Leading creative arts university in Cornwall celebrates 15 years of sustainability investments proving that small is beautiful

Falmouth University’s AMATA Arts Centre amongst campus buildings to benefit from energy efficiency works. 

Dozens of buildings across the Falmouth University campuses are benefitting from sustainability works made possible thanks to funding available through their England Recycling Fund. 

Since fund inception in 2009, the university has completed 54 projects, largely centring on LED lighting upgrades and solar PV installations.

When combined, these projects are expected to save 542 tonnes of carbon emissions and £150,158 on energy bills annually.  This work showcases how the smaller-scale sustainability projects can achieve substantial results.

The sustainability agenda driving these works has been led by Falmouth Exeter (FX) Plus, who manage and deliver services on behalf of the Falmouth University and the University of Exeter. They are committed to reaching net zero across all campuses before 2050.

Fergus Chan, carbon and energy manager at FX Plus, said: “Funding available through the Recycling Fund has influenced us to considering projects for smaller projects for all parts of the campus.”

To support their projects, the university has utilised a total value of £614,088 in loan-based funding through the England Recycling Fund. Funding is delivered by Salix on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. 

Amongst the buildings to benefit from the upgrades is AMATA, Falmouth University’s arts centre, a vibrant performing arts hub offering a year-round programme of performances and productions. 

The LED project at AMATA will see old light fittings replaced with LED counterparts, with the team working closely with lighting designers to ensure that the new fixtures are best suited to the productions and performances hosted by the building. The project is expected to complete later this year, acting as one of the final works funded through this closing scheme.

Meabh Poultney, client support officer at Salix, said: “Through projects funded via their Recycling Fund, Falmouth University have demonstrated that smaller-scale projects can add together to achieve big results.

“The university project at the AMATA is one of the final parts of their 15-year Recycling Fund journey.

“We look forward to seeing how their ambition to reach net zero across their campuses continues now that the Recycling Fund comes to an end.”

To supplement the energy efficiency measures that the university has implemented over the last 15 years, they are investigating opportunities for heat decarbonisation across their estate. To support these ambitions, the university was awarded funding under Phase 2 of the Low Carbon Skills Fund. 

The Low Carbon Skills Fund provides grants to boost decarbonisation skills and unlock decarbonisation in the public sector and is also delivered by Salix on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. 

About the England Recycling Fund

• The England Recycling Fund is a loan-based, ring-fenced fund, created with capital provided on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero through Salix, and matched by the public sector organisation. It encourages organisations to re-invest financial savings that result from projects into further decarbonisation and energy efficiency projects, thus operating in a cyclic “recycled” manner. 
• The scheme has been closed to new applications since 2010. However, since that time we have continued to support organisations with open funds to complete thousands of projects worth more than £267 million through the scheme. 
• The average fund has been recycled more than three times, and, when combined, our recycling fund projects save over 296,000 tonnes of carbon emissions every single year.
• The fund is closing at the end of the 2024/25 financial year, with any projects funded through the scheme required to complete by 31 March 2025.