The University of Manchester, United Kingdom

Zero carbon without a net

Adopting a zero carbon target is one thing.  Achieving it is another.  Where to start?  In two years we’ve gone from having a “true zero not net zero” target without a plan to having a timeline of what needs doing, when, an estimate of cost, and sector-leading funding to kick things off.  This “what, when, how much?” approach has brought the target to life for everyone from engineers to the Board of Governors.

We’ve secured nearly £140m of internal funding and scored three big wins from external sources.  We’re now beyond strategizing and into delivery, with our first air-source heat pump-only building ready soon, and much more to come.  Is this ambitious project fully funded?  No.  Are we on schedule to stay within our carbon budget? Sadly not. But we have a clear plan of what we need to do to achieve a sustainable, better campus.

Top 3 Learnings

1. Don’t assume that everyone immediately gets why decarbonisation is so important.
2. Keep it simple, ditch the jargon. People just want to know how it affects them.
3. Big financial estimates are scary at first, then focus the mind.