Sustainability within college estate developments
SFC’s commitment to promoting sustainability in colleges includes the integration of sustainability into all aspects of estate development and management. The Council encourages colleges to embrace the principles of sustainable development in major capital projects. For example, in its capital funding circular to colleges (SFC/24/2008: Capital funding for colleges 2008-1124) the Council requires as follows.
‘As a condition of grant, colleges are required to:
BREEAM25 is the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method which measures the environmental performance of buildings. BREEAM assesses buildings against a number of criteria (eg energy use, pollution, transport and ecology) and awards credits according to the building’s performance. The building is rated Excellent, Very Good, Good or Pass according to its credit score. The Council’s Sustainable Development Guidance for Estate Management provides important advice to colleges on developing and implementing estate strategies and capital projects that reflect best practice in sustainable development.
The impact of the Council’s estates development strategies was evident in the colleges visited. Two colleges had recently occupied new campuses both of which included many sustainability features. One college was about to occupy the first phase of its new building, three were at the advanced stages of planning new capital projects and one was at the early stages of planning a major capital project. John Wheatley College’s new £15m East End Campus opened in August 2007 to replace the former Shettleston premises. The campus is an excellent example of sustainability in the design of an educational building and details are shown in the example of sector leading and innovative practice on pages 60 and 61.
John Wheatley College, East End Campus
Aberdeen College aims to achieve a BREEAM rating of ‘excellent’ for its new building at Altens. The college has accepted many of the recommendations made by the Carbon Trust regarding reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. Particular attention has been paid to the effectiveness of the building insulation (designed to a standard significantly above current regulations), the amount of glazing in the building to optimize energy consumption, the collection of roof rainwater for flushing toilets, solar panels and a wind turbine. The college’s environmental and sustainability group, the membership of which includes both staff and learners, are involved in making suggestions to guide the fitting out and operation of the building.
These suggestions include the use of recycled material for fixtures and fittings, the use of low power equipment, electronic document storage, and the effective management of waste and recycling.
As well as the new capital projects, colleges were also engaged in projects to improve the operating efficiency and addressing sustainability with their existing estates. Ayr College had invited the Carbon Trust to carry out two studies. One of these was an ‘assessment of energy saving opportunities’ and the other a study on energy monitoring and targeting, building thermal performance and heating system operation and controls. Both studies had been helpful to the college in identifying areas in which to concentrate efforts to improve energy efficiency thereby reducing the carbon footprint of the estates. The college was also developing an energy action plan within its estates strategy in response to its commitments under the University and Colleges Climate Commitment for Scotland. In August 2005, Aberdeen College committed to managing parts of its Clinterty estate under a Voluntary Rural Stewardship Scheme concerned with protecting and enhancing the environment. A number of habitats have been created at Clinterty. This has enhanced the environment for nesting birds, for particular bird species, including snipe, and for arable land insects.
Langside College, among a few others, has used Salix funds to invest in estates projects with a view to saving costs and thereby reducing its carbon footprint. Salix is an independent company set up to accelerate public sector investment in energy efficient technologies. It has public funding from the Carbon Trust. Energy saving measures undertaken by the college include a new energy management system for its Rutherglen campus to accommodate seasonal changes, the replacement of light bulbs with low energy ones, installation of equipment to reduce energy costs through voltage reduction, and insulation of Woodburn House using Salix funds. College policies have resulted in a significant reduction in the use of paper and the associated demand for storage space, PCs are automatically switched off by software, the college uses downloaded digital copies of software rather than requesting CDs, and more use is being made of virtual learning environment (VLE) and e-portfolios.
South Lanarkshire College has reduced the number of physical file servers required in the new college building from 21 to seven. This is achieved by creating virtual file servers which lead to a reduction in the demand for equipment, energy supplies, maintenance and replacements.
Colleges give high priority to reducing, reusing or recycling waste. They are required to comply with legislation such as the Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) regulations, and dispose of their waste responsibly.
Recycling points that segregate waste are common across colleges. Dundee College has used Dundee City Council’s integrated waste disposal and recycling service since 2005 and this has reduced the college’s environmental impact greatly.
Prior to 2005, all waste generated by Dundee College was taken to landfill. Now that proportion is reduced to 6% of overall waste disposal through recycling in a variety of waste commodities. Almost all the college’s waste is processed in the City Council’s Waste to Energy Plant where further extractions are made including ferrous and non-ferrous metals recovered by electromagnets. Once this process is complete all remaining waste is converted into electricity which is fed back into the public supply via the national grid. The college recycles substantial quantities of cardboard, paper, glass and electrical and electronic waste.
There were several innovative examples of the use of recycled materials at Elmwood College. For example, one of the bunkers in college’s golf course is made from recycled glass. In equestrian, the area used for dressage is made from recycled car tyres.
Environmental management systems
A majority of colleges visited had developed systems to monitor and improve their environmental performance. More than a few colleges visited had or were developing externally accredited Environmental Management Systems (EMS). EMS provide structured frameworks for the assessment and management of an organisation’s environmental impacts. They can help colleges improve their existing management systems and efficiency, reduce costs, ensure compliance with environmental regulations and reduce their environmental impact. Colleges can use EMS to demonstrate that they are managing their environmental risks responsibly. ISO 14001:2004 is the most commonly adopted certified scheme because of its international status.
In 1995, Elmwood College became the first educational establishment in Europe to achieve the environmental ISO 14001. The Environmental Association of Universities and Colleges (EAUC) features the college’s approach to using the curriculum to implement ISO 14001 in one of its published case studies. ‘In 1995 the Scottish Strategy for Environmental Education was published with over 90 recommendations on how environmental education should be taken forward for the following ten years. Elmwood College believed that in order to demonstrate its compliance with the strategy it should gain accreditation to a recognised environmental system standard. Elmwood integrated the ISO 14001 system within the college’s team management system which provides a framework for teaching activity (organic farming, golf course management and land management). Learners are taught about the requirement of the standard as part of their course which prepares them for future jobs.’ The college has made its environmental management system publicly available to help other organisations respond to the challenges of the Scottish and UK climate change legislation. The college’s approach to sustainability and environmental management is illustrated in the example of sector leading and innovative practice on page 58.
Aberdeen College is committed to the achievement of ISO 14001 for its environmental management system. Its recent appointment of an environment and sustainability manager underlines the college commitment in this area and the college is registered with the EcoCampus Award Scheme. The college is adopting the EcoCampus incremental approach to ISO 14001 and the college was successful in achieving the ISO standard in June 2009. Striving for the ISO standard is in line with the college’s practice in targeting awards which identify the standard in an area and then testing its performance against the standard. Glasgow College of Nautical Studies already has ISO 9001 status for its Faculty of Maritime Studies courses. The college plans to implement ISO 9001 college-wide by May 2009. It plans to extend this work using the quality standard ISO 14001, which will allow it to develop an EMS. This system will allow the college to identify the negative impacts it has on the environment, evaluate their significance and introduce procedures to control them.
Sustainable accounting
SFC’s estate management statistics and the estate management data exchange (eMandate) provide a helpful resource that allows colleges to compare and benchmark their performance against other colleges in areas such as energy efficiency, water consumption and waste disposal. A sustainable accounting project comprising representatives from John Wheatley, Elmwood, Oatridge, Edinburgh’s Telford and Carnegie colleges, and the Council is exploring how colleges can report on their sustainability performance in annual reports. The project is led by John Wheatley College and a firm of sustainability consultants provides technical support. A pilot study has investigated the measuring and recording of sustainability performance data and key qualitative and quantitative performance indicators have been developed and trialled.
John Wheatley College includes information on its sustainability performance in its Annual Report and Financial Statements for 2007/08. The information demonstrates the dramatic effect that the college’s sustainable technology investment in its East End Campus has had upon the carbon footprint of the building. In 2007/08 Easterhouse campus used 243 kWh per m2 while the East End campus used only 114 kWh per m2. One of the college’s priorities in its estates strategy is to reduce the carbon footprint of its traditionally-built Easterhouse campus (opened in 2001) by retrofitting appropriate sustainable technologies. In addition to the above, John Wheatley College has employed the Scottish Government’s Best Value Evaluation methodology to its activities. This requires an analysis of its progress against sustainability targets. The college makes public this evaluation and includes it in its annual accounts each year.
Campus sustainability learning
One of SFC’s priorities for the college sector is that ‘estate developments embody the principles of sustainable development and encourage learners and staff to act sustainably’ (SFC report to Ministers on sustainable development, May 2007). This aspect was explored by inspectors in their visits to colleges and evidence sought from review reports on Scotland’s colleges over the period 2005–2008.
There was evidence of the impact of campus sustainability learning in three colleges. The 2008 HMIE review report on Carnegie College highlighted as an example of sector-leading practice the ASPIRE centre which is located within the college’s Ecospace (example of sector leading and innovative practice on page 54). The college had capitalised on the Ecospace to promote the concept of renewable resources, which was embedded in the programmes and activities of learners in the ASPIRE centre. All activities related to the concept of renewable resources and this aspect had become a focus of learners’ lives away from college. Learners at John Wheatley College appreciate and are proud of the college buildings and the college environment. They find the college a stimulating and attractive place to be in and enjoy being part of it. Learners cooperate willingly and effectively in the college’s recycling arrangements. Elmwood College uses its EMS as a framework for teaching activity. Learners are taught about the requirement of the standard (ISO 14001) as part of their programmes and they operate within the standard and the college’s systems and procedures. As part of its commitment to sustainability education and to achieving energy efficiency in the college, the computing section of Cardonald College developed and distributed to learners its Green Guide. (example of sector leading and innovative practice on page 56)
However, in most cases there was little evidence of the impact of campus sustainability learning. Learners were often unaware of sustainable features within the design of the college buildings. For example, at one college a group of building apprentices were unaware of the college’s sustainable urban drainage system in the college car park. Only a few colleges had included campus sustainability within induction sessions or handbooks. A significant barrier to campus sustainability learning in colleges is the relatively short period that most learners attend college. Nevertheless, there are a few simple measures colleges can take to improve learner awareness of campus sustainability and the behaviours required to support it. Colleges could display information of changes to environmental performance of college building arising from sustainable features added. Staff could highlight sustainable features in college buildings and discuss related issues with learners. Learner handbooks could include reference to sustainable features in college buildings.
Employer expectations
The 2008 report Skills for a Low Carbon and Resource Efficient Economy (LCREE) 26 produced by Pro EnviRo for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) reviews the skills implications for a low carbon and resource efficient economy. The report draws on evidence from a wide range of organisations including sector skills councils, government departments and professional bodies. It identifies problems regarding understanding and awareness of LCREE. Part of this is considered to arise from ‘….the interchangeable use of terms such as sustainable development, green, eco, environmental.’ The report comments that organisations currently lack an understanding of the skills requirements and of their importance and benefits ‘…only when these links and a clear business case are made will businesses demand LCREE training’. The report identifies a range of generic and sector-specific skills required for LCREE, and notes that many of these skills are not new, but need to be applied in new situations.
College staff provided comment on changes in employer expectations regarding learner skills sets or attitudes arising from sustainability issues. In more than a few vocational areas, there was evidence that employers expect learners to be aware of sustainability issues and have appropriate skill sets. The subject areas where colleges report employer demand for sustainability skills or improved awareness of sustainability issues include art and design, construction, engineering, land-based industries, nautical studies, and hairdressing, beauty and complementary therapies. The examples that follow provide evidence of this demand in subject areas and the positive way in which colleges have responded.
Glasgow Metropolitan College’s advisory boards are comprised of representatives from industry and the professions and provide an important forum for addressing curriculum issues. Representatives from design practices who attend the college’s design advisory board confirmed that within all aspects of the design profession there is a need to address sustainability within their practice and in the development of new products and environmental projects. The professionals acknowledged that their own knowledge was limited and looked to learners as new graduates to bring current knowledge and skills in the field. Staff in design have responded positively to this feedback. They have contributed to the development of units in a new SQA award including a new unit Art and design: sustainability. They have developed project work that addresses sustainability issues. (see example of sector leading and innovative practice on page 54)
The Sector Skills Councils in construction (ConstructionSkills and SUMMITskills) provide clear evidence of demand for sustainability skills in the industry. Three colleges have been proactive in their response to this area and provide excellent examples of how colleges are responding to these issues.
Dundee College’s sustainable energy classroom
Dundee College has secured a knowledge transfer partnership grant to support an innovative development with a major contracting company in micro-renewable technologies. In partnership with Worcester Bosch the college has established a purpose-built training facility and provides training and certification in the installation of solar panels to meet rising demand skills in this area (example of sector leading and innovative practice on pages 59 and 60). Staff from the construction section have worked with the Sector Skills Council for the building services engineering sector (SummitSkills) and SQA to produce a range of new SVQ units in micro-renewable technologies.
South Lanarkshire College is working with some 20 companies and suppliers of construction materials to design and construct a low energy, low carbon house on the college campus. The college’s lead partner in the project is Dawn Homes and the project is on schedule to be completed in October 2009 when the college hosts the annual skill build competition (example of sector leading and innovative practice on page 55). The School of Construction and Forestry at Inverness College worked in partnership with Highlands and Islands Enterprise Community Energy Company and kit manufacturers to design and deliver micro-renewable installer programmes for employees within the plumbing, electrical and heating industries (example of sector leading and innovative practice on pages 58 and 59).
South Lanarkshire College’s low-energy house incorporates photovoltaic panels, solar hot-water panels, air heat recovery system, ground source heat exchanger, low-energy heating systems, one third of the air leakage of a typical new house, rainwater harvesting system and energy-saving light tunnels on the upper floor. When operational it will be ‘net zero carbon' in that over the course of a year it will produce more or less the same amount of energy as it uses.
In land-based industries, Elmwood College is well placed to exploit its in-house expertise with regard to sustainable development and knowledge of legal and regulatory requirements concerning the environment in making effective partnerships with external agencies. One of its members of staff has championed sustainability for many years and leads Scotland’s Colleges sustainable development education project. Across land-based industries, there is clear evidence of employer demand for sustainability skills and this is reflected in the curriculum delivered (see pages 29 and 31). For example, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews demonstrates clear commitment to sustainability and has a lead role in supporting sustainability initiatives in the golfing industry.
In the maritime industry, the wide range of legislation to prevent pollution of the marine environment by ships governs the content of courses and accounts for employer demand (see page 30). In most of the colleges, staff in hairdressing, beauty and complementary therapies report that employers expect learners to be aware of sustainability issues. Colleges have responded well in raising awareness of biodiversity issues such as the impact of palm oil production (see page 29). However, beauty therapy staff report that customers also are raising issues about product sourcing and sustainably sources products. Teaching staff at Glasgow College of Nautical Studies have included sustainability within the employability portfolios that learners share with prospective employers.
Community engagement
Staff in the colleges visited described how they had engaged with communities to raise awareness of sustainability and how college expertise is used to support the community. Overall, colleges have responded well in engaging with communities about sustainability issues.
Aberdeen College invited several local organisations to provide information and advice on a variety of topics including recycling, energy use and transport at its Environmental and Sustainability day held in November 2008. The college also launched new initiatives on the day including multiple occupancy parking and liftshare. A well as improving staff and learner awareness of sustainability, events such as this allow colleges to demonstrate to interested groups in the community how seriously they are addressing these important issues.
The involvement of colleges in local green travel plans provides further opportunity for college engagement with local communities on sustainability issues. John Wheatley College liaised with Strathclyde Partnership for Transport and others to lobby for the inclusion of a new train station to be located in close proximity to its new East End Campus as part of development options which were included in the plans to develop further the Glasgow Queen Street to Bathgate railway line. Dumfries and Galloway College’s green travel plan provides an excellent example of how a college can contribute to the enhancement of the public transport infrastructure for the wider community. The college worked in partnership with a range of organisations including the Council, Health Authority, Barony College and the Crichton Universities to implement the plan and the project was shortlisted for a EAUC Green Gown award27, which is open to all universities and colleges in the UK (example of sector leading and innovative practice on page 56). There are several excellent examples of colleges contributing to the establishment of sustainable communities. These include:
The examples demonstrate four broad areas where colleges are already active in contributing to the development of sustainable communities, raising awareness of sustainability and promoting the services that colleges provide.
Ayr College, Dam Park Building
