Colchester Institute has reduced its carbon emissions by 31 per cent in the last academic year, and by 55 per cent since it declared a climate emergency and began monitoring in 2020-21, despite the number of 16-19 students rising by over 15% over the period.
Year-end data shows emissions of 760 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) for 2025-26, using location-based methodology, down 31 per cent on 2024-25. Since monitoring began in 2020-21, the College has cut emissions by 831 tonnes, a 55 per cent reduction over a six-year period.
The College has previously invested in 972 solar PV panels across both Colchester and Braintree Campuses to self-generate 15% of all the electricity it uses, with the remainder coming from renewable sources. In 2022 the College was also the beneficiary of a £3.7m grant from the Salix Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme to support a major £6m retrofit of principal buildings at the main campus. The results demonstrate that sustained investment in energy efficiency and sustainable practices can deliver real reductions, even as an organisation grows.
Sustainability is also increasingly shaping the College’s curriculum, not just how its campuses are run. Sustainable Development Goals have been mapped to ensure green skills are embedded across the curriculum, from low-carbon heating and building methods in construction and energy-efficient systems in engineering, to sustainable procurement in hospitality, and careful use of resources across all subject areas.
The College sees this as essential preparation for learners entering a job market where sustainability knowledge is increasingly expected, whatever the industry.
Gary Horne MBE, Deputy Chief Executive said, ‘We are thrilled to confirm we have achieved our near-term 50% carbon reduction target four years ahead of schedule, and this gives us confidence that we can make further strides over the coming years to ultimately become a net zero organisation. Sustainability isn’t a niche subject anymore, it’s relevant to every industry our learners will go into. By embedding good sustainability practices across our curriculum, from construction and engineering to art and design, we’re making sure our students have a high level of awareness that they will need in the workplace.’
As a further education provider, the College recognises its responsibility to lead by example as well as preparing learners for the green economy more broadly, and to accelerate sustainable development a new Environmental and Sustainability Strategy was approved by the College Corporation in 2025.
Aligned to the FE Climate Action Roadmap, action plans across 7 key areas ranged from Curriculum to Estates, Personal Development, Data/Tech, Procurement, Governance and Partnerships. Campaigns included:
- Sustainable Education Campaign (Enhancing SDG curriculum content and Personal Development programme, developing new partnerships and green pedagogy through the Clean Energy TEC bid, launching formal staff training)
- Carbon Reduction Campaign (Delivering on the 50-point plan for carbon reduction including new solar PV and EV charging, replacement vehicles and creating new initiatives such as the fossil fuel divestment plan)
- Whole College Marketplace Campaign (Impactful departmental Climate Action projects devised on 24/10/25 CPD day, delivered through the year and showcased at 09/07/26 Marketplace)
- External Awareness Campaign (Including Charity fundraising, and Sustainability Roadshows for school pupils, and the National Emergency Briefing Campaign for learners, staff and local residents – sessions are being delivered in college and in local communities)
- Wild College Campaign (Rewilding campuses, and partnering with others to survey and deliver tangible gains for biodiversity on our Local Nature Reserve),
The results build on the Colleges 50 Point plan for carbon reduction, which sets out its ongoing commitment to reducing emissions across its campuses.
For more information about how the College is delivering on its Sustainability Strategy visit: https://www.colchester.ac.uk/sustainability/
