The low awareness of university activities with respect to energy conservation is worrying, as our findings suggest that around half of students acquire their energy-related knowledge largely through informal learning experiences. Students develop a sense of belonging and identity throughout their time at the university which can be transformative in terms of both social and academic development. Yet, with regard to energy literacy, it seems that current achievements are hindered by the lack of effective communication of institutional values, commitment and strategy to students. High visibility and visual interpretations of information about energy use, energy conservation, preferred behaviours, as well as the rationale behind these, could help to develop the energy literacy of both the institution’s staff and that of students.