To underline the University’s commitment towards a more sustainable future, an energy and sustainability manager was appointed in September 2020 with a remit to drive energy efficiencies. If energy consumption across the campus has increased, they look at Building Energy Management System (BEMS) controls to determine if further energy efficiency actions can be implemented to mitigate the further increase. RGU also publishes monthly energy consumption for every building on campus.
Like other public sector bodies, Robert Gordon University has a duty to contribute to the Scottish Government’s climate change targets. RGU must report on their annual greenhouse gases and efforts to tackle climate change. There are accepted standards used to understand, quantify and report Green House Gas (GHG) emissions.
- Scope 1 emissions refer to the GHGs that RGU creates directly, for example, while running boilers.
- Scope 2 emissions are made by RGU indirectly, so when the University buys electricity or energy for heating buildings.
- Scope 3 emissions usually account for the highest proportion of total emissions and are comprised of all other indirect emissions.
The University publishes a Climate Change report every year:
Energy Consumption
Each building's electricity & gas consumption is compared to the same month on the previous year e.g. January 2024 against January 2023.
January 2024
Electricity
| Building | Kilowatt-hour |
| Riverside Building | 73,096˅ |
| Data Centre | 37,922˅ |
| Boat House | 196˅ |
| Central Services Building | 15,050^ |
| East Lodge | 479^ |
| Ishbel Gordon Building | 69,225˅ |
| Gatehouse | 4,030˅ |
| Gray's School of Art & Design Haus | 36,180^ |
| Kaim Cottage, Garage & BAM Bothy | 1,931˅ |
| Kaim House, Grounds Shed and Welfare Units | 3,559˅ |
| RGU SPORT | 78,658˅ |
| International College Ground Floor | 2,000^ |
| International College 1st Floor | 2,000^ |
| Sir Ian Wood Building | 373,522^ |
| Garthdee House Annexe | 34,662˅ |
| National Subsea Centre | 12,205^ |
| West Lodge | 197^ |
| Garthdee Round Tower | 2,220^ |
| Garthdee Square Tower | 2,467^ |
| Ramsay Development | 3,370^ |
| Crathie Student Village | 7,536˅ |
| Woolmanhill Flats 1-9 | 5,204˅ |
| Woolmanhill Flats 100-109 | 6,596^ |
| Woolmanhill Flats 10-19 | 4,409˅ |
| Woolmanhill Flats 20-29 | 4,347^ |
| Woolmanhill Flats 30-39 | 4,317˅ |
| Woolmanhill Flats 40-49 | 4,936^ |
| Woolmanhill Flats 50-59 | 2,718^ |
| Woolmanhill Flats 60-69 | 2,763˅ |
| Woolmanhill Flats 70-79 | 4,873˅ |
| Woolmanhill Flats 80-89 | 7,113^ |
| Woolmanhill Flats 90-99 | 5,892˅ |
| Woolmanhill Flats Main Store | 587^ |
Gas
| Building | Kilowatt-hour |
| Riverside Building | 207,874˅ |
| Central Services Building | 13,122˅ |
| East Lodge | 2,192˅ |
| Ishbel Gordon Building | 288,305˅ |
| Gatehouse | 11,404^ |
| Garthdee House Annexe & ETI | 74,764˅ |
| Gray's School of Art & Design Haus | 235,987^ |
| Gray's School of Art (Catering Supply Only) | 23˅ |
| RGU Sport | 244,859^ |
| Sir Ian Wood Building | 360,651^ |
| National Subsea Centre | 13,106^ |
| West Lodge | 4,157^ |
| Garthdee Round Tower | 26,742^ |
| Garthdee Square Tower | 17,911^ |
| Ramsay Development | 11,300^ |
| Crathie Student Village | 34,117^ |
| Woolmanhill Flats 1-109 | 330,832˅ |
˅ No colour highlight - buildings which have attained an electricity / gas reduction
^ Light red highlight - Buildings which have consumed more electricity / gas
^^ Dark red highlight - Buildings which have consumed more than over 40% electricity / gas
From 1 August 2023 to 31 January 2024, RGU has consumed 11,606,134 kWhs of electricity & gas which has produced 2,407 tonnes of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions into our planet’s atmosphere. Please note this is equivalent to GHG emissions to 6,170,462 miles driven by an average passenger vehicle.
This represents an 9.2% decrease in electricity & gas consumption compared to the previous academic year 2022/23 at 12,783,364 kWhs.
Paper Consumption
The consumption of paper is a substantial emitter of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. Paper-based products require trees for production, which is unfortunate as trees absorb GHG emissions. To avert rising global temperature, we must greatly reduce our consumption of paper to maintain our planet’s existing tree population. We can do this by utilising our existing digital technology, for example viewing documents on screens, sending emails and taking digital notes.
For the year 1 August 2022 to 31 July 2023, RGU has purchased 18.5 tonnes of paper, which is the equivalent of 377 trees. It is estimated that a standard pine tree, with 45ft of the usable trunk and a diameter of 8 inches, will produce around 10,000 sheets of paper.
The table presents each building's paper consumption from 1 August 2022 to 31 July 2023. ^ Red cells highlight buildings which have consumed more this academic year compared to the previous academic year:
| Building | A3 (Sheets) |
A4 (Sheets) |
Weight (kg) |
Trees Destroyed (45ft Height) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garthdee House & Annexe | 8,000^ | 283,320^ | 1,496.6^ | 30^ |
| National Subsea Centre | 5,000^ | 75,000^ | 425^ | 9^ |
| Ishbel Gordon Building | 0 | 661,600^ | 3,308^ | 66^ |
| Sir Ian Wood Building | 37,500^ | 1,335,824^ | 7,054.12^ | 141^ |
| Central Services Building | 4,000^ | 162,370^ | 851.85^ | 17^ |
| Riverside Building | 0 | 700,350^ | 3,501.75^ | 70^ |
| Gray's School of Art & Design Haus | 39,000^ | 340,060^ | 2,090.3^ | 42^ |
| Gatehouse | Pending | Pending | Pending | Pending |
| RGU Sport & Boat House | 0 | 15,000^ | 75^ | 2^ |
| International College | 10,500^ | 52.5^ | 1^ | |
| Energy Transition Institute | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Students' Union | 0 | 3,250 | 16 | 0 |
| Total | 93,500^ | 3,584,024^ | 18,855^ | 377^ |
Historical Energy Consumption
Find out historical consumption figures for your building: