Aiming to reduce the carbon emissions of all EU schools

The Atlas Project has brought together leaders in government, business, education and engineering to focus on reducing schools’ carbon emissions, to save them money and help create growth in low carbon industries.

Arup, as part of the project's steering group, is providing engineering and sustainability advice to ensure the project achieves its objectives.

The project aims to pioneer a low carbon toolkit that helps schools identify the sources of their carbon emissions, compare emissions with other EU schools, and take action to reduce them. It also plans to promote policy and action in EU countries that helps schools reduce their carbon footprints through access to low carbon technologies and expertise.

Working together with regional, national and local governments, the Atlas Project aims to implement strategic, large-scale retrofit programmes for school buildings across Europe, saving hundreds of millions of Euros annually and delivering educational benefits to the schools. The project aims to reduce operational costs for schools and create green jobs and growth through the use of low carbon products and services.

Energy use in buildings is not the only contributor to a school’s carbon footprint. The travel habits of students and staff, and the procurement of products and services (referred to as Scope 3 emissions) can significantly increase a school’s carbon footprint. Arup provided the Scope 3 inputs for the prototype toolkit, to ensure that the carbon generated through procurement and travel can be measured and reduced.