Green Accommodation at Kent

The University of Kent has recently completed sustainable accommodation for post graduate students at Woolf College in Canterbury.

The 544 rooms have been provided by University Partnerships Programme (UPP) and built by Mansell Construction Services Limited. The accommodation offers of study bedrooms arranged in flats of six to eight rooms, plus enhanced bedrooms, self-contained studios and disabled access rooms.

The superstructure of the residence was built using highly insulated, air tight timber panels sourced from sustainable, managed forests, producing a significantly better carbon footprint than the norm. The timber frames were manufactured offsite in order to minimise waste.

In accordance with green sensibilities, energy-saving systems have also been installed inside the building, helping students to live in a more sustainable manner. These range from recycling initiatives to devices that allow students to monitor their energy consumption.

As well as the residential accommodation, UPP and Mansell are providing a state-of-the-art 500-seat lecture theatre, which is due to open in the new year.

Professor Julia Goodfellow, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Kent, said: “The new accommodation is an important part of our new approach to postgraduate teaching and research. It is fantastic to see this important group of students benefit from the very best in accommodation. We are looking forward to unveiling the academic part of the building next year.”

Sean O’Shea, chief executive of UPP, said: “Today’s higher education arena is extremely competitive, so it is vital for UK universities to provide top-quality facilities for their current and future students. Our Eco Residence model is proving a great success across the country and allows students to really understand how sustainable living works.”