IN A tucked-away building on the University of Bradford campus is a wall full of framed certificates.

Too numerous to read in one sitting, they have one thing in common: they are all awards for energy saving and sustainability.

One names the university as Building Performance Champion for its Ecoversity programme, delivered at the prestigious Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) Building Performance Awards - the second time it has won.

Its department of estates and facilities triumphed due to work on the university’s ageing infrastructure - reducing its carbon footprint by 35 per cent and becoming the only university in the world to maintain three ‘BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) ‘outstanding’ rated buildings in its portfolio.

A judge sums up the efforts of the university - which is 50 years old this year - with the words: ‘This is an inspirational example for others to follow. This entry was really exceptional and blew others out of the water.’

Ecoversity is the University of Bradford’s visionary programme of embedding sustainable development across everything it does.

“We have one of the most ambitious carbon emissions strategies,” says Mark Wrigley, the institution’s engineering team manager. “Three to four years ago we committed to reducing carbon emission targets by 50 per cent by 2020. We are combining a number of projects to achieve this by August this year, to celebrate our 50th anniversary.”

One of the key projects has been the introduction in 2015 of a combined heat and power plant, forming part of the main energy centre for the city campus, replacing an aged steam plant and saving £200,000 every year.

Another is lighting - a rolling plan to replace lamps to more efficient LED fittings is ongoing.

“We are looking at the wider strategy for the estate and introducing energy-saving measures,” adds. Mark.

Between 60 and 70 per cent of the university’s energy is self-generated. “We have produced a lot of energy ourselves with on-site generation,” says energy officer Lyn Ha.

Four buildings - the JB Priestley Library, the Phoenix North-East building, the Students’ Union base Student Central, and the campus’ new health and wellbeing centre - make up what is known as the ‘energy quarter’. Energy-saving additions include photovoltaic panels to capture the sun’s warmth and a central biomass - woodchip fuelled - boiler in the Richmond Building.

A high-tech building management system allows staff to remotely monitor the system, which forms part of the university’s off-grid strategy. “We currently export some electricity, providing an income stream,” says Mark.

The library’s Display Energy Certificate (DEC) was raised from a ‘G’ to an ‘A’, following a cash injection from the Revolving Green Fund (RGF), a partnership fund between the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and Salix Finance, which provides interest-free Government funding to the public sector to improve their energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions and lower energy costs. Additional measures also helped to improve the rating.

“It was built in 1973 using poor construction methods,” explains head of estates Russell Smith. “It was dark and dingy with single glazing. We opened it up and naturally ventilated it. Use of the library has since increased.”

The library - which currently has a ‘C’ rating due to increased use of heating and electricity - is lauded as a case study by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) which carries out research and testing within the construction industry.

Students can monitor energy usage on displays in hall-of-residence kitchens.

Recycling streams ensure that no waste goes to landfill, electric vehicle charging points and incentives to car share or cycle to the university are among the many other areas that contribute to the university’s impressive green credentials.

“Around 85 per cent of our waste goes for reprocessing and the remainder is turned into energy,” says environmental compliance and programme manager Ben Tongue. “The most significant recent development is around transport, with a big push on ‘active travel’, such as cycling.”

Students can monitor energy usage on displays in hall-of-residence kitchens.

On top of energy saving measures - part of the institution’s Ecoversity programme - the university’s grounds team grow between 60 and 70 edible plants including artichokes, herbs, corn-on-the-cob and fruits such as raspberries and rhubarb. “People in the community come and pick them,” says Lyn.

A number of beehives have been installed on the campus, managed by volunteer staff and student beekeepers.

The university’s Smart Move Travel website has lots of useful information for staff and students about sustainable travel.

Energy saving is at the heart of many aspects of university life.

“We hold awareness events among students and staff every year,” adds Ben. “It is a team effort.”