Empowering a UK Girls’ Secondary School with Carbon Baseline Analysis for Emissions Reduction
Client Overview
Our client is a girls-only secondary school in the UK, committed not only to academic excellence but also to promoting sustainability and environmental responsibility within its school community. With increasing awareness of climate change, the school recognised the importance of understanding its carbon footprint and energy usage as a foundation for meaningful action.
Challenge
While the school had already taken some steps toward reducing energy use, they lacked a clear picture of their full environmental impact. Specific challenges included:
No baseline data on Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions
Difficulty identifying high-impact areas for emissions reduction
Limited visibility into daily kWh consumption
Need to engage staff and students in sustainability through data-driven insights
Our Solution: Baseline Carbon Emissions Analysis
SRD Technical partnered with the school to deliver a comprehensive carbon baseline analysis, providing them with a detailed breakdown of their emissions sources and energy usage. Our approach included:
Scope 1 (Direct emissions):
Analysed gas consumption for space and water heating
Reviewed any on-site fuel usage (e.g. school minibuses)
Scope 2 (Indirect energy emissions):
Assessed electricity consumption from the grid
Calculated associated carbon emissions based on UK grid factors
Scope 3 (Upstream and downstream indirect emissions):
Estimated emissions from:
Waste disposal
Commuting (staff and students)
Purchased goods and services (e.g. catering, uniforms)
Water supply and treatment
We also provided:
Daily energy cost analysis (kWh and £)
Identification of quick wins and longer-term opportunities to cut energy use and emissions
A user-friendly report tailored to non-technical audiences (for governors, staff, and student eco groups)
Results & Impact
Our analysis gave the school a clear, data-backed starting point to shape its sustainability strategy. Key benefits included:
Accurate carbon footprint across all three scopes
Insights into where energy and carbon savings could be made (e.g. lighting, heating schedules, procurement)
Increased awareness and buy-in from leadership and staff
Support for long-term planning toward Net Zero goals
Resources to engage students in real-world sustainability learning
What’s Next
SRD Technical is now supporting the school as they:
Explore funding options for energy efficiency upgrades
Implement low-cost behavioural changes to reduce energy waste
Develop an internal sustainability plan aligned with the carbon baseline
