Environmental data

We’re committed to reporting our performance relating to sustainability publicly and transparently.

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We report our data voluntarily to the HESA Estates Management Record. This data is reported without context and it can be difficult to assess universities’ performance without factors such as size, research intensity, construction activity and student accommodation ownership being taken into account.

The data reported below includes our HESA submission, but also additional information to help contextualise figures in the activity of the University.

Scopes 1 and 2 carbon emissions

Scope 1 emissions are those that we are directly responsible for, for example the emissions from our fleet of University vehicles and the gas we use in our boilers for heating buildings. Scope 2 emissions are mainly those produced through the generation of the electricity we use on campus.

Scopes 1 and 2 emissions are usually reported together.

Total emissions

Reporting through the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) requires the use of gross emissions using UK grid average carbon intensity.

Because the University purchases 100% renewable electricity, the gross (ie, grid-average) figures do not accurately portray the carbon intensity of our electricity supply. The net figures therefore highlight the contract-specific emissions associated with the University’s procured electricity. Over time (from when the contracts started in 2020), the gross and net figures reported will diverge so we include both figures to show the impact of our electricity purchasing choice on our carbon emissions.  

 2017-18*2018-192019-202020-212021-22
Gross (kgCO2e)31,945,44426,265,98122,530,88624,529,41027,971,130
Net (kgCO2e)31,945,44426,265,98122,530,88617,252,00017,090,000
Reduction from baseline (2018/19) (%)00.0017.7137.0437.6340.59

*Baseline year 

Emissions per/m­­²

The University’s internal floor space has grown in recent years, but our emissions per/m­² continue to be one of the lowest in the Russell Group.

 2017/182018/192019/202020/212021/22
M­­² internal space539,787541,966540,037541,216516,434
Emissions per/m­² (kgCO2e)59484232*33*

*Calculated using Net carbon emissions, to reflect the University's renewable electricity supply.

Emissions per/£ income

The University’s research and teaching activities have continued to grow, but our emissions have fallen even while we are doing more.

 2017/182018/192019/202020/212021/22
Total Income (£)691,755,000715,700,000737,556,000744,013,000822,397,000
Emissions per/£ income (kgCO2e)0.0460.0370.0310.023*0.020*


*Calculated using Net carbon emissions, to reflect the University's renewable electricity supply.

Emissions per person

Our University community continues to grow, but we are emitting less carbon per person.

 2017/182018/192019/202020/212021/22
Total Students FTE25,66526,17526,45527,16030,129
Total Staff FTE66256845720070207,950
Total Headcount32,29033,02033,65534,18038,079
Emissions per head of campus population (kgCO2e)989795669504*449*


*Calculated using Net carbon emissions, to reflect the University's renewable electricity supply.

Scope 3 emissions

Scope 3 emissions are all the other emissions produced indirectly as a result of our activity. There are 15 catagories of Scope 3 emissions identified by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. The University is working to assess and measure these, but does not yet have data for all 15 categories.

Categories 1 and 2: Purchased Goods & Services and Capital Goods

Supply Chain Emissions; Categories 1 and 2 of annual Scope 3 emissions (tonnes of CO2e)
 

 2018/192019/202020/212021/22
Business Services26,01233,45016,77935,900
Paper products232152492604
Other manufactured products6,4774,6574,3298,377
Manufactured Fuels178199197343
Food and catering2,4201,5904581,071
Information and communication19,78316,36720,70825,709
Medical and precision instruments50,43035,73847,48955,743
Other procurement580469282598
Construction (Category 2)21,44812,1349,58721,934
Annual Total127,560104,756100,320149,842
Category 6: Staff and Student Commuting

Staff commuting emissions (tonnes of CO2e)

 2016/172017/182018/192019/202020/21
Tram5656181181-
Train1411416363-
Bus186186353353-
Car2,3552,3351,6351,635-
Total2,7382,7182,2322,232-

Student commuting emissions (tonnes of CO2e)

 2016/172017/182018/192019/202020/21
      
Tram1861862121-
Train533533363363-
Bus161161439439-
Car1,7591,7591,1281,128-
Total2,6392,6391,9511,951

 

Waste and recycling

The University produces a wide variety of waste, from normal office and commercial waste associated with most large organisations, to residential waste at our residences, food waste from our commercial outlets, and hazardous, clinical and radioactive waste related to research. These figures are for waste and disposal by tonnage; for Scope 3 emissions relating to waste, please see above.

Waste totals

Waste by source (tonnes)

We are committed to reducing the amount of waste produced from our activities and increasing the percentage of waste that is reused and recycled.
 
We collect and report on waste produced as a result of University activities holistically:

  • Waste generated directly from our activities, for example waste generated on campus, at the AMRC, and from our commercial activities. Waste generated by the Students Union is also also included in this total.
  • Waste generated indirectly from our activities, for example waste generated from residents at University managed accommodation and the waste generated by our construction activities.
  • Other works waste is waste arising from capital works, for example construction activities. These works can have a large impact on our waste arisings and the years where we have undertaken significant capital construction and refurbishment projects result in a significant increase in waste arisings (for exmaple in 2017/18 and 2018/19). We only report these waste arising in the Other Works category.

We chose to take this approach to reporting as it provides a complete account of our activities and impact.
 

 2017/182018/192019/202020/212021/22
Non-residential waste1,9503,7061,3251,0891,514
Residential waste583705434523530
Other works waste34,03667,0681,7963,113671
Total36,57071,4803,5564,7272,715
Waste disposal

Non-residential waste: direct waste from institutional activities (tonnes)

Our policy is to only send waste to landfill when we are legally obliged, for example asbestos. The table below provides an overview of the organisation’s performance, listed in order of environmental preferability.

 2017/182018/19*2019/202020/212021/22
Recycled717669381371483
Composted727579113108
Anaerobic digestion113103473450
Energy recovery9411,199739498793
Landfilled841,6235125 28
Incinerated without energy recovery 2135482652
Total waste generated1,9503,7061,3251,0891,514

Performance (tonnes)

 2017/182018/19*2019/202020/212021/22
Total waste generated1,9503,7061,3471,0691,514
Total recycled / recovered1,8442,0471,2471,0181,434
Total disposed of to landfill or without energy recovery1051,658995170
Percentage of waste recycled / recovered94.6%55.2%92.6%95.2%94.7%

*In 2018/19 a substantial amount of asbestos was found during a building demolition, which legally has to be sent to landfill. This is why our landfill total for this year is much higher than the long terms average.

Residential waste: indirect waste from student accommodation (tonnes)

The University owns and manages residential accommodation. Our residents are provided with general waste bins, recycling bins and food waste bins, which means all the waste generated by our residents is diverted from landfill. 

 2017/182018/192019/202020/212021/22
Recycled197241137162152
Anaerobic digestion1728201626
Energy recovery370437277345352
Total waste generated583.3706434.3523530

Travel and transport

Commuting emissions avoided

Through our Betterpoints app, we reward staff and students for taking sustainable transport decisions to and around campus. Below is the amount of carbon emissions avoided by app users since its launch in 2019.

 2019/202020/212021/222022/23
Number of Active BetterPoints App Users1,7821,0141,3491,448
Total CO2 avoided (tonnes of CO2e)331150249394
Bus Distance (miles)113,56447,696149,095262,789
Walk Distance (miles)486,458267,185411,229611,898
Cycle Distance (miles)148,82467,42890,247137,748
Tram Distance (miles)22,2816,42825,20657,191
Train Distance (miles)234,957100,030382,375636,752
Run Distance (miles)45,32425,37327,70936,611
Support for cycling 

Cycle parking spaces

We’re continuing to add secure cycle storage to our campus, such as our secure cycle hub.

2017/182018/192019/202020/212021/22
2,2002,6092,6092,6092,683

Cycle Hut use

Our Cycle Hut provides free bike checks and at-cost servicing and repairs for staff and students. Below are the number of repairs and services undertaken each year.

2017/182018/192019/202020/212021/22
693782417297472
Electric vehicle charging points

Electric vehicle charging points

2017/182018/192019/202020/212021/22
1822293256
Fleet

Fleet decarbonisation

We are continuing to decarbonise our fleet through the introduction of electric and hybrid vehicles where possible.

The University operates a number of larger and specialist vehicles, such as tractors, refrigerated units and trucks with tail lifts, which it is currently not possible to replace with electric vehicles. When these vehicles come to the end of their operational life they are being replaced with Euro 6 Class (low emission) vehicles.

As of February 2023, of the 23 vehicles in the fleet not electric or hybrid, 15 have Euro 6 Class engines.

 2019/202020/212021/222022/23
Total fleet73735652
Electric and hybrid25312829
Percent of total34%43%50%56%

 

Water

Water consumption

Total water consumption 

The University of Sheffield owners and operates its own student halls of residence, meaning our total consumption can look higher than comparative institutions which do not own and operate accommodation. Both non-residential (ie offices, labs etc), and residential figures are included here.

 2017/182018/192019/202020/212021/22
Non- residential (m³)313,246295,305247,484193,842225,378
Residential (m³)168,963138,434151,667178,965193,516
Total (m³)482,209433,739399,151372,808418,894

Water consumption per head of campus population

 2017/182018/192019/202020/212021/22
Total Students FTE25,66526,17526,45527,16030,129
Total Staff FTE66256845720070207,950
Total Headcount32,29033,02033,65534,18038,079
Water consumption per head of campus population (litres per person per year)15,02613,13511,86010,90711,000
Water consumption per head of campus population (litres per person per day)4136323030

Our sustainability strategy

We have set the principles and direction for our sustainability strategy