Sustainability advisor, University of Edinburgh
Location Edinburgh	University of Edinburgh carbon cuts 31% since 1990

Before joining 10:10, David Somervell had already helped the university cut its emissions by 31% over 20 years, despite a tripling of student numbers in the same period. David has helped streamline the university, upgrading the heating and lighting systems with innovative technology and vastly improving the university’s energy efficiency. He knows all about the practicalities of large-scale energy installations.

Another facet to David’s expertise comes from the extensive research that was carried out into the behaviour of the students at the University of Edinburgh. As part of Edinburgh's 10:10 effort, David worked with the university's world-class research community to develop more effective techniques and strategies to change behaviour through the Transition Edinburgh University initiative.

Having access to 25,700 students and 10,400 employees has enabled David to gain a wealth of knowledge on how best to encourage behavioural change.

David trained as an architect and has worked in community energy projects before joining the University in 1989 as Energy Manager.

Skills that he and his colleagues at Edinburgh can offer include:
• Sustainable Construction
• Energy Monitoring and Targeting
• Energy Budget Devolution
• Energy efficiency investment programmes
• Revolving green funds
• Combined heat and power / trigeneration
• Values and frames / behaviour change
• Social responsibility and sustainability
• Strategic implementation at institutional level
• Sustainability reporting.

• Read Edinburgh University's 10:10 case study
• Visit the Edinburgh University sustainability page
• Get in touch with David