Fife College’s new £100 million campus in Dunfermline is using a unique steel and timber construction which will help meet Scottish Government carbon targets.
In a bid to tackle climate change a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is required across the country and the environmentally-friendly plans at Halbeath will please ministers.
The campus, due to open in 2025, has cross-laminated timber as well as 95 per cent recycled steel beams which has saved about 25 per cent of the embodied carbon normally expected in a structure of this size.
The measures were designed with structural engineers Woolgar Hunter and their director, Malcolm Buchanan, said: “By implementing these sustainability measures we are very confident that this building, which is an ambitious building and an ambitious architectural design, can hit Scottish Government carbon targets.”
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Fife College Principal Jim Metcalfe said: “Throughout the construction of the new campus, we have had a full commitment to the very latest low-energy and net-zero processes.
“The innovative construction design has been a huge part of this and it is exciting to see it, and the many other carbon-reducing processes, come to life during the build phase.
“We believe that this approach will not only ensure we meet Scottish Government carbon targets but also make the campus, and in turn the wider Fife region, a beacon of best practice in low carbon and circular construction."
The new college campus will have industry-standard workshops for engineering and construction, a university hub so learners can study to degree level, a purpose-built learning café, sports hall, and an innovation and events hub to cater for different college and community events.
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The brand new outdoor facilities will include a multi-use outdoor sports area, an external terrace, outdoor spaces for childcare courses, external dining areas for hospitality students, covered outdoor workshop areas for built environment courses and a range of outdoor teaching and gathering areas.
The campus will be shared with St Columba's and Woodmill high schools, their new building is due to open in August 2024.
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