Fostering a sustainable workforce
The Group incorporates sustainability principles into all courses, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to address environmental challenges in their respective fields. This approach ensures that sustainability becomes ingrained in the mindset of future professionals, fostering a sustainable workforce for the future.
Furthermore, The Bedford College Group implements sustainable practices in its campus operations, from net zero carbon buildings to waste reduction initiatives.
Major infrastructure upgrades
Steps were taken at Bedford College’s town centre campus to save over 350 tonnes of carbon following major infrastructure upgrades, equivalent to driving 253 passenger vehicles for one year. The Group was successful in securing £2.8 million of grant funding from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) delivered by Salix Finance via the Department for Business, Energy and Industry Strategy (BEIS). The grant was used to install a Water Source Heat Pump (WSHP), Genius Controls, highly-efficient Mechanical Ventilation and Heat Recovery, hot water-efficient taps, photovoltaic (PV) panels, roof insulation and water heaters.
In addition, they opened the Connolly Centre for Modern Construction at their Bedford College campus. This specialist centre is expected to receive an official A+ on its energy performance certificate and will be the Group’s first Net Zero Carbon building.
