Lancaster Uni bags £21m to decarbonise estate 

The government grant funding will be spent on installing air source heat pumps to supply the university with low-carbon heating and hot water. 

Lancaster University’s £21m decarbonisation scheme is one of five projects to receive a share of £65m from the government’s Green Heat Network Fund. 

The initiative forms part of the government’s push to decarbonise the nation’s housing stock by moving buildings away from more costly fossil fuels, such as oil and gas, to a low-carbon, more efficient energy source that helps to keep bills low and supports the country’s drive to net zero by 2050. 

Lord Callanan, minister for energy efficiency and green finance, said: “The UK is a world leader when it comes to reducing carbon emissions – but we must continue to push the boundaries to reach our net zero goal.  

“I hope other universities can follow Lancaster’s lead by using renewable energy from solar and wind to power this impressive heat network, allowing them to decarbonise their campus.”  

The funding Lancaster University has secured will likely be the envy of other institutions grappling with the issue of sustainability. Decarbonising ageing and often historic estates is considered among the biggest challenges facing universities at present. 

Simon Guy, pro-vice-chancellor of global digital, and international, sustainability at Lancaster University, said: “[The university] aims to be among the best in the world for offering students and staff a sustainable and carbon-neutral campus in which to work and study.  

“Our students want to go out into the world to make a difference – what better start to that ambition than a world-class university education which is mindful of the planet and places sustainability at the heart of its decision-making.”