Brownfield regeneration campus at the heart of addressing climate change

The University of Wolverhampton’s £120 million Springfield Campus will play a part in the government’s drive to address the issue of climate change – with brownfield regeneration at its heart. 

The West Midlands COP26 Regional Roadshow – Home of the Green Industrial Revolution – will be held at the University’s new School of Architecture and Built Environment. 

The new School, which opened in August 2020, recently clinched the Chartered Association of Building Engineers New Build Award and the Conservation and Regeneration Award at the Constructing Excellence Midlands Awards. 

The new building, designed by Associated Architects and delivered by ISG, was the latest addition to the University’s £120m investment in a new construction excellence campus at the former Springfield Brewery site in the city - a brownfield regeneration project which has transformed the site. 

The COP26 Regional Roadshow, organised by the West Midlands Combined Authority, will be taking place on Thursday 11 November 2021 as part of the government’s ‘Domestic COP26’ campaign. 

The flagship event will focus on the region as the ‘Home of the green industrial revolution’ and will showcase the West Midlands strengths and leadership in key sectors including Future Mobility, Local Energy Systems, Place and the built environment. 
 
The event will include speakers and delegates from the public and private sector, industry and research institutions, and the other key influencers with up to 100 people physically present on the day with many more streaming the event on-line. 
 
The new School of Architecture and Built Environment offers specialist teaching and social learning spaces, design studios, specialist labs, multi-disciplinary workshops, lecture theatre, cafe, offices, meeting rooms, ICT rooms and a top floor super studio with double height ceilings. It provides space for nearly 1,100 existing students and 65 staff, with the number of students projected to grow over time to 1,600.    

The school specialises in supporting skills in architecture, construction, civil engineering, building control, building services, facilities management, quantity surveying, planning, construction management, housing and commercial.    

The Springfield project is funded by the Black Country LEP, the European Regional Development Fund, the Government’s Growth Deals and the former Higher Education Funding Council for England. It is also sponsored by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) and Wedge Group Galvanizing.    

The University’s partnership with City of Wolverhampton Council has also been crucial to the successful completion of the project.   

Home to the Thomas Telford University Technical College (UTC), the University’s School of Architecture and Built Environment, and the Elite Centre for Manufacturing Skills, the regeneration of the former Springfield Brewery is central to the University’s vision of enhancing the student experience and supporting business growth. It will also be home to the University’s new National Brownfield Research Institute for which the University recently secured £14.9 million funding from the BCLEP through the government’s Get Building Fund.   

Find out more about the Springfield regeneration project here. 

Anyone looking to study at the University of Wolverhampton should register for one of our forthcoming Open Days. 

ENDS