University announces plans to decarbonise the Energy Centre at Birley Fields

Manchester Met is making a significant stride towards a more sustainable future, with plans to decarbonise the Energy Centre at Birley Fields. 

This ambitious project is a crucial step in our commitment to meet carbon reduction targets and contribute to the fight against climate change.

The Birley Energy Centre provides heating and electricity to various campus buildings and halls of residences. This project’s primary focus is to transition the Energy Centre from gas-fired heat generation to electric heat pumps, which will drastically reduce carbon emissions across campus and improve air quality.

The project will include several key areas, including transitioning to renewable energy sources, reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, substantially cutting our carbon emissions and creating more green jobs.

The work will also improve the resilience of the Birley Energy Centre, delivering more reliable and secure heating and hot water across the campus and to students in halls of residence.

Overall, the project will reduce our gas use by 27%*, delivering an estimated carbon emission saving of 800 tonnes in the first year. This will increase to more than 1,500 tonnes in the future as the electricity supply decarbonises. 

Work has already begun on this project, highlighting our dedication to sustainability and environmental responsibility, outlined in our Leadership in Sustainability Strategy 2022 - 2026. The University aims to achieve a net-zero carbon footprint by 2038, well ahead of the UK’s national target for 2050.

Damion Shaw, Assistant Director for Facilities Management and Sustainability at Manchester Metropolitan University, said:

“As a leading top three sustainable University for the last 10 years (People and Planet University League), it is our responsibility to play a key role in addressing the climate crisis. The decarbonisation of our Energy Centre is a major step towards our carbon reduction goals and demonstrates our ambition to our students, staff, and the wider community.

“Sustainability is core to all that we do at Manchester Met. These works serve as a testament to the growing global movement to combat climate change and underscore the vital role that educational institutions play in leading the way towards a more environmentally responsible future.

“As the decarbonisation project takes shape, it will likely serve as a model for other universities and organisations looking to make a positive impact on the environment.”

In 2022, Manchester Met committed to delivering a pipeline of green skills that will prepare students for future careers when ‘all jobs will be green jobs.’ We also helped to launch the North West Net Zero Skills Charter to help businesses harness new net zero opportunities for the benefit of communities and people across the region.  

Read more about Manchester Met’s Carbon Management Plans and zero carbon commitment. 

Visit our website to find out more about our sustainable University. 

The project is due to complete in December 2024.