Project Overview

Forum for the Future has recently completed a JISC funded collaborative project with the University of Gloucestershire Business School and University of Bradford to examine this problem by:

• Understanding current practice – how energy costs are currently budgeted and charged for; and by whom.
• Identifying and analysing possible alternative methods of addressing energy costs, and providing financial and other incentives, using existing accounting methods or alternatives that could be considered: identifying for each method its advantages and disadvantages; and the particular circumstances in which it is likely to be most appropriate
• Identifying good practice, current gaps and opportunities for improvement, in these areas.
• Suggesting topics and options for more detailed examination and trialling in a possible stage two of the project.

We identified a number of mechanisms which we felt had the potential to provide greater incentives for ICT energy efficiency. We found that:

• Three of the five mechanisms we identified – grants, awareness and competitions, and whole life costing – are used to some degree, but in a patchy manner.
• The two more systematic mechanisms – devolved energy budgeting and shared savings schemes – are barely used at all. However, we did identify sufficient levels of interest and best practice examples to suggest that this situation could change
• Financial mechanisms are only part of the story. They will be marginal or ineffective if other elements are not in place, such as strategic targets for environmental improvement, and effective cross-departmental collaboration and understanding.
• Some areas of ICT are also easier to influence than others. In particular, data centres are a very focused and easily metered area of high energy use, generally with clear responsibility structures, and within the sole control of the IT department (except for cooling and power supply, which is shared with estates).
• Many of the approaches we studied also have an underlying need for accurate information, which will require higher levels of sub-metering than is currently the case.

This project is now entering stage two, which will aim to provide guidance, primarily targeted at non-finance specialists, on what the mechanisms we identified in stage one involve, how they might best be implemented taking into account the particular context in each situation and any likely barriers or other challenges that should be anticipated. It will also involve supporting pilots and providing strategic advice for universities, and in some cases introducing in part of their organisations one or other of these mechanisms at least on an experimental basis. If your university or higher education college would like to get involved in the second stage then please get in touch.

For more information or to register your interest in taking part in the second stage, please contact:

• David Aeron-Thomas, Forum for the Future
• Martin Bennett, University of Gloucestershire Business School

To download reports go to the left hand side.