Energy efficiency matters in further and higher education because:

• Its production, distribution and use creates large quantities of carbon dioxide (a prime cause of global warming) and pollution
• It is a semi-scarce and (and in the case of oil) an insecure resource whose price has changed quickly in the past and could again in the future

UK universities and colleges spend well over £200 million a year on energy so there are considerable opportunities to save money through more efficient use.