Jamie Agombar, Ethical & Environmental Manager, NUS Services

Dr Neil Jennings, Coordinator, Student Switch Off

Students in halls – saving energy and changing behaviour

Halls - in terms of carbon

• 2.3 million students (UK HE) • 22% in halls (506,000 bed spaces)• 348,000 HEI / 158,000 private

• Halls on English HEIs £73.5m, 401,315 tCO2 (£250m total, 29.5%)• 1.8 million students (England HE)• Per bed space £185; 1.01 tCO2

• Total UK spend for halls £94m; 513,000 tCO2

Halls - in terms of behaviour

• Of 506,000 bed spaces, 44.5% (225,170) are first year students• Often living away from home for the first time• Virtually all halls charge a fixed rent inclusive of utilities • A lack of incentives; clear disincentive.• Habit discontinuity hypothesis (Verplanken et al., 2008)• Superb opportunity to green UK population!

Five mechanisms of encouraging pro-environmental behaviour

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1) General awareness campaigns

• Stickers by light switches • Freshers packs• Student-targeted media work • In general, informational approaches alone can result in up to 9% cuts in energy use (Maibach et al., 2008)

2) Peer-to-peer encouragement

• Environmental student champions• Student ambassador scheme at the University of Bradford• Student environment rep’s at Durham University • Student green rep scheme at Leeds University• University of Manchester / Global Action Plan • In general, social and persuasive approaches have been shown to be reasonably effective in producing behaviour change in relation to environmental issues (Gardner & Stern, 2002)

3) Low-carbon buildings and energy-efficient halls of residence

• Motivational effect of a low-carbon University / energy efficient halls of residence• Loughborough University halls survey 2004 • Ecohalls managed by UPP at Lancaster University

4) Comparative and competitive approaches

• Comparative feedback is an effective tool to motivate employees to become more energy efficient (e.g., Siero et al., 1989)• Competitive element• Halls competitions embrace both• Students do a lot for little• About 10 examples:

- Loughborough University (party - 5%)- University of Bath (beer and curry - 10%)- University of St Andrews (cash - up to 20%)

• Student Switch Off (prizes - 9%)

5) Financial incentives

• Financial prizes through inter-hall competitions (University of the West of England)• Returnable energy deposits if students within blocks use less than a pre-determined amount of energy (Sheffield Hallam University; Unipol)• Separately-metering individual student rooms and charging students for the energy they use (University of Sunderland - 35%)

Defra action based research project

• £106k project starting this summer• Reporting December 2010• A series of controlled interventions• Straddles two academic years• Understand barriers and motivators• Wider policy context• Very useful for HEI sector, and internationally

Interventions: 1. General awareness campaigns - Durham University2. Peer-to-peer encouragement - Leeds University 3. Low-carbon University / energy efficient halls -

Lancaster University 4. Comparative and competitive - University of Bradford 5. Financial incentives - University of the West of England

The Challenge

• Competition to see which Hall of Residence can reduce their energy usage by the greatest amount.

• Incentives for energy-efficient behaviour at individual and communal level.

• Building on existing social relationships, peer-to-peer communications, rivalries and communities.

Overview

Success to date

• Average of 8.9% reduction in electricity usage across 11 Universities in 2008/09.

• Over 680 tonnes of CO2 kept out of the atmosphere.

• Over £115,000 in energy savings.

• Over 4,950 students signed up as Eco-Power Rangers (15.3% of those in halls)…..

The Eco-Power Rangers

Peer-to-peer communication

“I just wanted to e-mail to let you know that Tom Smith has really really inspired me to switch off everything! ... I read his little e-mail about switching off and from that moment on I really honestly and truly think about turning stuff off! I turn of my charger, my lights and my computer when I leave my room. He is also really good at gently reminding everyone when they forget!”

Ruth Fehilly, University of Bristol

Measurement

Expansion for 2009/10

• At least 14 new Universities in England

• It could be you!

• University contribution in 2008/09 of £1.00 per student living in halls

• 2008/09 average saving of £4.00 per student to date!

Questions / discussion

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