The body responsible for making grants to universities and colleges has called on the higher education sector to take a lead in encouraging sustainable development.

The Higher Education Council for England, which this year allocated more than £670m in capital grants, has made sustainability the centrepiece of its development strategy in Sustainable Development in Higher Education.

The document notes that higher education buildings cover 24.6 million m2 with an energy bill of £200m and proposes that this be reduced.

To encourage innovative approaches to sustainable building the council intends to adopt a more flexible approach to allocating capital funding.

It plans to publish a more detailed action plan next year.