Why the HE sector?
The 130 institutions which make up the higher education and research communities within the UK employ almost 390,000 staff and educate around 2.5 million students(1). Together these institutions are responsible for:
- Consuming 7.86 billion kWh of energy per annum(2)
- Consuming nearly 25 million cubic metres per annum of water(3)
- Spending £1.5 billion per year on buildings and estates(4)
- Over 1 million people travelling to work and study almost every day
- Producing hundreds of thousands of tonnes of waste to landfill and incineration every year.
Educational institutions have a significant impact on the environment and therefore have a pivotal role to play in encouraging sustainable development in the wider community at local, regional and global levels.
EcoCampus is thoroughly supportive of the HEFCE Strategic Plan:
"to make sustainable development a central part of our strategy for the future development of the higher education sector"
The scheme will assist HEIs in their environmental performance and therefore improve the reputation of our sector as being good corporate citizens.
(1) Consolidated data from the HESA aggregate staff records and individualised student records, 2009-10, for staff and students in UK higher education institutions.
(2) Energy (all fuels) data from participating institutions in the HESA Estates Management Statistics 2009-2010.
(3) Water data from participating institutions in the HESA Estates Management Statistics 2009-2010.
(4) Capital expenditure on estates and buildings (residential and non residential) for participating institutions in the Estates Management Statistics 2009-2010.
