Courier Autumn

Page 3 Creating a More Sustainable College As well as making the production of our Courier magazine, and all future college publications, more sustainable, we wanted to update you on some of the many projects that we have been working on over the last 10 years. All of these decisions have aimed to reduce our environmental impact, minimise waste, reduce energy costs, and help support what is now recognised as a global environmental cause. Hydroelectric Power In 2015, KEVICC worked with Dart Renewables as part of the Totnes Weir Project to connect the College to a clean source of electricity from the River Dart, generated through two turbines that harness the natural flow and power of the water. This was part of a wider scheme to generate electricity for the local community, and we are currently getting a large proportion of our total electricity usage from this hydroelectric source. This connection further reduced our carbon footprint and complemented our existing green energy sources whilst significantly reducing energy costs. Solar Power In 2010 we worked with a company to install and commission several photo-voltaic solar arrays on the College roofs, 90% of which were grant-funded. These panels produce 15,790kWh of electricity per year, saving 11.5 tonnes of CO2 annually, allowing us to spend less on energy, help the environment, and invest more money in our students. Biomass boiler Since 2011 we’ve been using local recycled wood-chip for our heating and hot water at the College, by using a highly efficient 400kW Biomass boiler. This system uses the sustainably sourced wood-chip biofuel for a more economic and environmentally friendly way of generating heat energy. Our Green Energy LED and intelligent lighting We have been upgrading all of our lighting to LED technology, which not only creates brighter and better light for learning but is also cheaper to run and better for the environment. The lighting uses up to 75% less electricity, and we are targeting savings of £25k a year in electricity usage. Some areas of the College also include zone sensors so that lights are only on in areas where people are present. Food waste We previously used an industrial aerobic composter to turn the College’s kitchen food waste into compost that could be used on our Kennicott gardens. We have since moved to a new contract with Devon Waste, who now collect our food waste from special food bins to be sent off for composting, and we donated our own composter to Sharpham Vineyard. We have also moved our general waste services to Devon Contract Waste – a company that guarantees a Zero to Landfill promise, whilst helping us to save £10k per year. Other initiatives include a recycling review, a clothes swap scheme, and more follow-up work from our 2015 College Waste Audit. Environmental issues are also increasingly being used throughout the curriculum in subjects such as Science, Geography and Art, with our students keen to engage with, and contribute to this important debate about the future of our planet. Further updates will be provided in future editions, as the College continues to explore and implement ways to increase our sustainability further, and help contribute to this important local, national and global agenda. Steve Sherwood