Environmental Sustainability

Godalming College is very committed to playing our part in contributing towards environmental sustainability. As a result, sustainability is currently one of Godalming College’s key strategic priorities and we have a team of staff and students working towards helping the College becoming more sustainable.

We have a Sustainability Strategy and a detailed implementation plan covering actions that we aim to achieve over the next few years.

Key achievements to date include:

• Converting nearly all buildings to LED lighting - we converted our historic Main Building to LEDs in Summer 2023. In Summer 2024 we will be converting the lighting in our Independent Learning Centre to LEDs as well as one remaining classroom block. As we do this we are also installing motion sensors in our classrooms and corridors so the lights are not left on by mistake! By the end of Summer 2024, the whole campus will be converted to LED lighting.

• Solar panels have been on sections of our 900s Goodridge Building and the 800s Performing Arts Centre for a few years now. In Summer 2023 we installed 306 panels on the roof of our Independent Learning Centre and in October 2023 further panels were installed to fill the roof space on the 800s Performing Arts Centre.

• Focusing on energy optimisation and utilisation – in 2022/23 we reduced our gas consumption by 29% and electric consumption by 9%, compared to the previous year. This was largely achieved by a cultural change and increased awareness! This trend of reduced consumption has continued into 2023/24. We have also published our Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions for the first time in our Annual Report, a summary can be found here.

• Received a grant in 22/23 to work in partnership with energy specialists to prepare a bespoke Heat Decarbonisation Plan for our College campus - this maps out the measures that need to be taken for each of our buildings to become carbon neutral.

• Installed 4 Electric Vehicle charging points in our car park - these are available to staff during the College day, and the local community outside of these times.

• All students provided with a reusable travel coffee cup at the start of the year, meaning we no longer buy any disposable coffee cups for our Starbucks and Costa. Just remember to bring your cup with you each day!

• Our catering outlets no longer sell plastic bottled water – there are plenty of cold fresh water stations around the campus so remember to bring a water bottle to refill with you each day!

• Launched and expanding our new ‘Recycling @ Godalming’ stations positioned around the campus for clear and easy recycling.

• In 2024 we planted wild flower meadows on the campus, adopted No Mow May again, and installed donated bug hotels.

Environmental Sustainability Strategy