Hertfordshire to become the UK's green technology centre
News release from the BRE Group:
The Green Triangle partnership of leading research, education and local government organisations, BRE, Rothamsted Research, University of Hertfordshire, St Albans City & District Council and Oaklands College
has announced ambitious plans for an internationally influential centre of excellence for green technology.
"Comprising a cluster of environmental research, engineering, education, science and technology businesses, the Green Triangle will be based in Hertfordshire and supported by local organisations", says Tara Clark, Green Triangle Business Development Manager, "but will undertake research and business activities designed to have far wider impacts and benefits."
"The Green Triangle partners already have an annual research spend of over £100 million and employ more than 1,500 skilled research staff," says
BRE Director Guy Hammersley. "But with the support of local partners (AECOM, and St Albans District Chamber of Commerce) we aim to do much more to enhance skills, create jobs and bring in investment across the county and beyond."
The target is to establish 3000 green technology jobs across Hertfordshire (with an emphasis on young people), double the research spend from £100 to £200 million and provide an environment in which 100 small green technology businesses can flourish. A range of products and services will be offered to support the start-up, growth and acceleration of green sector businesses, and help other companies to operate more sustainably.
Speaking at the launch, Julian Daly, Leader of St Albans City and District Council and Chair of the Green Triangle, said: "We want to build on
Hertfordshire’s reputation as a global research centre of excellence in green technology and contribute to our nation’s economic growth, attract
inward investment and create jobs."
The Green Triangle will work to attract and retain skills and talent in environmental research and its application, provide the necessary infrastructure
to link green research, science, engineering and technology enterprises, and help new businesses associated with green enterprise to grow.
Any size or sector company operating in Hertfordshire can become a member of the Green Triangle. Green sector companies qualify for membership automatically, and those outside of the green industries must simply demonstrate sustainability, or the desire to become more sustainable or environmentally friendly. Members have full access to all Green Triangle products, services, offers and discounts.
"We plan to develop a green technology enterprise hub that will boost the Hertfordshire economy, but also contribute to wider economic growth in
the UK,” says Chris Dunkley of agricultural research station, Rothamsted Research. “Much of the work done by the Green Triangle’s partners and
supporters has national and international breadth, and often their brands are as well known outside the UK as here. We will help SMEs and other
organisations in the green arena to export the best of British to other countries."
Zoe Hancock, Principal of Oaklands College, said: "The Green Triangle initiative will ultimately make Hertfordshire a better place to live, work and learn in. We will be doing new and exciting things here that will make the rest of the UK sit up and take notice. It will be great for local people but will have national benefits."
Application forms and further information is available through the website at: www.thegreentriangle.org
For more information contact Linda McKeown, BRE email mckeownl@bre.co.uk.
Notes for editors
BRE is a world leading building science centre that generates new knowledge through research. This is used to create products, tools and
standards that drive positive change across the built environment. BRE helps its government and private sector clients meet the significant
environmental, social and economic challenges they face in delivering homes, buildings and communities.
BRE is owned by the BRE Trust, a registered charity. The Trust uses the profits made by the BRE companies to fund research and education that
advances knowledge of the built environment.
The University of Hertfordshire is the UK's leading business-facing University and an exemplar in the sector. The University of Hertfordshire is
one of the region's largest employers with over 2,700 staff. With a student community of over 24,500 including more than 2,000 international
students from over eighty five different countries, the University has a global network of over 165,000 alumni.
Rothamsted Research is the longest running agricultural research station in the world, providing cutting-edge science and innovation for nearly
170 years. Rothamsted's mission is to deliver the knowledge and new practices to increase crop productivity and quality and to develop environmentally sustainable solutions for food and energy production. Rothamsted integrates biotechnology with other areas of science such as agronomy and agro-ecology so both existing and new knowledge can be implemented through agricultural practice.
Oaklands College offers a wide variety of college courses in Hertfordshire from Functional skills and Part time courses to Apprenticeships and
foundation degrees. It is a large general further education college in Hertfordshire with campuses in Welwyn Garden City and St. Albans, and a
further training provision in Borehamwood. Achieving an overall ‘Good’ in our Ofsted inspection, Oaklands College is proud to successfully provide
for 10,000 students.