The Scottish Government has approved plans for the first net zero education building at Fife College, as Balfour Beatty is appointed official contractor
With investments up to £100m from Scottish ministers, the low carbon education building will provide a modern, flexible learning space for students at the Dunfermline campus.
The additional money funding will ensure the project goes beyond its initial net zero targets, to not only offset carbon emissions but reduce the operational carbon after its conclusion.
This building will incorporate low embodied carbon construction, and high recycled materials. The project aims to minimise waste through diverting as much construction waste from landfill as possible.
The campus will improve the college’s sports, science, built environment, creative industries, care, business enterprise & tourism facilities. Creating a collaborative approach to learning, it will emphasise its engagement with business and innovation.
The project’s aim is to create a path for students from school through to higher education, as well as providing state of the art facilities to meet the learning and training needs of businesses and net zero targets.
Working with Balfour Beatty, Fife College will target net zero carbon through construction operations by minimising energy use and maximising renewable energy sources
Their aims include:
- Low carbon EcoNet site setup and on-site energy generation
- Maximising electric and hybrid plant; Minimising carbon impact in delivery methodologies;
- Conducting Biodiversity
- Net Gain analysis through our internal ecology function to predict biodiversity loss or gain caused by the project as designed, and potential areas where it can be improved.
Principal of Fife College, Dr Hugh Hall, said: “We’re incredibly ambitious about what we want to achieve with this new campus. Not only do we want it to provide world-class facilities for our students, but we want the building itself to reflect the latest developments in low carbon construction.
“That’s why we’ve worked with the Scottish Government to go beyond net zero and ensure that our new campus has a long-term positive effect on emissions.
“The extra funding we’ve received will enable us to achieve our environmental ambitions, and to deliver the first tertiary education building in the UK that meets these standards.
“The approval of our business case is a significant milestone in the project to deliver the new Dunfermline Learning Campus, and we’re eager to get started.”
This project supports the Scottish Government’s target for transforming to net zero buildings and to better heat supplies in buildings by 2045, in line with the Climate Change Act 2019.
Chief executive of the Scottish Funding Council, Karen Watt, added: “We are delighted to support the plans for the new Fife College on the Dunfermline Learning Campus.”
