Home > News > February 2007 > 15 February 2007

LSC reveals strategy for building greener colleges

The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has revealed its strategy for building greener colleges.

Bill Rammell MP, minister of state for lifelong learning, further and higher education launched the LSC prospectus, which for the first time states that colleges must include green proposals in their designs if they are to win funding.

The government says it will make a record commitment to rebuilding the FE Estate, investing £750 million annually on capital projects by 2011. In addition, later this year, work based learning providers as well as colleges will be able to bid for capital funding.

From now on, colleges and other qualifying providers will be strongly encouraged to embed principles of sustainability in the design of their buildings and building systems. The LSC says colleges will need to maximise the use of natural lighting and ventilation by, for example, using wind and solar power to generate light and heat and collect and re-use rainwater to reduce water usage.

Mark Haysom, chief executive of the LSC said: "One of our main priorities between now and 2010-11 is to maximise the scale of FE development, making world-class, 21st century facilities available to all learners. Our aim is to make England's FE estate a world leader - so that learning is delivered in innovative, energy efficient and inspirational buildings.

"Students will be more responsive, attentive and enthusiastic in bright, airy and stimulating 'state of the art' learning environments.

"External research has shown that capital expenditure impacts positively on participation and attainment for both 16-19 year olds and adults. In 2003, the £300 million that we spent on capital investment was linked to a three per cent increase in participation and success rates.

"The positive effects of rebuilding a college can be staggering, both on the individual learner, but also on the wider community."

Bill Rammell said: "In 1996/97 the funds earmarked for capital expenditure for college buildings was nil and now it is £500 million. Our aim is to make the Further Education estate world leading, delivering learning in buildings that are environmentally friendly and sustainable and which are designed to fully meet the needs of individuals, employers, and our communities, both for the challenges we face today, as well as for those we will face in the future."

Rammell said that capital investment is a vital part of the Government's efforts to implement the Leitch Review of Skills and the recommendations of the FE White Paper: "The massive capital investment we are making will enable us to take forward the recommendations, and to create a world class training infrastructure, creating a more dynamic FE sector, providing a more diverse and specialised offer to employers, young people and adult learners. This is a very exciting time for FE - and a once in a generation opportunity to build the colleges of the future, now."

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