The new Centre for Green Technology at Peterborough College isn’t just preparing students for sustainable careers — it’s a building designed to practise what it teaches. So, how green is the Centre itself?
From left to right: Sam Carling MP, David Pennell, Baroness Taylor of Stevenage, Andrew Pakes MP, Paul Bristow
A Building Designed for the Future
The Centre is built on a strong foundation using in-situ concrete and CFA piling, which ensures durability while supporting the building’s environmental performance. Its exterior combines traditional brickwork with a modern front featuring vertical fins and brise soleil (sun-shading structures). These aren’t just design features — they help maximise the use of natural daylight and minimise the need for artificial heating and cooling.
A Net-Zero Build
The building’s total energy demand will be met through the use of on-site renewable energy sources, including air source heat pumps and solar panels, and has no gas provision. Air source heat pump systems extract heat from the outside air, even in cold temperatures, and transfer it into the building for heating and hot water. They are highly efficient and significantly reduce reliance on fossil fuels, cutting carbon emissions.
Solar panels help reduce the Centre for Green Technology's carbon footprint and save on energy costs.
Meeting National Sustainability Standards
The building is on track to achieve a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rating – a respected UK standard that recognises buildings that are energy-efficient, environmentally friendly and built with sustainability in mind.
Rainwater harvesting also reduces reliance on mains water, conserving resources and lowering the College’s carbon footprint. By collecting and storing rainwater for uses like toilet flushing and irrigation, it decreases the demand on municipal water supplies and the energy needed for treatment and distribution. This also helps mitigate water shortages and protects local ecosystems.
More Than Just a Building
The Centre for Green Technology is more than a place to learn – it’s part of the lesson. In a recent interview with The Moment Magazine, Rachel Nicholls, CEO of Inspire Education Group, explained:
“It’s not just about qualifications. We’re equipping students for jobs that don’t yet exist — in a building that models the kind of environment we want them to help create.
“We will still provide all of the traditional skills that the workforce needs, of course, but we know that the industry is changing and that the workforce needs to change, and the new building will help us to deliver that.”
Rolec EV, based in South Lincolnshire, have installed EV charging infrastructure for accredited City and Guilds courses.
With green jobs projected to reach over 440,000 by 2030 and employer demand for green skills having grown by 46% in the last year alone, the CGT has been designed to ensure learners, employers and the wider community can adapt to the demands of a low-carbon future.
Designed in close consultation with industry, the Centre supports full-time students, apprentices, and adult learners — offering everything from entry-level trade qualifications to Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) and CPD for professionals.
The £13.5 million project is partly funded by the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA), with £2.471 million from the Transforming Cities Fund, £400,000 from the Local Growth Fund, £1.9 million from Peterborough City Council via the Towns Fund, and the Department for Education’s Local Skills Improvement Fund (£1.42 million). IEG’s contribution to the project was £8.3M, with £5.5M from the DFE capital loan scheme and £2.8M from IEG’s capital reserves.
