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Farnborough College of Technology’s construction campus in Aldershot has unveiled the Half-house, a cutting-edge facility designed to teach sustainable building practices.
Farnbolough College of Technology writes:
A launch event was held within the College’s already impressive facilities, where students and apprentices train for careers in brickwork, carpentry, electrical installation, and plumbing. The aptly named Half-house is a cross-section of a full-sized house, providing students with a practical space to test and install low-carbon energy technologies and modern construction methods. These include solar photovoltaics, battery storage, heat pumps, electric vehicle charging, and sustainable building materials.
Recognising that employer insights and technical knowledge are crucial for effective training programmes, the College is deeply thankful to Tomato Energy, the Morgan Sindall Group, and Southern Area Brickwork for their involvement and contributions. Through close collaboration with local businesses, the development has also created new opportunities for student work experience and employment pathways, with some students already beginning their apprenticeships and work placements. The launch was attended by local employers, councillors, education professionals, Stuart Smith, President of the Electrical Contractors Association, Alex Baker, local MP, and Mara Makunura, the mayor.
Principal CEO for the College, Virginia Barrett (OBE), said: ‘This marks an exciting new chapter for our College, and we are delighted that the Half-house is already benefiting our students. By investing in modern, sustainable training environments, we are not only empowering our students with the expertise to drive positive change in the industry from the start, but also reinforcing our commitment to sustainability as a core component of our college’s strategy. This facility is more than just an educational tool; it’s about shaping the future of construction and fostering the adoption of greener practices.’
Electrical Installation student Ella said: ‘I think it’s an excellent place for us to learn bringing the real world into college. I think all the new technology within the Half-house is much more exciting and helpful due to it being so focused on each course and giving us real world examples.’
Head of Training at Tomato Energy, Jonathan Wilson, said: ‘We’re proud to partner with the Aldershot Half-House Project. This partnership reflects our practical commitment to sustainability in construction. We’re helping equip students with the green skills they’ll actually need in their careers. The project directly supports our goals of advancing renewable practices and reducing environmental impact. The real-world experience students get here will prepare them to champion renewable technologies in the industry. We’re excited to be part of this project and to see how these students will shape the future of construction.’
Social Value Manager at Morgan Sindall Group, Susan Dee, said: ‘The Half-house’s concept of introducing sustainable, green skills and modern methods of construction to the next generation fits with our own commitments for energy efficient buildings and reducing our carbon emissions.? We are proud to be able to contribute to this ongoing innovative teaching facility and work alongside the College to bring much needed new roles to our industry and local communities to fill the skills gap and reach our net zero goals.’
Alex Baker, Member of Parliament for Aldershot and Farnborough, said: ‘The UK needs construction expertise more than ever before, particularly because this government is determined to rebuild Britain. If our towns are going to continue to contribute to our national endeavour, we need to build more affordable new homes, expanded infrastructure and modern defence capabilities in our community. So, I was delighted to meet students at the College who are receiving top-quality training in the latest techniques and skills, including modern methods of construction like the Half House. This industry know-how will give local young people the edge in competing for the thousands of well-paid opportunities that we expect to see in Aldershot and Farnborough in the coming years.’
Leader of Rushmoor Borough Council, Gareth Williams, said: ‘Rushmoor Borough Council is committed to a target of delivering 600 new homes every year and this facility is a great step forward in training the tradespeople who will deliver this, while giving local people the skills they need to prosper and provide for their families. I was also encouraged to see how these skills will be used to reduce the carbon footprint of the borough through the introduction of new technologies such as heat pumps and solar energy. The team have shown great resourcefulness and determination to deliver this step forward, and I look forward to working with them over the coming years to continue to develop the skills and careers of Rushmoor students.’
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