Decarbonizing and Conserving our Utilities at Dublin City University

Dublin City University currently sits at nearly 40% towards our decarbonisation targets. Well ahead of government requirements and with ambitious plans to reach over 60% decarbonisation by 2030. Plans include the continuation and ramping up of our renewable power installations (PV) and renewable heat integrations (Heat Pumps), and with increasing intent on the complete and absolute elimination of energy related carbon through energy management, conservation, retrofits, fabric upgrades, plant replacements and controls upgrades. Together with a continued emphasis on our existing building stock, DCU made the decision in 2019 to complete all new build projects and refurbishments with fully electric solutions and with absolutely no fossil fuel requirement. These strategies have enabled DCU to build a strong base and better our mid decade targets. The second half of the decade will bring serious challenges and our paper and presentation will outline our achievements to date, and our new five year strategic energy plan to achieve our 2030 targets. It will highlight learnings to date, for replication across all large energy using organisations, plans to hit net zero energy emissions in the early part of the next decade, and the ongoing engagement role that Dublin City University is playing in educating and engaging the surrounding community, in overall support of Ireland’s contribution to the aggressive decarbonisation goals of the European Union