Green Portsmouth

Targets and statistics

The University of Portsmouth provides a higher education service to its customers. To deliver this service requires a range of building types and support services which all consume energy to varying degrees, require fleet vehicle support, produce waste and use water. All this activity produces carbon emissions which have been steadily rising as the University continues to grow.

Between academic years 2005/6 and 2009/10 alone carbon emissions rose by 10% from 15,620 to 17,181 tonnes. The focus of the Carbon Management Plan is to reverse that trend and achieve absolute carbon emission reductions. It is also a good housekeeping plan – efficiencies will be made and costs reduced in the process.

For a full explanation of our targets and our planned activities read the Carbon Management Plan (.pdf).

The University measures all consumption levels including electricity, gas, water and waste. The Green Building Challenge encourages staff to reduce these levels, and therefore the associated carbon emissions, in their buildings.

Recycling rates are calculated by weight - our contractor weighs the recycling and general waste bins before emptying them.  We add the weights of the general waste and the recycling together, and divide by the recycling weight, giving us the percentage recycled.