A COLLEGE has made it to the finals of the Green Gown Awards 2013 as students and staff are recognised for their green initiatives.

Currently in its ninth year, the Green Gown Awards aim to recognise sustainable initiatives in universities and colleges across the UK, and Harrow College was nominated in the Best Newcomer category for its project called Sustainability on a Shoestring!.

The college, which has both a Harrow Weald campus in Brookshill, Harrow Weald and a Harrow on the Hill campus in Lowlands Road, Harrow, started the project in a bid to help reduce energy usage in existing, old energy inefficient buildings on a limited budget by investing in low cost initiatives and facilitating behavioural changes among students and staff.

The college invested in new recycling bins, fitted percussion taps to reduce water wastage, increased the biodiversity on site with a wildlife pond, wild flower meadow and bird and bat boxes and championed a Turn It Off campaign, which encouraged students and staff to switch off appliances when not in use.

Claire Savaryn, estates and environmental coordinator at Harrow College, said: “Being shortlisted for a Green Gown Award is a great achievement for the college.

“We have worked so hard to reduce our carbon emissions and create a lively environment to encourage greater biodiversity. We are so pleased with how far we have come.”

The college has achieved a 17.3 per cent reduction in carbon emissions since 2010 and is now aiming to be a leading college in sustainability not only in Harrow but the whole country.

This nomination comes after the college won Harrow Environmental Forum’s Anne Swain Award.