We’re practicing the ‘art of the possible’ and creating a cleaner future for generations to come
College principal spells out vision for students and communities of Farnborough
Leading educationalist Virginia Barrett, OBE, says she is driven to meet ambitious plans to get rid of greenhouse gas pollution from her Hampshire college site.
Farnborough College of Technology has been at the center of a Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme project to help the team meet net zero goals.
In our video the college principal, CEO Virginia Barrett, displays her passion for the energy efficiency project which she believes will set an example for local businesses, students and communities.
The college has received £4.8 million funding from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme to ditch the old gas boilers and replace them with more climate-friendly technologies like air source heat pumps.
The project, to be completed next year, has become a £10 million programme, thanks to further contributions from the college.
In our video Virginia also explains how the work was set back when they discovered Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) on site. This meant shifting the schedules and bringing the Department for Education on board to fund the £24 million of extra work to specifically address RAAC.
She is featured alongside project manager Stuart Markham who has been day-to-day handling the work.
Virginia said: “The hope really is that we will be a living example of what's possible. For us we had to work with Salix. For instance, to say what is the right thing for us in terms of the technologies we need to use.
“That meant moving from ground source to air source [heat pumps]. So, for us we want to be, if you like, a carbon neutral ecosystem for our businesses, our schools, our colleges, our community around that says this is the art of the possible. It's well worth doing. We know this.
“We know it's important for us to get on board and start to remove the level of gas we're currently using from our buildings.
“And for me, just being able to look to the future and think for our children, for our grandchildren, for our students who are coming forward, we're contributing towards that journey.”
We know it's important for us to get on board and start to remove the level of gas we're currently using from our buildings.
And for me, just being able to look to the future and think for our children, for our grandchildren, for our students who are coming forward, we're contributing towards that journey.
Also in our video, project manager Stuart Markham explained how the college had to navigate the challenges.
He said: “This is a once in a generation opportunity to renew critical infrastructure on this unique campus.
“This should last in excess of 25-30 years.
“One of the things we have done is a lot of student engagement and understanding what the students' aspirations are for this campus.
“What's clear is this generation has a real appetite and is demanding improved environmental performance and so it's great to be able to address that challenge that has been laid down by today's learners.”
Farnborough College of Technology is a Phase 3b Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme multi-year project. It has focused on improving the thermal efficiency of older buildings, replacing their heating systems with heat pumps, installing LEDs, solar PV and smart systems as well as replacing air handling units.
Our Salix board chair Baroness Natalie Evans visited the college to find out more about the extraordinary work.
Thank you to principal CEO Virginia Barrett and to Fusion director and project manager Stuart Markham for taking part in our video.
