Mitie has today announced that it has supported Vodafone UK in reducing its carbon footprint, saving 100 gigawatt hours (GWh) of energy, equivalent to 25,000 tonnes of CO2, in just three years. The energy saved could power a town with a population of 65,000 people for a year and represents a financial saving of around £10 million. The energy savings were achieved by optimising heating and cooling systems in offices and managing air flow to keep technical sites cool in the most energy efficient way; and were validated by third-party energy auditor EEVS.
Mitie worked with Vodafone UK to deliver the savings as part of its Energy Performance Contract. So far, Mitie and Vodafone have audited 90 of Vodafone’s buildings, including offices, contact centres, data centres and Mobile Telephone Exchange (MTX) network sites, to assess energy usage and ensure efficiencies.
The audits checked that a building’s lighting, heating and air conditioning systems were operating at the highest energy efficiency rating. At more complex locations, such as data centres and MTX (mobile telephone exchange) network sites, where 24/7 power is essential to keep the network running, sensors providing real-time data were used to identify energy saving opportunities. For example, temperature sensors in data centres enabled the airflow to be automatically adjusted up or down remotely, ensuring the correct environment for this critical equipment in the most energy efficient way.
In offices and call centres, sensors in air conditioning systems enabled ‘dynamic controls’ so the air temperature could be managed remotely and at speed dependent on weather and conditions. Mitie had already supported Vodafone in reducing the number of buildings it opened at weekends and on bank holidays, making significant energy savings. During the Covid-19 lockdown, all but essential technical staff were moved to home working, meaning more buildings could be hibernated.
Mitie and Vodafone will continue to assess Vodafone’s buildings to identify further energy saving opportunities.
Pradyumna Pandit, Managing Director, Sustainability and Energy Services, Mitie, said:
“This landmark energy saving – and staggering 25,000 tonne reduction in CO2 emissions – was made possible thanks to the collaboration between Mitie and Vodafone UK teams. Thank you to our energy managers, sustainability experts, and colleagues on the frontline, who have all contributed to this achievement. We’re proud to be helping UK businesses achieve ambitious environmental targets and look forward to continuing our work with Vodafone UK to help it meet its next energy reduction goal.”
Scott Petty, Chief Technology Officer at Vodafone UK, said:
“Not everything we’ve done here is revolutionary; we’ve achieved these staggering savings by doing the basics well and making energy reduction something we think about each and every day. Combined with our commitment to power our network with 100% renewable electricity by 2021 – and help our customers reduce their own carbon footprints with our connectivity and Internet of Things technology – this will ensure we are helping to build a more sustainable future.”
In February, Mitie launched Plan Zero, its commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2025 and supporting its clients in reaching their own sustainability targets. Mitie has worked with Vodafone UK for 10 years, providing integrated facilities management including cleaning, security, engineering, landscaping and front of house services to all of its sites across the country.
Notes to editors
About Mitie
Founded in 1987, Mitie is the UK’s leading facilities management and professional services company. It offers a range of services including Technical Services (Engineering Services, Energy, Water and Real Estate Services), Business Services (Security, Cleaning and Office Services) and Specialist Services (Care & Custody, Landscapes and Waste Management).
Mitie employs 47,500 people across the country, looking after a large, diverse, blue-chip customer base, from banks and retailers, to hospitals, schools and critical government strategic assets. It takes care of its customers’ people and buildings, by delivering the basics brilliantly and by deploying advanced technology. It is pioneering the Connected Workspace, using smart analytics to provide valuable insight and deliver efficiencies to create outstanding work environments for customers.
Find out more at www.mitie.com.
About Vodafone UK
Vodafone UK connects people, businesses and devices to help our customers benefit from digital innovation. Our services span mobile, fixed line connections, home and office broadband and the Internet of Things (IoT).
Having made the UK’s first mobile phone call and sent the first text message, Vodafone has a history as a tech pioneer. In 2018 we made the UK’s first live holographic call using 5G, and were first to start carrying live 5G traffic from a site in Salford, Greater Manchester. We now have 5G in more places than anyone else, with multiple locations now live across the UK and the rest of Europe.
Today we serve more than 18 million mobile and fixed line customers in the UK, with 4G network coverage at 99%. Our customers voted us the UK’s Best Mobile Network at the 2018 Trusted Reviews Awards - for the second year in a row. To help deliver Gigabit UK, our full-fibre broadband roll-out programme now covers 15 UK towns and cities through partnerships with CityFibre and Openreach.
Connectivity is at the heart of what we do as it gives us a huge opportunity for good. We are using our network, products, talents and technology to help society prosper and respond to significant social and environmental issues. Our free Digital Parenting magazine is helping families and schools across the UK to navigate the online world safely. Meanwhile, the Vodafone Foundation’s work with researchers at Imperial College is developing personalised cancer treatment using the processing power of smartphones.
For more information about Vodafone UK, visit: www.vodafone.co.uk.
