Let’s decarbonise
In 2023, The Royal Anniversary Trust reported that the entire UK tertiary education sector—both Higher and Further Education—was responsible for a staggering 18.1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. Even more concerning, 19% of this massive carbon footprint came directly from the buildings themselves.
The University of Leeds had previously revealed that the global tertiary education sector is responsible for 1.38% of the world's carbon emissions—on par with the annual emissions of an entire country the size of Portugal.
With these staggering statistics weighing heavily on our conscience, we knew we had to take decisive action.
At this year’s AUDE conference, themed "A Message from the Ice," our education experts unveiled BDP’s bold new “Let’s Decarbonise” strategy. This initiative calls for institutions to fully integrate decarbonisation into every aspect of campus development to achieve net zero by 2050. By doing so, we can drastically cut whole-life carbon, while still driving growth in teaching, research, and innovation, and enhancing the unique identity of each campus.
Leading up to AUDE 2024 Conference, BDP’s multidisciplinary team crafted a powerful, all-encompassing strategy that explores interconnected campus layers. This agile, phased, and actionable framework not only charts a clear path to Net Zero Carbon but also supports business needs while creating vibrant, distinctive campus environments that everyone can enjoy.
Our strategy is built around 8 themes:
1) People and placemaking
2) Resizing and reshaping campuses
3) Retaining and repurposing existing building
4) Creating Net Zero-ready facilities
5) Urban greening
6) Connecting campuses
7) Zero carbon energy infrastructure
8) Investing in smart infrastructure
Each layer offers a clear, scenario-based plan for where your campus stands today and how to transform it for tomorrow. Backed by real-life project successes and compelling animations, this strategy shows exactly how to bring each theme to life.
For instance, a campus might struggle with defining the barriers and opportunities within its current assets. High-energy buildings and steep running costs can make the path to net zero seem unclear. Our “Let’s Decarbonise” strategy cuts through this confusion, laying out the exact steps needed to assess existing buildings and spaces, setting clear performance targets for reducing operational and embodied carbon.
Universities are at the forefront of the global fight for net-zero emissions. Their impact goes far beyond their own campuses—they are catalysts for change through groundbreaking research, education, and community engagement. By leading the way in climate innovation and forging powerful collaborations, universities have the potential to reshape our world.
However, the price tag for achieving net zero across the entire higher education sector is estimated at more than £37 billion, according to "The Cost of Net Zero," a report by the Association of University Directors of Estates (AUDE).
For years, Higher Education Providers (HEPs) and Further Education colleges grappled with one pressing question: “What will it really take to reach a net-zero carbon future?”
Previously, universities and colleges were flying blind when it came to the true cost of achieving net-zero carbon. Without a clear estimate, it was nearly impossible to integrate long-term sustainability into financial and strategic plans, let alone execute the projects that require decisive action and solid funding.
Now, with insights from the new Cost of Net Zero Calculator and BDP’s comprehensive strategy, institutions finally have the tools they need to secure the investment funding critical to tackling climate change head-on. This is the moment to break down barriers and drive the actions necessary to make a real impact.
Let’s work together.
Let’s Decarbonise.