Sustainability

Leading on the sustainability agenda is at the heart of Reaseheath and at our core we have a unique set of resources working together across our precision farm and data hub, national food centre and food innovation lab and environmental centre, including the biggest vertical farm of its type and state of the art glasshouses. Further specialist resources to support all these areas are coming soon.

Our Further Education courses utilise all these resources in a joined up way through our innovative Academy of Land and Environment, ensuring our students have the composite of skills across multi-disciplines that jobs increasingly demand. Our University Centre students benefit from the increased opportunities to enhance studies through scholarly activity and Leading Edge work at the forefront of new technologies to support the decarbonisation agenda.

Our campus wide sustainability agenda enables us to:

Respond to global issues such as sustainability through a relevant, up to date offer, supported by applied research and innovation in relevant industry settings
Maximise our position of delivering courses centred around biodiversity and sustainability
Create our own sustainable environment by ensuring students and staff have the skills, knowledge and facilities needed to achieve net zero carbon, resource efficiency and environmental sustainability
Establish an Academy of Land and Environment to embed sustainable practices within the curriculum, and develop UCR degrees which embrace study underpinned by sustainability
Develop the concept of sustainability across all departments with the aim of becoming carbon neutral by 2030. Central to this is a new farm strategy focused around regenerative farming practices and a field to fork initiative
Improve and increase biodiversity of habitat for wildlife across campus
Introduce energy consumption and waste management practices across campus such as a plastic bottle free initiative in college catering outlets

View our Field to Fork project here

Vertical farming centre showcases technological innovation.

The UK’s largest training and research centre for vertical farming has been completed at Reaseheath. The centre, part of the new Institute of Sustainability and Food Innovation, aims to showcase the technological innovations within this fast growing and specialised sector.

Animal management students use sustainable practices whilst building a new enclosure.

The students designed and built the replacement home for yellow mongooses Bertha and Barry using sustainable building practices. The enclosure was built entirely from recycled and repurposed materials from across college with further donations from the public and local businesses.

Energy Saving Light changes across Campus.

As part of Reaseheath College’s commitment to improving environmental sustainability the Estates team have been making changes to the lighting over several years and in fact are now in the second generation of changing light bulbs and fittings to be more economical in their usage.