The Duke of Gloucester Opens The University of Plymouth’s New Babbage Building

by | March 28th, 2024

PHOTO: THE UNIVERSITY OF PLYMOUTH

 

On Tuesday, 19th March, The Duke of Gloucester attended the opening ceremony for The University of Plymouth’s new Babbage Building. Situated on the western edge of the University’s city-centre campus, the facility brings STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) subjects together to support academic collaboration and innovation.

 

PHOTO: THE UNIVERSITY OF PLYMOUTH

 

For the official opening, the Duke of Gloucester was shown around the building by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Judith Petts CBE, and others from the University who have worked closely on the £63 million regeneration project for the past five years.

 

During her opening speech, Professor Judith Petts CBE said…

“This is an exciting day for everyone at the University. The Babbage Building has been a landmark on our campus for more than four decades, and its recent transformation ensures it will continue to play an important role in everything we do. More than that, we have created a series of facilities that will allow our researchers to develop innovative solutions to many of the planet’s most critical challenges, while our engineering and design students will learn alongside each other in spaces that will inspire both their ingenuity and imagination.”

 

PHOTO: THE UNIVERSITY OF PLYMOUTH

 

Retaining the original building has saved the equivalent of nearly 2,000 one-way flights from London to New York in terms of embodied carbon, and thousands of tonnes of building waste have been saved from going to landfill. The building’s electricity is provided by solar panels and air source heat pumps , while the heat generated by some of the new equipment will be used to heat the building’s water. New landscaping and a roof garden have enhanced biodiversity.