from being the third highest user of power in the University to being the fourth.
Gurdon’s success has wider implications. As a pilot department it is to devise, implement and evaluate energy strategies to help the University meet its Carbon Management Plan target of 34% reduction of 2005 data by the year 2020. Any successful strategies or working practices identified by the Institute may be rolled out across the wider University.
The ECRP has commended the Institute’s success, saying it “can be attributed to a well-designed and sustained behavioural change campaign, involving clear and consistent communication with staff, including the use of real-time energy display monitors; focussed and relevant objectives; and the provision of appropriate and meaningful incentives.”
* Based on figures from Carbon Footprint Ltd.