13790-TEC-Annual-Report-23.v5 - Flipbook - Page 13
DR JOHN BRENTON
HEAD OF CARBON REDUCTION SOLUTIONS
it is not yet clear how much we’ll all be in the office in the
future. In summary, smart controls, improving the efficiency
of the equipment we use, access to clean energy at the right
price, building new buildings to high standards and optimising
the space organisations use, will all be key carbon reduction
strategies going forwards.
Would you like to see TEC deliver carbon reduction
services and support to its members in the future?
TEC has been very successful in helping members to procure
energy in a carefully risk-managed way. We have 144 members,
representing higher and further education establishments as
well as several museums and galleries across England and
Wales who procure their energy through TEC. However, there
is certainly scope for us to facilitate access to a greater breadth
of services, particularly around carbon reduction.
To research this further I want to ask members what support
they need to deliver their decarbonisation goals. We are going
to survey all our members to create a gap analysis of what is
required and look at which areas TEC may be able to help
with. Ultimately it is about finding good routes to market for our
members.
What are your priorities coming into this newly
created role?
Finding out what members want to progress on carbon reduction
is my biggest priority. Whilst our Member Services advisors talk
to members regularly, I would like to broaden that dialogue.
My focus is on the added value TEC could bring beyond our
traditional remit of controlling costs and prices.
Sharing ideas and success will also be an important outcome
of this process. This will also build upon what members already
experience through our regional workshops and annual
conference. For example, we might discover that location
dictates certain problems which require specific solutions.
Or we might be able to group together intuitions who are all
interested in a particular technology so that they can exchange
knowledge and share success.
Is there an appetite amongst the education sector to
achieve net zero?
The sector represents a great set of organisations to try new
things. Universities are uniquely future focused with strong
student and staff voices, which help to draw attention back
to sustainability issues. However, there is a balancing act in
providing an excellent space to learn, research and teach, but
also to ensure that what they are doing is not compromising
the future.
Universities work within an economic and legislative
framework so there is only a certain amount of choices they
can make to support carbon reduction. Some of our members
have strong net zero or carbon neutral targets and some have
made declarations of climate emergencies. Others may not be
so far along their decarbonisation journey. The bottom line is
that economic constraints will always make this challenging. At
TEC, I hope we can find solutions and facilitate conversations
to help members overcome this challenge.
THE ENERGY CONSORTIUM - ANNUAL REPORT 2023
11
