The University of Exeter’s Environment and Sustainability Institute (ESI) is a new £30 million interdisciplinary centre leading cutting-edge research into solutions to problems of environmental change; in so doing it is enhancing people’s lives by improving their relationships with the environment. It’s based on the University’s Penryn Campus, near Falmouth.
The ESI building was designed by Stride Treglown, whose interdisciplinary staff are committed to delivering environmentally responsible architectural solutions. In addition to the outstanding level of fabric performance, the facility also includes a number of other innovative features, such as a 35,000 litre rainwater harvesting tank, a combined heat and power system and on-site energy generation including 250m2 photovoltaic panels which account for almost a quarter of the building’s energy requirements.
Funding for the ESI has been jointly provided by the European Regional Development Fund Convergence Programme (£22.9M) and the South West Regional Development Agency (£6.6M), along with significant support from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). Falmouth Exeter Plus, the service delivery partner of Falmouth University and the University of Exeter who share and jointly manage the Penryn Campus, project managed the facility’s design and construction on behalf of the University of Exeter.