Colleges go green

Colleges in England are set to become much more environmentally friendly, it has been announced.

In a step towards making the further education sector greener, skills secretary John Denham has announced that all new colleges will have to be ‘zero carbon’ – i.e. emit no carbon dioxide from energy use – by 2016. New buildings will therefore include renewable energy technologies such as wind turbines or solar panels.

The Universities and Colleges Union (UCU) welcomed the announcement, but said there’s more to be done if the further education sector really is to help combat climate change.

President Linda Newman commented: “No doubt many older buildings can also be made more efficient. It is important that centres of education are centres of best practice in tackling climate change.

“UCU is also encouraging the greening of the curriculum: colleges and universities must become key players in informing and equipping the public to respond to climate change.”