Cornwall House redevelopment scoops prestigious Green Gown award

The University secured the celebrated award, in the Construction and Refurbishment category, for its recent refurbishment project for Cornwall House, on the Streatham Campus.

The award was announced on November 3 at a ceremony in London by renowned documentary maker Simon Reeve, who presided over the ceremony.

The Green Gown Awards recognize exceptional environmental and sustainability initiatives being undertaken by universities, colleges and the learning and skills sector across the UK. The Green Gown Awards are organised by the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC), a sizeable group of universities and colleges that champion environmental issues and sustainability.

Geoff Pringle, Chief Operating Officer for the University of Exeter said: “We are delighted that the Cornwall House project has been honoured with a prestigious Green Gown Award.

“This project illustrates the University’s commitment and hard work in developing our sustainability performance, while also meeting the needs for students and staff not just today, but for generations to come.”

Cornwall House underwent a complete retrofit to improve the buildings overall sustainability, including the buildings energy efficiency and carbon performance. A host of measures were implemented including renewable technologies and external cladding of the exterior which give the building a vibrant new look.

At the awards, the judges described the project as “transforming Cornwall House, a 1960s energy hungry tired site, into a revitalised building fit to be part of a low carbon campus of the future.”

The University had two further finalists at this year’s  Green Gown Awards ceremony.  The Students’ Guild were shortlisted in the ‘Student Engagement’ category for its Students’ Green Unit initiative, while Jonathan Cresswell, Assistant College Manager for the College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences  was a finalist in the “Sustainability Champion” class.

This is the second Green Gown win for the University of Exeter. In 2011, The University’s Business School won a “Course” category award for its ground-breaking One Planet MBA programme.