Archive for category: Estate Services

New electrically powered heat pumps at the Brownlee Centre are being switched on as the University ramps up activity to support its net zero goals.

The new pumps replace the previous wood pellet and oil boilers and are the final step towards electrifying the Brownlee Centre and the rest of the Bodington complex.

The installation of the pumps means that the centre, along with the rest of the Bodington complex, are now fully electrified.

Work on the site has been ongoing throughout 2024, as part of collaborative net zero work between Sustainability and Estates.

The move from the previous primary heat sources to an all-electric heat pump solution will save the University around 58,850Kg and 2,610Kg of direct and indirect CO2 per year, respectively.

The project is part of the university’s Net Zero Delivery Plan, which sets out how we will deliver reductions of more than 35,000 tonnes of CO2e per year by 2030.

The bulk of emissions reductions will be driven through changes to the way we heat and power our buildings.

This requires changes to our building infrastructure to reduce the amount of energy that we use and ensure that the energy we do use is from renewable sources.

The Estates team’s engineering section have worked with specialists VWG Group to complete the project since February this year.

A successful funding application by the team to the Government’s Salix fund was also key in delivering the project.

Salix is a government-owned organisation that delivers funding schemes to help the public sector reduce their carbon emissions in line with the UK’s 2050 net zero target.

David Oldroyd, Interim Deputy Director of Development said: “This major work is an important step towards us significantly reducing annual emissions from our estate.

“Several more projects are already underway, with more planned, that will enable us to reach the targets outlined in the Net Zero Delivery Plan.

“Thanks to our contractors, VWG Group, who worked efficiently and quickly to get this work completed before the start of the new academic year.”

Staff and students can find out more about our Net Zero Delivery Plan, and what they can do to support the Climate Plan, at the Climate Plan Sharepoint Hub (University login required).

As the weather finally changes for the better, you might be thinking of ditching the car, getting into the fresh air and cycling onto campus this summer.

A bike is a great way to get around the University, however it’s worth remembering that warmer weather tends to lead to an increase in bike thefts across the country and, in Leeds, it’s no different.

Before you bring your bike onto campus, make sure you’ve followed these simple steps from Security Services to keep your property safe.

Buy D-locks and lock your bike properly

If you have a bike already, you likely have a bike lock. Sadly, not all locks are made equal, and it only takes seconds to cut through some – especially wire, chain or poor-quality versions.

Discounted D-locks and lights are sold at the Bike Hub and the Security office. You can find the Security office at 175 Woodhouse Lane, about two minutes’ walk from Laidlaw Library. The Bike Hub is located on the lower level between the EC Stoner and Roger Stevens buildings.

Make sure you lock through the frame of the bike and quick release wheels, and always lock your bike to something solid and secure, ideally a bike rack, and never just around the bike itself. Ideally, use more than one D-lock or another type of lock – this really does help to slow down thieves and give staff from Security Services more time to intercept them

Make sure you try to lock your bike in a busy, well-lit area so anyone trying to interfere with it will be spotted. Our campus has plenty of bike racks – there’s one in front of every building. Here’s a handy map of where bike racks are located around campus.

We generally recommend buying a sold secure tested lock, and if your bike is more expensive, it’s generally a good idea to buy a higher quality of lock.

Register your bike on BikeRegister

To give yourself peace of mind, make sure you register your bike on the BikeRegister national database.

Once you’ve registered, Security Services will mark it with a National Cycle Database kit free of charge, so that it can be easily identified if lost or stolen.

BikeRegister drop-ins take place at the Security office, on Monday to Friday, from 10am to 2pm, where the Security team can help you to register and mark your bike.

You can also book an appointment in advance.

Other tips to follow

• Make sure you’ve got your bike insured, either as specific cycle insurance or as a listed item under home/contents insurance.
• Write your postcode and house number on the frame of your bike with an ultraviolet pen.
• Always try and lock your bike in a busy, well-lit area so anyone trying to interfere with it will be spotted. Here’s a handy map of where bike racks are located around campus.
• Don’t leave removable items such as lights, saddle bags or panniers on your bike when you leave it.

What to do if you see something suspicious

If you notice anything suspicious on campus or University property including Halls of Residences, then contact Security Services or report it on the SafeZone app.

And if you witness a crime, or are unlucky enough to be a victim of crime, report it both to the police and the University’s Security Services.

Happy cycling this summer!

Find out more about Security Services.

Contact the Bike Hub for more information,

A new initiative that celebrates University of Leeds students who have made a difference to campus spaces and university life has been launched.

New green plaques have been unveiled at an event at the Postgraduate Research Lounge and will later be installed at the sites of four campus projects developed following student suggestions and feedback.

Each plaque details the contributions individual students have made towards getting each project off the ground, whether through activism, campaigning or by working with Leeds University Union.

The scheme has been developed by Leeds University Union and the Estates team to recognise the contributions students are making to the future development of campus.

Student-led projects being celebrated include the accessible lift in the Parkinson building, the Postgraduate Research Lounge, the Women in STEM Conference and the common lounge for commuter students.

Ann Allen, Director of Campus Innovation & Development said:

“Our campus is only relevant because of all the amazing things our students and staff undertake here at Leeds. Celebrating the successes through the Green Plaques is so exciting as it makes both people and place relevant.

“As we reshape the campus through Campus re-imagined we want to keep learning from all our University communities to make sure we are achieving our aim of creating amazing spaces on campus that are sustainable, inclusive, and innovative.”

Among the students being recognised is Fareeda Al Wakeel, who studies Medical Engineering at the University. Fareeda initiated the Women in STEM Conference, which celebrates women working in STEM related disciplines.

She said:

“This plaque is a symbol of me being heard and appreciated. This started off as a really small idea. I wondered to myself, ‘why aren’t there more female lecturers on my course teaching me any engineering related module’?

“That created a very nice case for me to go ahead and do something about it. Receiving something like this pushes me to do even better.”

The plaques will be installed later this year.

Catch up on the latest Campus Development news.

For the University’s staff and students, there are a few sure signs that spring has well and truly arrived – lighter evenings, warmer days and, of course, the sight of campus springing into life.

Over the past few weeks, scores of flowers and plants across campus have bloomed, transforming the space into a colourful and scenic environment to work, study and meet in.

However, these aesthetic changes are not something left to chance.

For the University’s Grounds & Gardens team, the start of spring is the culmination of months of hard work.

The team logged a combined total of 700 working hours every week during winter to make sure that campus remained in the best condition possible.

They have planted over 14,000 bulbs and over 11,000 bedding plants and replaced over 200 shrubs and trees as part of their preparations for the start of spring.

Their hard work has enabled biodiversity to flourish. Wildflower turf has led to amazing all-year-round colour and pollination, native hedgerows have been planted for our campus birds, and ‘no mow’ areas have been protected. This has all allowed our very urban campus to become a haven for wildlife.

James Wright, Senior Maintenance Manager (Managed Services) at the University of Leeds said: “Our campus looks as good as it does now thanks to the planning, skill and hard work of the Grounds & Gardens team who maintain the space.

“The team’s work is helping us to create amazing spaces and places on campus, and to make everyone who uses our campus feel like they belong.”

As can be seen from the images below, their hard work has certainly paid off.

Follow Campus Developments on Instagram to find out more about what’s happening on campus.

Drilling has started on new locations on campus as part of an Estates-led project to discover whether geothermal energy can be used to heat campus buildings.

The latest round of work is taking place at locations near Henry Price Residences, Leeds University Business School and Storm Jameson.

Work on the site is expected to continue until mid-April and follows the successful completion of a borehole at a first site at the Henry Price Residences in mid-February.

If successful, it could provide a clean, sustainable source of heat that reduces our reliance on both fossil fuels and electricity.

A thirty-foot drilling rig has been on campus since the start of February and has already drilled to depths of over 150 metres as part of the project.

The holes being drilled include water wells, which are looking for underground water at the right temperature to use for geothermal energy and monitoring wells, which are used to check the impact of extracting heat on the surrounding areas.

The project, which is part of the University’s Net Zero Delivery Plan, is bringing together experts from the Facilities Directorate and the academic community alongside specialists from ANTS Drilling and engineering firm Buro Happold.

David Oldroyd, Interim Director of Development at the University of Leeds, said: “This is an exciting collaborative project, with partners from both inside and outside of the University working closely together to make positive progress.

“This work has the potential to save money, provide a more sustainable way of heating campus in line with the University’s Net Zero goals and set an example for future energy innovation.”

Pip Hunsworth, Associate Director at Buro Happold said: “I never expected when doing my undergraduate and MSc at the University of Leeds that I would be involved in a project on campus like this.

“A key part of our work involves collaborating with the academic teams to ensure the data that is obtained can be used as part of the university’s future works associated with their net zero ambitions. It’s exciting.”

Tom Beeson, Senior Engineering Geologist at Buro Happold said: “I’m very happy to be given the opportunity to be working on a renewable energy scheme in my local area. With the challenge of climate change at the forefront of Civil Engineering, we must find innovative solutions to decarbonise.”

Find out more by visiting our project page and the Sustainability team’s website.

Image credit: Ben Craven