The UK Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) sector currently operates approximately 500,000 beds, housing around 25% of the student population in the UK. Every year, between June and early September, these beds are vacated and swiftly turned around to accommodate the next cohort of students. The scale of this process is immense.
In recent research published by Knight Frank it was reported the UK PBSA market had reached £85.8bn in 2023 and is projected to grow to £104bn by 2028. However, with growth comes responsibility, particularly regarding the environmental challenge of end-of-tenancy waste—an issue far less glamorous than the sector's financial prospects. For PBSA providers committed to Net Zero targets, addressing waste will be crucial to achieving those goals.
Taking on the Challenge
In 2023 we partnered with Downing Students, one of the sector’s leading privately owned PBSA providers to tackle this issue. As they advanced their ESG strategy, a key question emerged: how could they define a credible Net Zero transition plan while ignoring the elephant in the room—end-of-tenancy waste?
Anecdotally, we heard that clothing represented one of the largest waste streams during this period. However, there was limited quantifiable data to evidence this or guide actionable solutions.
Embracing this challenge, we brought together key stakeholders to develop a solution that was not only cost-effective but also delivered clear environmental and social benefits.
A Trial with Impact
Between June and September 2024, we ran the first end-of-tenancy waste trial in partnership with Downing Students and a global logistics provider. The trial spanned four sites across two cities, with a combined total of 1,988 beds. These locations were carefully selected to align with the logistics provider’s return and reprocessing facilities.
We focused on three major waste streams—clothing, electrical items, and books—chosen for their substantial volumes and high potential for resale or recycling in secondary markets. For the purpose of the trial Capex items such as beds, white good and electronics were not excluded, however we recognise that these items also have the potential to generate high volumes of waste. Â
Initial Findings
The trial generated valuable insights, which will be fully detailed in our impact report, to be published in January 2025. However, early results have been illuminating. Across the four sites, 50 cages of waste were collected, including:
12,152 items of clothing, an average of 6.08 items of clothing per bed
1,224 electrical items
198 books
If these figures were multiplied across the UK PBSA sector (550,000 beds in 2022/23) a staggering amount of waste would be produced:
2.5 million items of clothing
333,000 electrical items
55,000 books
These numbers highlight the immense scale of the issue and the pressing need for industry-wide action.
What’s Next?
As more companies set Net Zero targets, how can we make waste reduction and sustainable resource use a foundation of the PBSA sectors contribution to a Net Zero Future?
The trial underscores the importance of a systematic approach to end-of-tenancy waste management. While our findings are a starting point, they also raise an important question for the sector: collectively how can this challenge be solved?
We’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas. If you’d like to receive a copy of the full impact report in January, drop us a message.
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