The University recognises the performance in operation, of the vast majority of our buildings, requires close working between the estates' projects team and maintenance staff in order to help us rise to the challenge of meeting our carbon targets.
We aim to provide spaces that enable health, wellbeing and productivity for all our students and staff and have a development and construction policy developed from the Green Building Council delivering better performance review. In line with the net Zero Carbon targets by 2030 will develop a Sustainable Construction Specification by April 2021.
We will continue to work with students to help us match their needs to our requirements, utilising estates/curriculum projects where ever possible.
Redundant retail to dynamic art
SKA Gold refurbishment of a listed building
The Art House has brought to life one of Worcester's most iconic buildings making it accessible, efficient and improving the well-being of its users. Constructed in 1939 as the first car showroom for Lord Austin of Austin Motors, the north facing rooflights makes it a most suitable venue for its new purposes providing a magnificent facility for art and design students and community creative projects. It is a centre for children’s creative camps as well as a magnificent space for the University’s many art and illustration students. Highly commended Green Gown 2019 Campus of the Future.
Construction and refurbishment targets
Construction and refurbishment SMART targets for 2021/22
- All new build projects designed to achieve a DEC B rating or above and refurbishment projects to achieve a C as a minimum, but aim for B
- Where feasible all new build projects should be designed to meet average water consumption targets of 1.35m3/m2 per m2 of the GIA for residential and 0.71m3/m2 per m2 of the GIA for non-residential
We are working with our construction supply chain to help them map the manufacturing locations of university suppliers and have added in key performance indicators as the start of this process in both smaller contracts and £1m plus contracts. We have targeted this supply chain because of its relatively high value to begin this work.
Some examples of how are we going to achieve this target?
- Review the construction and refurbishment strategy to ensure it aligns with the new sustainability strategy and net carbon neutral target by December 2021.
- Ensure renewable energy sources to a minimum of 15% in all new build projects and where feasible for refurbishments over 1,000sqm
- Refurbishment projects over 1000m2 implement RCIS SKA assessment rating for all refurbishment projects aiming for Gold
DEC ratings
View our current display energy certificate (DEC) ratings.
All tenderers for new projects are made aware of these objectives and the University’s commitment to sustainability. They are referred to the institution’s Sustainability Construction and Refurbishment Policy and relevant strategies (energy, water, transport waste and biodiversity) and targets.
Download our full current qualitative and quantitative targets and progress against targets from Carbon Management & Targets page.
