THE Scottish Government has approved plans for the build of the first net zero tertiary education building in the country.
Scottish ministers have agreed to invest up to £100 million in providing the low carbon, modern, flexible learning space at Fife College’s new Dunfermline campus.
Additional money has been made available to ensure that the project goes beyond net zero targets and doesn’t just offset carbon dioxide emissions, but continues to deliver reductions in operational carbon after completion.
Low embodied carbon construction materials will be specified and will include materials with high recycled content, with waste being minimised through the design process.
The build forms part of the wider 58-acre Dunfermline Learning Campus site in the eastern expansion area of Dunfermline. The collaborative venture will see the relocation of Fife College’s Dunfermline Campus, St Columba’s RC High School and Woodmill High School to the purpose-built site.
Principal of Fife College, Dr Hugh Hall, said, “We’re incredibly ambitious about what we want to achieve with this new campus. Not only do we want it to provide world-class facilities for our students, but we want the building itself to reflect the latest developments in low carbon construction. That’s why we’ve worked with the Scottish Government to go beyond Net Zero and ensure that our new campus has a long-term positive effect on emissions.
“The extra funding we’ve received will enable us to achieve our environmental ambitions, and to deliver the first tertiary education building in the UK that meets these standards. The approval of our business case is a significant milestone in the project to deliver the new Dunfermline Learning Campus, and we’re eager to get started.”
Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council, Karen Watt, added,“We are delighted to support the plans for the new Fife College on the Dunfermline Learning Campus. They are ambitious and ground-breaking, designed to enhance the experience of students and to meet stretching environmental performance standards as we move to becoming a net zero nation. We will be working closely with all partners to bring this ambition to life.”
