Holywood’s Zero Carbon Centre: Building Skills for a Greener Future
28/10/2025 •
3 min
Tucked away in Holywood, Co. Down, the Zero Carbon Centre at South Eastern Regional College (SERC) is quietly leading the way in Northern Ireland’s move towards a more sustainable future. Opened in 2024, the Centre isn’t just about cutting carbon—it’s about giving people the right skills to make that change happen.
The Centre focuses on two big challenges: how we reduce the energy we use in our buildings, and how we prepare people to work in new, greener industries. That means everything from retrofitting old buildings to be more efficient, to hands-on training in heat pumps, electric vehicle charging, gas installation, hydrogen safety and more.
Learning by Doing
One of the most interesting parts is that the Centre itself is a live example of what it teaches. The Pavilion building on campus has been retrofitted to improve its efficiency, while new training units have been created using repurposed shipping containers. Students and businesses don’t just hear about sustainable technologies—they see them in action.
As part of the Centre’s set-up, SERC has also installed a gas-powered water heating system that runs on Calor BioLPG renewable gas. This gives students the opportunity to work with real-world lower carbon technology, while demonstrating how traditional energy systems can transition to renewable alternatives without compromising on performance or reliability.
Partnerships Driving Change
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SERC has partnered with leading energy suppliers such as Calor to ensure that our students have the latest Green Innovations available to them as they journey to Net Zero. The Zero Carbon Centre facilities at SERC Holywood Campus include a retrofitted main building which is an exemplar of how construction professionals can meet the need for energy security with minimal environmental impact. Additional skills training spaces demonstrate the use of effective, sustainable energy systems, and the addition of Calor BioLPG plays an integral part of SERC’s portfolio of training courses. The SERC Holywood Campus is just one example of the college’s commitment to improved sustainability.
Stephen McGreevy
Lead Business Manager, SERC
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We are delighted to partner with SERC on the Zero Carbon Centre. Our BioLPG renewable gas is already helping businesses and communities reduce their carbon footprint, and this project shows how it can also support skills development for the next generation of energy professionals. Working together with SERC, we are proud to demonstrate practical solutions that will play a role in Ireland’s journey to Net Zero.
Richard Alexander
Head of Sustainable Fuels, Calor
Northern Ireland has ambitious targets for reaching net
zero, but to get there we need people with the skills to deliver. The Zero
Carbon Centre is helping to close that gap by giving students and professionals
practical, industry-ready experience.
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