Sustainable Construction
The University of Glasgow is committed to reducing its environmental impact and continually improving our built environment.
In 2017, the University launched an ambitious initiative to transform the 14-acre former Western Infirmary site, adjacent to the Gilmorehill campus, into a hub for teaching, learning, civic engagement, and research. This Development Programme is one of the largest campus expansions in the UK. Redevelopment of this urban brownfield site, has been sensitively and creatively undertaken to enable University ambition, support our sustainability goals and create an active and engaging place for our communities.
Despite the challenges faced due to the global pandemic, the University has successfully completed four state-of-the-art academic buildings: the James McCune Smith Learning Hub (JMS), the Mazumdar-Shaw Advanced Research Centre (ARC), the Clarice Pears Building, and the Adam Smith Building. These facilities, along with newly developed expansive public spaces and supporting infrastructure, have become a key part of both the University and the Glasgow West End communities, transforming the area into a welcoming neighbourhood in the heart of the city. All new build developments will be required to achieve a minimum BREEAM rating of "Excellent" and EPC "A" rating.
As we enter the next stage of the Campus Development Programme, various teams across the University are actively shaping how further investment in our physical realm will continue to enable our world-changing research and teaching. Currently, we are embarking on the Keystone Building development while also exploring additional locations for future expansion. At the same time, we are investing in our ongoing programme of campus refurbishments.
We have also developed a soft landings strategy to ensure that new buildings perform according to their original design: