It will also house the triple-crown accredited Aston Business School, the Aston Business Hub, and the Aston Integrated Healthcare Hub.
The new Green Energy Centre powered by new generation sustainable technologies will accelerate Aston University’s Net Zero emission timeline to 2028, two years ahead of the original, ambitious target. The Centre will also serve as a living lab supporting cutting-edge research and education in sustainable technologies.
Scope 1 and 2 emissions will be reduced by over 90 per cent from the 2005/06 baseline as a result of moving away from fossil fuels used in the University’s district heating and electricity network. Furthermore, the project includes the decommissioning of gas boilers currently used in the Energy and Bioproducts Research Institute (EBRI) and the Aston Day Hospital buildings as well as energy efficiency projects in several other high-traffic buildings across the campus.
The centre will be future-proofed, with a Zero Carbon 10 MW capacity Energy Centre (the current demand is 8.2 MW), allowing Aston University to grow sustainably.
“The ambitious Aston University 2030 sustainability strategy is being realised by establishing the new Green Energy Centre that will enable the University to reach Net Zero Carbon by 2028, two years ahead of our plan” said Professor Aleks Subic, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Aston University. “This transformational initiative demonstrates in action a model for how universities can drive environmental innovation while creating spaces where people and ideas flourish. Every breath we take will be cleaner, every space on our campus healthier for the Aston team, students, partners, and community.”
Salix’s role is to support the UK government in driving the transition to a low carbon future and meet challenging net zero targets. It delivers and administers grant and loan funding on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the Department for Education and the Scottish and Welsh governments. This is delivered across the public sector as well as housing.
“We have no time to waste when addressing climate change and, at Aston, we can see the vision to create not only a healthier environment in which to work and study but a campus that is well set up for the future” added Director of Public Sector Decarbonisation at Salix, Ian Rodger. “The schemes we deliver provide funding for energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation projects for public sector buildings as well as the housing sector. Our schemes are dedicated to reducing carbon emissions and supporting the government’s ambitious net zero targets. These programmes include the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, Home Upgrade Grant, the Low Carbon Skills Fund and Scotland’s Public Sector Heat Decarbonisation Fund. We also play an important role in increasing awareness of energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation across the public sector throughout the UK. Our teams work closely with the public sector organisations throughout their decarbonisation journey, from the moment a grant is allocated to the moment the scheme is fully operational.
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