The UK is required to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent from 1990 levels, by 2050. Greenhouse gas emissions attributed to the UK higher education sector have increased by 34.5 per cent from 1990 to 2005. Higher education institutions have a unique role in the UK greenhouse gas emissions inventory, beyond management of their own estates and compliance with policy and legislation, higher education institutions have responsibilities as innovators and educators, inspiring students and employees through example and best practice. This study sought to understand acceptability of greenhouse gas emissions reduction policies among employees of a higher education institution. The value-belief-norm theory was used in a questionnaire to understand individual attitudinal factors thought to influence policy acceptability (N=405). Recognising that an employee's attitudinal factors may be influenced by their work colleagues, this study used social network analysis to understand the social context within which individual attitudinal factors sit. Support was found for higher education institutions to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Employees found policies that encouraged desired behaviours, such as assistance with train travel costs and working from home, to be more acceptable than policies that discouraged undesired behaviours, such as doubling the price of a car-parking permit. Support was found for the structure and content of the value-belief-norm theory, but logistic regression suggested that it provided a weak explanation of employee policy acceptability, indicating that other factors may have a greater role. Analysis of workplace social networks suggested that employees have small social groups (x̄=8) and do not select to be close to colleagues that reflect their own perspectives. Practitioners and policymakers should seek to address this void in environmental social norms through recruitment of more environmental champions to deliver strong and persuasive pro-environmental messages.

Uma parcela significativa da energia gasta no Brasil está relacionada ao consumo industrial (40,6%). Este trabalho propõe a mostrar um dos muitos caminhos para se obter a redução no consumo de energia elétrica na indústria e, com isso, diminuir as emissões associadas à geração, transmissão e consumo deste recurso. A busca da indústria pela eficiência energética, aliada às práticas econômicas, sociais e ambientais adequadas, pode colocá-la no caminho da sustentabilidade. A emissão de CO2/kWh foi o indicador escolhido para monitorar o comportamento do consumo de energia no desenvolvimento dos dois estudos de caso. O principal objetivo destes casos foi a redução das emissões de gases do efeito estufa por meio do uso eficiente da energia elétrica. No primeiro caso um sistema de moagem de polpa de celulose usada na fabricação de fraldas foi substituído por outro mais eficiente, obtendo-se uma redução no consumo de energia de 60%, o que gera uma redução estimada das emissões de CO2 de 80 t/ano. No segundo caso, o sistema de vácuo da formação da fralda foi trocado por outro mais eficiente, conseguindo-se uma redução de 56% no consumo de energia, com a conseqüente redução estimada de emissão de CO2 de 74 t/ano. Nestes casos observou-se que a utilização eficiente de fontes de energia, além de gerar um menor nível nas emissões de gases do efeito estufa, também contribui para a redução dos custos industriais. / A significant fraction of the energy spent in Brazil is associated with industrial consumption (40.6%). The purpose of this work is to demonstrate one of many ways to reduce electric energy consumption by the industry and, as consequence, reduce emissions associated with generation, transmission, and consumption of this resource. The search of energetic efficiency, coupled with economical, social, and environmental practices can shift the industry in the direction of a sustainability path. The emission of CO2/kWh was chosen as a sustainability indicator to monitor the energy consumption pattern during the development of this research. The main objective was to assess the reduction of the greenhouse gas emission, associated with a higher electric energy efficiency consumption strategy adopted in two cases that were analyzed. At the first case, a cellulose pulp milling system, used at a diaper manufacturing process, was replaced by another system with higher efficiency. The reduction in energy consumption reached 60%, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions in an estimated 80 ton/year. At the second case, a fan of the diaper vacuum system was also replaced by a more efficient system. The energy consumption decreased 56%, resulting in a greenhouse gas emissions reduction of 74 ton/year. These results demonstrate the relationship between adopting more energy efficient system, and the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, that moreover, contributes to industrial cost reduction.