Keele University

IT’s Sustainable!: How Keele University are making their IT services more environmentally sustainable and responding to the Climate Emergency

Information & Digital Services (IDS) at Keele includes the IT and Library teams, whose operations have historically created a large carbon footprint through power consumption as well as heating and lighting our buildings for their extensive opening hours. Alongside the wider University, IDS is looking to embed sustainability in all that we do, make our technical infrastructure fit for the future and also meet Keele’s 2030 carbon neutral target.

Part of our services are provided by two data centres, which consume nearly 300kW of power per year between them. We are now powering these data centres through renewable energy, and our Digital Society Institute (launching later in 2022) will be home to state-of-the-art technology and a new data centre powered by renewable energy generated at our on-campus Low Carbon Energy Generation Park, home to 2 wind turbines, 12,500 photo-voltaic panels and an industrial-sized battery for energy storage.

Annual carbon savings achieved with the initiative:

• CO2t savings 2021/2022: 50 tonnes CO2e (Estimated)

Top 3 Learnings

1. Engage and collaborate with key stakeholders as early as possible, including students.
2. Purchasing new standard equipment rather than the latest technology can still achieve sustainable goals.
3. Make your supply chain aware of your goals and involve them in your early discussions.