Derby College Group highly commended at Green Awards

Derby College Group has described being "thrilled" to be recognised as Highly Commended and named Finalists in two categories at recently staged Gown Awards.

In the 2030 Climate Action category, the College was awarded Highly Commended for the "Coal to the Atmosphere’s Soul" decarbonisation project. 

Launched at Broomfield Hall in Morley in 2022, this initiative replaced three coal-fired boilers with six Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP) and three Water Source Heat Pumps (WSHP) to power district heating and hot water systems. Additional improvements, such as upgraded insulation, new windows, PV panels, and LED lighting, have reduced carbon emissions by a factor of 11 and moved the college group closer to net-zero goals.

The judges were particularly impressed by the significant carbon reduction achieved, and were impressed on the delivery of a high-impact project that not only decarbonised the heating system but also embraced a comprehensive, whole-building strategy. 

Heather Kelly, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of DCG, said of the recognition, “Winning this Green Gown Award is a testament to our Estates team's continuous efforts to enhance sustainability across our campuses and to achieve our Net Zero 2050 target. The work that has earned this award validates Derby College Group's efforts to incorporate environmental stewardship into every aspect of college operations.”

DCG was also a Finalists in the Creating Impact category for the Equine Carbon Calculator.  This free tool enables UK equestrian businesses, colleges, and universities to monitor their carbon emissions and make environmentally informed decisions. Developed by industry experts, the calculator plays a vital role in helping the equine sector contribute to the UK’s Net Zero 2050 goal.

Speaking about the Equine Carbon Calculator, Assistant Principle of Derby College Group, Jon Collins said: “We are proud to be delivering this with the support of Landex and will be rolling the tool out at to all students, organisations and interested individuals who are seeking to make a difference in their day to day lives to the environment we all depend on.”