Bishop Burton College
Decarbonising our Campus - Estates and Beyond
Finalist, 2030 Climate Action
About
Bishop Burton College’s “Decarbonising our Campus” project is a comprehensive climate action initiative addressing the environmental impact of its land-based education estate. Launched in response to high fossil fuel use and inefficient infrastructure, the project combines estate decarbonisation with cultural and educational transformation. Key measures include replacing gas boilers with air source heat pumps, installing over 1,500 LED lights and 600 double-glazed windows, electrifying vehicles and equipment, and removing multiple buildings from the gas grid. Alongside infrastructure improvements, sustainability has been embedded into teaching, staff training, and student engagement through carbon literacy, green events, and hands-on learning. With £3 million in funding, the project has delivered a 26% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions and significant fuel savings. It demonstrates a scalable model that integrates operational change, education, and community engagement to support long-term climate resilience.
Top 3 learnings
- Early design, data quality and stakeholder engagement are critical to success
- Governance, programme management and evidence capture must be built in from day one
- Higher quality, more efficient equipment reduces our maintenance burden and underperformance risk
What it would mean to win
We are so proud of everything we have achieved with our Campus Decarbonisation project, after coming highly commended with our greener grounds project last year, winning would be a wonderful accolade to recognise the hard work of all the staff involved.
SDG
| 2026 | |
| 2030 Climate Action | |
| Finalist, UK and Ireland |
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