This means all decisions are made individually so it’s important that the University's decentralised structure does not become a barrier.
He advised that “coming together as a collegiate body” and pooling resources to look at these issues would be a strong approach, and very much needs to be on the agenda.
The collective knowledge within Oxford's colleges is a powerful resource and needs to be leveraged to support Net Zero gains on heritage buildings."
Nick Brown of Magdalen College noted the importance of having “meaningful dialogue with the council’s heritage and planning officers because we can’t leave these buildings as they are and achieve zero carbon – something has to give somewhere.”
He said his college had just started the process of having all its buildings assessed by consultants, and they are now enabling testing of different insulation and heating methods.
The consultants have also enabled access to government funding – although he said this also comes with financial risk, as the payment windows can create a barrier.
Patric Vale recognised that the funding windows and deadlines “generate a behaviour where you have to make a quick decision which may not be the best in the long term,” and agreed that “bringing people together to make it work is key” and that this should lead to discussions with the city council, and bringing them in on the debate.
When asked where the pressure comes from to achieve carbon neutrality and how best to approach it – whether it’s a strategy of the college or external factors – Nick Brown said it’s the combination of governing bodies and our “custodial duty to make the right decisions for the generations to come”.
It's our custodial duty to make the right decisions for the generations to come.”
Lionel Tarassenko added that college governance is unique in Oxford and Cambridge.
The decisions are made by the 50 or 60 fellows of that college, meaning it can be quite difficult to take action.
But as with most college government bodies “everyone is keen on issues like Net Zero and no one would be reluctant to not move forward,” and agreed with Brown that it needs to be a priority.
It was agreed that council officers will always vary in how they interpret the guidelines and in their willingness to engage, so ultimately a balanced approach is needed to ensure the building is protected but that it remains useful and fit for purpose.
It was suggested the next steps towards the goal of carbon neutrality will be to understand if this should be on a college-by-college basis or a university-wide approach.
