Submitted by Peter Lumb on Mon, 2016-02-22 16:08
As part of spotlight on energy month, we ran a quiz all about energy at the University of Cambridge. Here we reveal the answers plus some further information about each one – how did you get on?
1. In 2014-15 how much did the University of Cambridge (excluding the Colleges) spend on energy?
£2 million
£8 million
£16 million
The answer is £16 million – £16.3m to be precise! Of this, £12.8m was spent on electricity, £2.1m on gas, £61k on oil, £875k on steam, and £389k on other forms of energy.
2. Which forms of renewable (and low carbon) technologies does the University currently use to generate energy on site? (tick all that apply)
Solar PV
Ground Source Heat Pump
Air Source Heat Pump
Biomass
Combined heat and power
Solar thermal
The answer is all of them! Why not read more about renewable energy at the University.
3. If all of the University’s energy was sourced from the sun, how many square metres of Solar PV panels would be needed?
5,000 square metres (the size of a football field)
1 million square metres (half the area of the city of Cambridge)
130 billion square metres (the area of England)
The answer is 1 million square metres. A solar array that size would meet our 200million kWh electricity needs, equivalent to that used by a third of the households in Cambridge.
4. Simple actions such as switching off lights and equipment when not in use is predicted to save up to what percentage in the average workplace?
0.5%
5%
10%
According to the Carbon Trust, the answer is 10%! Behaviour change has long been recognised as one of the lowest cost, highest impact ways of reducing an organisation’s energy costs, simply by encouraging good practices among building users. However it relies on everyone doing their bit! If you want to take action in your office, we’ve got lots of ideas for you.
5. Through last year’s Green Impact award programme, how many staff is it estimated were encouraged to turn off lights and personal electronic equipment?
23
233
2,334
The answer is 2,334, thanks to 25 Green Impact teams last year who reached staff and students by regular communications and incentives. This simple action saved an estimated £71,688 over the course of the year!
6. The Thermal Comfort Policy states the University will maintain internal temperatures in its buildings within what range?
16°C - 19°C
19°C - 21°C
21°C - 24°C
The answer is 19-21°C. Remember to report any faults with the heating and cooling systems in your building to your facilities team to make sure that buildings are heated efficiently and energy is not wasted.
7. The University has an aspiration to be carbon neutral by when?
2020
2050
2100
The answer is 2050! You can read more about the University’s sustainability aspirations in our Environmental Sustainability Vision, Policy and Strategy.