Harper Highly Commended at Green Gowns

Posted 22 June 2010

A recently completed building at Harper Adams, that uses local timber, straw bale walls and a ‘green roof’ has been Highly Commended at a national awards ceremony.

The Green Gown Awards 2010 were presented at a gala banquet at the Globe Theatre in London last week, where the University College was short listed in the ‘sustainable construction and refurbishment’ category for its Countryside, Environment and Leisure Tourism (CELT) building.

Now in their sixth year, the awards recognise exceptional initiatives being taken by universities and colleges across the UK to become more sustainable. Other finalists in the category include the University of Derby, the University of Leeds, Leeds Metropolitan University and the University of Cambridge.

The CELT building is used to house outdoor and adventure equipment, provide storage for field survey equipment and the student Conservation Society’s tools, as well as to provide a tutorial room for small-group and specialist teaching.

Estates Manager, Paul Moran said: “The CELT building shows that sustainable features, local sourcing and good value money can all be achieved even in a small project. By working together, various different departments here at Harper have been able to achieve a functional yet attractive building that provides research facilities.

“I’m extremely pleased that we have been Highly Commended at these prestigious awards because once again Harper Adams has been recognised for its hard work towards a sustainable future.”

The area surrounding the building has been developed to improve biodiversity and landscape value, and the use of a green roof will enhance ecology by attracting butterflies. This will provide even more first-hand opportunities for environmental teaching and learning on campus.   

Senior Lecturer, Jim Waterson, said: “We have been successfully running Countryside and Environment courses here since the mid 1990s and this new building provides essential resources for the courses and reflects the principles and application of sustainable construction.

“This enables the students to make direct connections between the building they are learning in, the materials used in it and their countryside, environment and outdoor work.”

The Green Gown Awards are administered by the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC), the sector champion for environment and sustainability and governed by a cross agency steering group of sector support agencies.

The winning entries were drawn from 191 applications, representing nearly 110 colleges and universities from across the UK.  Each had to undergo a rigorous assessment process involving 44 expert judges from a range of relevant organisations including the Carbon Trust, The Association of College & University Business Officers (CUBO) and The Skills Funding Agency (SFA).

For more information please view the Green Gown Awards website www.eauc.org.uk