Purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) provider UPP and sustainable architectural practice Architype have recently announced that they are working together to help sustainably transform university campuses.
The agreement will see the pair work together with UPP’s existing and new partners to develop proposals to help make university campuses more sustainable and eco-friendly.
In addition to moving forward with net zero goals, the collaboration will provide an array of benefits for university partners and students as they move to develop next generation campuses, alongside working with the sector to minimise the environmental impact of a Higher Eduction (HE) estate of more than 25 million m(2) .
“I am delighted to announce this exciting collaboration between UPP and Architype, which will support UK universities to sustainably transform low carbon campuses. The combination of Architype’s expert sustainable design experience alongside UPP’s capability to fund, build and operate at scale will help universities meet both their strategic and carbon goals. This collaboration will pioneer and champion sustainable change across the sector and supply chain, improving impacts on people, place and planet.”
Elaine Hewitt, Chief Executive Officer, UPP
The partnership comes as a result of COP26 in October 2021, where UK universities committed themselves to ‘Confronting the Climate Emergency’ – and taking a leadership role in accelerating the transition to a zero-carbon future.
Some of the elements included in the strategy were education and skills, research and innovation and sustainable campuses.
UPP was also the first company to deliver Passivhaus student accommodation in the UK HE sector and is now working with Architype to bring their combined expertise to the University of Exeter’s Clydesdale and Birks residential project, which will provide 1,700 student rooms following project close.
Architype are acting as lead architect on the EnerPHit standard retrofit element as well as Passivhaus designer across the whole project.
“We are excited about our collaboration with UPP because it means we can combine our skills to offer universities a service that will deliver an excellent student experience, with better health and wellbeing and huge improvements in cutting carbon and running costs. We hope it will help influence the sector to do better for students, universities and the planet.”
Ben Humphries, Director, Architype
The announcement of the collaboration also follows the publication of UPP’s first GRI compliant sustainability report titled ‘Building Sustainable Futures’, which meets in full GRI standards pledging to: reducing carbon emissions by 50% across scopes 1 & 2 by 2030 and be fully net zero across scopes 1,2 and 3 by 2035 – externally validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), ensuring there is zero waste to landfill by 2030, creating £6m of social value through volunteering schemes, supporting vulnerable people into employment at UPP, and charitable fundraising, investing over £3m into the sector-leading UPP Foundation over the decade, guaranteeing that all of its strategic suppliers sign up to its ethical Procurement Charter.
