In December, we encouraged the UoN community to switch off building equipment over the Christmas closure period (21 December–2 January) to reduce electricity use, minimize carbon emissions, and cut costs.
Although overall electricity consumption across the estate increased compared to the previous year, several buildings achieved impressive reductions, proving that your actions truly make a difference. Notable achievements:
- Bonington’s Farm Shop and Café at Sutton Bonington led with a 25% drop in electricity use, earning the crown for the biggest percentage reduction during the festive period.
- The Physics building reduced energy use by 23,437 kWh.
Here are the top 20 buildings with the highest energy reductions compared to last year’s shutdown.
Thank you to everyone who took part in the challenge. Your sustainable choices — powering down equipment, shutting windows, and encouraging others — really do matter.
Let’s keep the momentum going
The challenge doesn’t end here. Please continue with these energy-saving practices and together we can achieve even greater sustainability goals. The Sustainability Team is here to help with advice, posters, stickers, and resources to support your efforts.
More on what you can do
Posted on Monday 27th January 2025