The challenge

Committed to reducing its environmental impacts, the university has a Carbon Management Plan (CMP) in place with an aim to reduce carbon emissions by 35% by 2015/16 and 45% by 2019/20, compared with a 2008/9 baseline.

In order to help implement the CMP, the university asked Lucideon to certify its Energy Management System (EnMS) to the international energy management standard, ISO 50001.

What we delivered

Lucideon has worked extensively with the education sector to provide sustainability assurance and to certify management systems. The comprehensive ISO 50001 assessment process is conducted in a rigorous but fair manner, providing a basis for continual improvement of energy performance; a demand of the standard.

Lucideon carried out assessments across the university’s four locations during the initial assessment. The facilities for undergraduate and postgraduate research and teaching include a combination of offices, lecture rooms, labs and kitchens and encompass the work environments of approximately 4,000 staff and 17,000 students.

Value to the client

Certification from an international recognised body is seen as an attractive option for environmentally minded students making their choice of university.

By achieving certification in Spring 2015, the University of Reading has not only improved its brand and reputation, but has also shown its commitment to robust and sustained energy and water management practices and to continual improvement in energy performance, as stated in their Energy & Water Policy.

Tim Watts, Operations Manager, Assurance, Lucideon says:

"With rising energy costs, proactive energy management is a necessity for any university these days. As well as helping to manage energy better, focusing on this area also leads to environmental benefits as well, such as the reduction of carbon emissions.

"The University of Reading has done an impressive job in implementing an Energy Management System and this structured approach to energy management will significantly assist them in maintaining progress towards achieving their carbon emission reduction targets by the chosen deadlines."

Dan Fernbank, Energy Manager at University of Reading says:

"Certifying our energy management systems to the international ISO 50001 Energy Management standard recognises how far we have come in recent years in managing our energy consumption and carbon emissions. Crucially, it also means we can be confident in the systems we have in place to further improve in the future."