Queen Mary University London

NET ZERO CARBON PARTNERSHIP ACTION PLAN

The university recognised the urgent need to reduce its carbon footprint and energy waste across its 56-building estate spread over three main campuses. With a commitment to achieving Net Zero by 2045, the university embarked on a project to develop a clear pathway towards sustainability. The diverse range of building types, with an average age of 53 years and 23 structures rated between E and G on the DEC scale, posed a significant challenge. However, the university secured funding from the Low Carbon Skills Fund to support the project's implementation.

INSIGHT

IDEA

The project aimed to identify quick wins and create a pipeline of immediately actionable projects to achieve the university's Net Zero goals. The team recognized the importance of strategic thinking and identified the potential for local district heating synergies and renewable energy sources on Queen Mary's Mile End and Charterhouse Square Campuses.

To ensure the success of the project, the team adopted a collaborative approach by consulting with client stakeholder teams. This allowed for a diverse range of team members to contribute and co-create solutions while demonstrating the value and progress of the project to their peers. By empowering stakeholders and fostering a sense of ownership, the team was able to drive meaningful change and progress towards Net Zero.

Queen Mary joins Tower Hamlets partnership towards a Net Zero Carbon borough

What will the project deliver?

The project will provide an estate roadmap to achieve Net Zero by identifying and comparing potential pathways and milestones over the next two decades. It will also include a carefully crafted 'to-do' list of no-regrets capital and maintenance projects to support the journey towards Net Zero. This comprehensive plan will provide a clear direction for estate transformation and help to ensure that the necessary steps are taken to achieve a sustainable future.

  • With a short timeline, the team focused on reducing heat demand for the estate's complex masterplan. They identified several offsite energy opportunities and demonstrated how on-site renewable generation could support future electrification. To begin, the team conducted energy audits and a deep data mine to create a portfolio-level GHG baseline.

  • Using Hysopt's advanced software, the team created a digital twin of the key heat infrastructure, allowing for the identification and simulation of accurate short, medium, and long-term measures. This enabled the team to clearly identify the most effective measures and create a roadmap to achieve the estate's Net Zero goals. By leveraging sophisticated tools and data-driven approaches, the team was able to drive meaningful progress towards sustainability.

IMPLEMENTATION

The team conducted building energy audits and developed a Net Zero roadmap for the university's three campuses. Through this process, they identified decarbonisation opportunities such as building fabric upgrades, improved controls, and the implementation of Air and Water-Source Heat Pumps.

By focusing on these key measures, the team was able to identify quick wins and create a pipeline of actionable projects to achieve the university's Net Zero goals. The combination of building audits and a clear roadmap enabled the team to drive progress towards sustainability across the estate

THE SOLUTION

IMPACT

Whole-system opportunities identified with net-zero roadmap.

Immediate improvements to the university buildings.

Alliance formed to reduce emissions and offset remaining.

Roadmap to share waste heat and create own energy supply.