Internship – Establishing the Current Scope 1&2 Carbon Footprint of the Hospitality Department Equipment at Imperial
Overview
We are seeking an analytical PhD or Masters student with a strong interest in sustainability and a high level of proficiency in collecting, organising, and analysing energy-related data. This project will support Imperial College London’s sustainability goals by creating the first full scope 1&2 carbon footprint baseline for the Hospitality Department’s equipment usage.
You will be responsible for compiling and analysing data from equipment manufacturers and catering facilities to determine the carbon impact per outlet and across all catering operations. This will directly inform the Hospitality Strategy and future decision-making around sustainable equipment, procurement, and operations.
Goals
- Establish the current scope 1&2 carbon footprint of the Hospitality Department’ equipment usage. Building heat and power is outside the scope.
- Use available data from manufacturers to calculate the energy and carbon footprint of using catering equipment.
- Calculate the total scope 1&2 carbon footprint for each catering outlet’s kit and determine the carbon footprint per square metre of catering space.
- Model the potential carbon savings achievable through replacing existing equipment with more energy-efficient alternatives.
- Apply sensible assumptions where manufacturer data is incomplete, compare with real, measured energy data, and apply contingency margins where appropriate.
Outputs
- A spreadsheet that includes:
- Raw and calculated data
- Filterable, grouped views (e.g. by outlet, sqm, equipment type)
- Comparative functionality to model equipment alternatives
- A total scope 1&2 calculated carbon footprint for the Hospitality Department’s kit.
- A clear baseline to support future SMART targets and KPIs for sustainability performance
This internship provides an opportunity to work at a practical and scalable level, directly influencing sustainability outcomes. You will collaborate with senior leaders, internal policy-makers, and operational staff, helping them understand and act upon your findings to improve reporting and reduce environmental impact.
Support & Oversight
This role will be funded by the Sustainable Imperial Budget and will report jointly to:
- Ella Shepherd – Operations Manager (Sustainability), Hospitality Department
- Zekun Fu – Sustainable Imperial
Initial data and ongoing support will be provided by the Hospitality Department. Progress will be reviewed regularly with both teams.
Terms
- Duration: 3 months
- Hours: Up to 20 hours per week
- Pay: £19.50 per hour
- Eligibility: Right to work in the UK required
- Interviews: Brief interviews will be conducted with:
- Harriet Wallace – Director of Sustainability
- Ella Shepherd – Operations Manager (Sustainability), Hospitality
- Zekun Fu – Sustainability Analyst
Please send your CV and a 1-page expression of interest setting out how you meet the job requirements above to Ella Shepherd by 5 June e.shepherd@imperial.ac.uk.
