“This is part of our long-standing process to reduce the carbon emissions produced by our buildings,” says Property Services director, David Stevenson. “We have changed to LED lighting throughout all common areas of the University and several buildings thus far and are working to convert our gas boilers to other more efficient low carbon options as they come to the end of their operational life.
“This is part of the Property Services team’s commitment to the pillars underpinning sustainable development and our institutions’ wider commitment to sustainability and wellbeing.”
The Fund will provide $125,000 towards the cost of efficient LED lighting in the Cotton and Laby buildings on the Kelburn campus, which will reduce the University’s emissions by around 670 tonnes of carbon over 10 years.
The University will also receive $112,000 from the Fund to replace a gas boiler system in the Von Zedlitz building with a low emissions alternative. This will reduce carbon emissions by around 1,487 tonnes over 10 years.
Both projects will be co-funded by the University as part of its dedication towards its Zero Carbon Plan, and will help reduce the University’s operating costs.
During the announcement, Minister for the Environment James Shaw stated, “The burning of fossil fuels—coal, oil, and gas—is the primary cause of climate change. Ensuring our places of learning and our hospitals kick this habit is the obvious choice.”
The funding is allocated from the Government’s $220 million State Sector Decarbonisation Fund, which supports the Carbon Neutral Government Programme and is administered by the EECA.