Lancs college is building for the future today

The Low Carbon Hub gives business access to train on the latest sustainability focused equipment and will exhibit the cutting edge of net-zero technology

[CHANGE IS A CONSTANT at Burnley College: its £110m campus is permanently developing and evolving, powered by a passion and a commitment to providing unrivalled facilities, unequalled opportunities and expert training for the future of everyone in Lancashire and beyond.

With the £2.5m expansion of the award-winning Fitness Evolution, a new £4m cutting-edge four-storey block dedicated to education in health and the sciences and a transformation of the breathtaking multipurpose atrium into a brand new space, it really is an exciting time.

The college has secured £2m of funding for its Low Carbon Corridor: a hub which will help businesses transition to a greener future. Filled with technology – from air source heat pumps and electric boilers to hydrogen and battery technology, much of which is already being used on site in the new Health and Science block – it is a building designed to have as little impact on the environment as possible.

The cutting-edge educational environment will be used to train local engineers, traders and employees how to retrofit their businesses with the latest low-carbon technology.

Burnley College has received funding from the government’s Skills Development Fund as part of the Lancashire Colleges’ SDF Pilot, which supports colleges and local employers to work together to create a skilled workforce for a future low-zero carbon economy. Partner colleges are Blackburn College, Lancaster & Morecambe College and West Lancashire College.

The college’s on-site, award-winning sport and fitness facility, Fitness Evolution, is used to being in the gold medal spot: now it’s leading a different race altogether. With the opening of the £2.5m expansion, Fitness Evolution took the next step to secure its position as one of the premier providers of strength and conditioning training in the UK.

Some of the industry-leading new facilities are: • Environmental Chamber – simulates the diverse climates of the

• world, from 12 to 40 degrees Celsius, alongside humidity control • and altitude simulation of up to 5,000m above sea level. • Cryotherapy Chamber – reaches staggeringly cold temperatures • of up to minus 80 degrees Celsius, which helps to reduce • production of the stress hormones. • Spa – incredible spa facilities include a plunge pool, hydrotherapy • pool, sauna, steam room and two tranquil treatment rooms.

The next stage in development is the completion of the college’s new Industry Hub, which includes a new building alongside a multimillion-pound transformation of existing facilities to ensure the engineering department has the very latest cutting-edge technology for learners and local business to train with.

The future isn’t tomorrow at Burnley College: the future is something they’re building for today. q • For further information visit the website at www.burnley.ac.uk or call 01282 733373