The University of Winchester has been committed to making a positive environmental impact and contributing to a sustainable future.
We hold people, the planet and all living things in the highest regard. We are extremely excited to have recently opened our brand-new state of the art conference space, the West Downs Centre. Not only is it a modern building with magnificent views of Winchester and the surrounding countryside but it also boasts a number of sustainable features which helps bring us one step closer to a greener future. It has a combined heat and power plant which recovers otherwise wasted thermal energy for heating and a heat recovery system which provides fresh filtered air into habitable rooms while retaining heat that would normally be wasted. The rainwater harvesting system, green roof and solar photovoltaic panels mean you can host your meeting or event in a sustainable environment. The building is on target to achieve a BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) ‘Excellent’ rating.
The space itself is extremely versatile: the drum shaped auditorium is the perfect venue for conferences, meetings and concerts – it has its own reception desk, cloakroom and is fully accessible. There are a range of breakout rooms with flexible set up and a stunning terrace for whatever your needs might be. The building holds our first completely plant-based café which boasts views of the beautiful secret garden or alternatively our in-house award-winning catering can cater to your food and refreshment needs. We have a number of other sustainable venues on our campus which boast similar green features in line with the University’s sustainability statement. If you want a greener venue, then get in contact with us. We can’t wait to hear from you!