Student Switch OffEncouraging Energy Saving and Recycling in halls of residence

Who We Are

International energy-saving campaign

48 Universities in 2014/15

Not-for-profit

Run by the National Union of Students

The Challenge

Success to date

• 2014/15 average reduction in electricity usage in halls of 6% across 48 Unis

• Saving of over 1,300 tonnes of CO2

• Over £230,000 in electricity expenditure

• Over 1,700 photos, 900 attendees at training events, 8,000 students on our Facebook fanpages and over 25,000 entrants to our online climate quiz

• Over 26,000 students (18%) signed up as Eco-Power Rangers.

Awards and recognition • Ashden Awards 2012: Winner• People and Environment Achievement Award 2011: Winner,

Best Energy-Saving Idea

• Competition within/between halls of residence to see who can reduce their energy usage by the greatest amount or have the lowest usage per student.

• Incentives for energy-efficient behaviour at individual and communal level.• Including Ben & Jerry’s and NUS Extra cards.

• Building on existing social relationships, peer-to-peer communications, rivalries and communities.

Overview

Freshers/Arrivals

Student Ambassadors

Photo Competitions

Meet our Eco Power Rangers...

The Eco-Power Rangers...

The Eco-Power Rangers...

The Eco-Power Rangers...

Climate Change Quiz

• 6 questions• Embedded in FB page• Ben & Jerry’s incentive

Halls Visits - Facebook ‘like’ competition

Example from Canterbury Christ Church University- 2 Ben & Jerry’s vouchers- 45 photos taken (many with multiple people in).- 39 people actively participating by getting their friends to like their photos. - 1,133 likes across all photos (over 20 shares)- 15,274 people reached by newsfeed. - 523 people 'talking about' the competition

Measurement

Reward for winning hall

Reward for winning hall

Costs and benefits

• £1.95 per resident of halls plus VAT (£3,000 min, £5,900 max) paid for by Estates/Accommodation

• Circa £100 for poster printing• £50-£500 for end-of-year event• Average saving in 2013/14 was over £3.50 per

student

Recycling bolt-on

• Adaptable to recycling facilities and data available

• Check on how well students are using their recycling facilities

• Chocolates for good recycling kitchens• £500 for bolt-on• £0.55 per resident per audit

What we will do

• Produce posters• Attend Fresher’s Fair/Induction event• Run Ambassador Training Session - providing t-shirts and

refreshments• Run competitions and communicate with students every 2-3

weeks• Visit halls on 3 occasions over the year• Work with your SU to raise profile of SSO• Produce press releases• Provide and distribute prizes – Ben & Jerry’s, NUS Extra

Cards• Analyse energy data• Organise climate quiz (x2)• Organise reward event(s)

What we need help with

• Print and put up posters in halls of residence• Allow us to speak to students at induction

events• Provide us with access to the halls • Send 6 emails to all students in halls• Provide us with additional local prizes• Provide us with historical and contemporary

electricity data• Put money towards and help to organise the

end-of-term/year event

Timetable

• Pre-arrival – Posters in halls, e-mail to residents• Ongoing – Photo competitions every 2-3 weeks• Ongoing – Energy data updates• September – Induction/Freshers’ Fayre events• October – SSO Ambassador training• November – Online climate change quiz• November – Halls visit• January/February – Halls visit• February - Online climate change quiz 2• March – Halls visit• January/May – Celebratory event(s)

Thank you...any questions?