Environmental data
We’re committed to reporting our performance relating to sustainability publicly and transparently.
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* 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 Gross (kgCO2e) 31,945,444 26,265,981 22,530,886 24,529,410 27,971,130 Net (kgCO2e) 31,945,444 26,265,981 22,530,886 17,252,000 17,090,000 Reduction from baseline (2018/19) (%) 00.00 17.71 37.04 37.63 40.59 *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.
2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 M² internal space 539,787 541,966 540,037 541,216 516,434 Emissions per/m² (kgCO2e) 59 48 42 32* 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.
2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 Total Income (£) 691,755,000 715,700,000 737,556,000 744,013,000 822,397,000 Emissions per/£ income (kgCO2e) 0.046 0.037 0.031 0.023* 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.
2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 Total Students FTE 25,665 26,175 26,455 27,160 30,129 Total Staff FTE 6625 6845 7200 7020 7,950 Total Headcount 32,290 33,020 33,655 34,180 38,079 Emissions per head of campus population (kgCO2e) 989 795 669 504* 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)
2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 Business Services 26,012 33,450 16,779 35,900 Paper products 232 152 492 604 Other manufactured products 6,477 4,657 4,329 8,377 Manufactured Fuels 178 199 197 343 Food and catering 2,420 1,590 458 1,071 Information and communication 19,783 16,367 20,708 25,709 Medical and precision instruments 50,430 35,738 47,489 55,743 Other procurement 580 469 282 598 Construction (Category 2) 21,448 12,134 9,587 21,934 Annual Total 127,560 104,756 100,320 149,842 - Category 6: Staff and Student Commuting
Staff commuting emissions (tonnes of CO2e)
2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 Tram 56 56 181 181 - Train 141 141 63 63 - Bus 186 186 353 353 - Car 2,355 2,335 1,635 1,635 - Total 2,738 2,718 2,232 2,232 - Student commuting emissions (tonnes of CO2e)
2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 Tram 186 186 21 21 - Train 533 533 363 363 - Bus 161 161 439 439 - Car 1,759 1,759 1,128 1,128 - Total 2,639 2,639 1,951 1,951
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.
2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 Non-residential waste 1,950 3,706 1,325 1,089 1,514 Residential waste 583 705 434 523 530 Other works waste 34,036 67,068 1,796 3,113 671 Total 36,570 71,480 3,556 4,727 2,715 - 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.
2017/18 2018/19* 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 Recycled 717 669 381 371 483 Composted 72 75 79 113 108 Anaerobic digestion 113 103 47 34 50 Energy recovery 941 1,199 739 498 793 Landfilled 84 1,623 51 25 28 Incinerated without energy recovery 21 35 48 26 52 Total waste generated 1,950 3,706 1,325 1,089 1,514 Performance (tonnes)
2017/18 2018/19* 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 Total waste generated 1,950 3,706 1,347 1,069 1,514 Total recycled / recovered 1,844 2,047 1,247 1,018 1,434 Total disposed of to landfill or without energy recovery 105 1,658 99 51 70 Percentage of waste recycled / recovered 94.6% 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.
2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 Recycled 197 241 137 162 152 Anaerobic digestion 17 28 20 16 26 Energy recovery 370 437 277 345 352 Total waste generated 583.3 706 434.3 523 530
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.
2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 Number of Active BetterPoints App Users 1,782 1,014 1,349 1,448 Total CO2 avoided (tonnes of CO2e) 331 150 249 394 Bus Distance (miles) 113,564 47,696 149,095 262,789 Walk Distance (miles) 486,458 267,185 411,229 611,898 Cycle Distance (miles) 148,824 67,428 90,247 137,748 Tram Distance (miles) 22,281 6,428 25,206 57,191 Train Distance (miles) 234,957 100,030 382,375 636,752 Run Distance (miles) 45,324 25,373 27,709 36,611 - Support for cycling
Cycle parking spaces
We’re continuing to add secure cycle storage to our campus, such as our secure cycle hub.
2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 2,200 2,609 2,609 2,609 2,683 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.
2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 693 782 417 297 472 - Electric vehicle charging points
Electric vehicle charging points
2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 18 22 29 32 56 - 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.
2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 Total fleet 73 73 56 52 Electric and hybrid 25 31 28 29 Percent of total 34% 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.
2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 Non- residential (m³) 313,246 295,305 247,484 193,842 225,378 Residential (m³) 168,963 138,434 151,667 178,965 193,516 Total (m³) 482,209 433,739 399,151 372,808 418,894 Water consumption per head of campus population
2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 Total Students FTE 25,665 26,175 26,455 27,160 30,129 Total Staff FTE 6625 6845 7200 7020 7,950 Total Headcount 32,290 33,020 33,655 34,180 38,079 Water consumption per head of campus population (litres per person per year) 15,026 13,135 11,860 10,907 11,000 Water consumption per head of campus population (litres per person per day) 41 36 32 30 30