Wales Institute for Sustainable Education

At Glastonbury Festival I came across the Centre for Alternative Technology’s (CAT) latest development. The Wales Institute for Sustainable Education (WISE) is a state of the art new eco-educational facility at the Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales.  WISE has been built provide thousands of people with an opportunity to learn about environmental topics from organic gardening, renewable energy and green architecture in an inspiring eco environment.

Investing in the development of low carbon skills is vital if we are to build a more resilient and sustainable economy.

CAT’s Graduate School of the Environment (GSE) offers a range of inspirational post-graduate programmes. A unique combination of leading professionals, academics and authors create innovative solutions at Europe’s leading environmental centre. GSE offers four full postgraduate programs as well as a number of continuing professional development.  It also also runs Accredited Courses for Installers and Specifiers aimed at trade professionals and educators on a wide variety of topics from photovoltaic systems, Biomass, solar water heating through to sustainable water management.

Additionally CAT runs over 70 short courses a year on renewable energy, environmentally friendly building techniques, water and sanitation solutions, ecology, woodland management, organic gardening and wilderness skills.

Wise events

WISE provides a perfect location in which to host conferences and events offering living examples of sustainable technologies and lifestyles in comfortable and modern surroundings.

Nestled into a former slate quarry with stunning views the WISE building combines natural building materials with thoughtful architecture to achieve a light, warm, energetic building that radiates a harmonious sense of well being.

Throughout the construction low embodied construction materials such as earth and hemp have been used. Where possible building materials have been sourced locally, the rammed earth wall lecture theatre is made from soil sourced locally. The building has energy efficient glazing to enhance natural day lighting and passive heat gain, meaning that despite the size, the energy requirements are minimal.

WISE includes:

• A circular 200 seat rammed earth lecture theatre
• 24 en suite study bedrooms fitted with energy monitoring equipment
• New toilet facilities with natural zero energy treatment of grey water and sewage.
• Plant and server rooms for monitoring of energy and water usage in the building.
• Seminar rooms and workshops
• Offices, common rooms and reception areas.
• Research Laboratory
• Restaurant and bar – Promoting the important of sustainable land use, food miles and a healthy diet
• Uniquely designed organic gardens.

If ever there ever was a sustainable classroom of the future – this is it.