Saving energy
Meeting the highest standards of efficiency for energy and utility use is a key aspiration in Te Rautaki Tūāpapa | Estate Strategy 2021-2030.
The University saves energy by including energy-efficient operating plant, lighting and equipment in our buildings, by using motion and light sensors, by encouraging staff and students to turn off lights and equipment when not in use, and by enabling energy saving defaults/sleep modes on computing and other equipment.
Our Campus Environment division operates an energy management programme aligned with ISO 50001. We also have a dedicated Energy Management team who focus on optimising building systems, identifying energy wastage and reducing energy consumption.
Key energy statistics for 2024
| Energy | 2019 quantity (kWh) | 2024 quantity (kWh) | % change since baseline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total electricity and natural gas consumption | 97,415,280 | 96,961,538 | -0.5% |
| Electricity | 2019 quantity (kWh) | 2024 quantity (kWh) | % change since baseline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total electricity consumption | 70,987,977 | 75,598,953 | 6% |
| Toitū carbonzero certified electricity | 808,493 | 49,948,763 | 6078% |
| Other electricity | 70,179,484 | 25,567,479 | -64% |
| Onsite renewable | - | 82,710 | N/A |
| Natural gas | 2019 quantity (kWh) | 2024 quantity (kWh) | % change since baseline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total natural gas consumption | 26,427,303 | 21,362,586 | -19% |
| 2024 consumption breakdown | Accommodation buildings | Other buildings |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity | 16% of total | 84% of total |
| Natural gas | 25% of total | 75% of total |
In 2024, the University consumed just under 97 million kilowatt hours of energy in the form of electricity or natural gas. The overall consumption of electricity was 6% above the 2019 baseline, while the consumption of reticulated natural gas was 19% lower. Accommodation buildings account for 16% of the total electricity and 25% of the total natural gas consumption.
The University supported renewable energy supply by purchasing the majority of its electricity from carbonzero certified sources (66%), alongside renewable energy certificates equivalent to the quantity of electricity consumed from other sources. In October, the University completed its full transition to 100% carbonzero certified sources. 2024 also marked the launch of onsite solar generation at our B201 building.
Energy efficient renovation and building
Our new Sustainable Design and Delivery Guidelines, published in 2024, emphasise the following for energy:
- Phase out fossil fuels and prioritise renewable energy sources for all projects.
- Assess and report on the suitability of solar domestic hot water, photovoltaic cells, wind turbines, geothermal heat pumps and installations to harness renewable or low emissions energy.
- Develop whole-project energy models to inform design, provide input to lifecycle cost analysis, and assist with cost analysis and carbon projections. Models must include scenarios of key variables (e.g., fluctuations in temperature, occupancy and hours of operations) and the feasibility of effective metering technology.
- Include building envelope related improvements to reduce energy demand, increase thermal comfort, maximise daylight and views and address glare.
- Set stringent energy efficiency standards for all mechanical and electrical systems, ensuring they exceed local building codes and are in line with international best practice.
Upgrading buildings to higher energy efficiency
The University has a rolling refurbishment programme focused on progressively upgrading spaces that are not incorporated within any larger capital projects. Energy efficiency measures are part of this programme, and may include the replacement of pumps, installation of LED lighting and lighting control systems, and the modification of chillers. Decarbonisation is also embedded in these refurbishments, as we progressively swap out gas boilers for electric boilers.
Energy wastage identification
The University’s Technical Services team in Facilities Management conduct periodic energy reviews to understand energy wastage. These are often conducted within building tuning projects – a systematic process of detecting and correcting operational issues to enable a building’s systems to function at peak efficiency.
After hours reviews are particularly useful for identifying energy wastage. These involve Technical Services staff walking around a facility at nighttime, accompanied by the building manager. The goal is to detect which lighting and equipment is switched on unnecessarily, and if heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems are operating when they are not needed. These reviews culminate in recommendations for changes to equipment settings and/or occupants’ routines to minimise after hours wastage, improve asset life, and reduce reactive maintenance.
On average, six after hours reviews are conducted each year. The largest and most energy-intensive buildings are prioritised, as changes to these are the most impactful.
The University’s new energy management analytics software has advanced capabilities in conducting energy reviews and identifying anomalies in electricity, gas, and water consumption data from our extensive metering. On a daily basis, the Technical Services team receive alerts about the most noteworthy consumption anomalies, helping to prioritise investigations into the causes of these deviations.
Reducing energy consumption
Our plan to reduce energy consumption (2021-2030) includes a range of initiatives.
- Phase one, now complete, involved establishing an energy management platform.
- Phase two, in progress, involves human-led building tuning projects and after-hours reviews, raising awareness of energy data amongst key stakeholders through a regular reporting cycle, and raising awareness of energy wasting activities and energy saving tips amongst staff.
- Phase three will involve exploring the potential use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to assist with building tuning initiatives.
Sourcing carbonzero electricity
The University is committed to engaging and influencing suppliers to improve the carbon performance of the energy required for its activities. In October 2023, the University increased the portion of certified carbonzero electricity supply to 57%, and utilised Renewable Energy Certificates on the remaining procured electricity. As of October 2024, 100% of our electricity is sourced from Toitū carbonzero certified suppliers. This formally expresses our commitment to clean energy and supporting the phasing out of fossil fuel use in electricity generation in Aotearoa.
What you can do
- Turn off the lights if you're going to leave an unoccupied office for more than 10 minutes.
- Switch off lights in other areas when you can see that they are not needed.
- Turn off computer screens that are not in use.
- When you're leaving for the day, turn both your personal computer and your screen off.
- Be mindful when you book spaces and cancel these when you no longer require them.
- Make sure that energy-saving modes are operating on all types of electronic equipment.
- If you're the last to leave the office, turn off lights, printers and photocopiers.
- Report faulty and energy intensive equipment by filling out a maintenance request.