Fife College has secured the go-ahead from the Scottish Government to progress plans for a new £100 million super campus which they say will be the net zero college in the UK.
Scottish ministers have agreed to invest the cash in the new campus after a business case for the Dunfermline project was put forward in August.
Current plans estimate it will open to students for the first time in 2024 after development of the 58-acre site is complete.
As well as the new Fife College campus, the site will also combine the new St Columba’s RC and Woodmill high schools.
Part of the £100 million investment by the government will be used to ensure the development meets low carbon standards.
Within the funding additional money has been made available by the government to ensure that the project goes beyond net zero targets, offsetting carbon dioxide emissions but also continuing to deliver reductions in operational carbon after completion.
New Fife College will be first net zero campus in UK
Low embodied carbon construction materials will be specified for the project and will include materials with high recycled content.
Meanwhile, waste will be minimised through the design process and there will be a strong focus on diverting as much of the construction waste from landfill as possible.
Principal of Fife College, Dr Hugh Hall said the plans for the new campus were “incredibly ambitious”.
“Not only do we want it to provide world-class facilities for our students, but we want the building itself to reflect the latest developments in low carbon construction,” he said.
“That’s why we’ve worked with the Scottish Government to go beyond Net Zero and ensure that our new campus has a long-term positive effect on emissions.
“The extra funding we’ve received will enable us to achieve our environmental ambitions, and to deliver the first tertiary education building in the UK that meets these standards.
“The approval of our business case is a significant milestone in the project to deliver the new Dunfermline Learning Campus, and we’re eager to get started.”
The campus will host the college’s delivery of sports, science, built environment and creative industries courses.
Chief executive of the Scottish Funding Council, Karen Watt, praised the “ground-breaking” plans.
“We are delighted to support the plans for the new Fife College on the Dunfermline Learning Campus,” she said.