UWE Bristol will next week officially open its Envirotron – a sophisticated greenhouse that will transform teaching, research and partnerships in the areas of biodiversity and conservation, global environmental change and food security.
The university has made a significant investment in the building, which features LED lighting that minimises environmental impact and affords exquisite control of light, enabling researchers to simulate and experiment with a wide range of conditions. Compartments will also be independently fully climate-controllable. 
Head of UWE’s Department in Applied Sciences, Dr Lyn Newton, said: “Understanding the ‘planetary boundaries’ that determine the sustainability of life on Earth is one of the key challenges of the 21st century.
“The Envirotron presents us with a valuable resource that will support how we teach students and conduct conservation research.”
Prof Neil Willey of the university’s Centre for Research in Biosciences added: “Current projects include work with Wildlife Trusts, the Eden Project and the National Botanic Garden of Wales.
“In the area of pollution of natural and agricultural ecosystems the Department is working with the Environment Agency, NERC and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.
“We are also investigating the effects of plant diseases in natural and agricultural systems and have a range of projects funded by BBSRC, the Woodland Trust, Woodland Heritage, Mars and Cocoa Research UK and the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana.
“There are projects focusing on plant stress biology funded by the Croatian Government, the Royal Society and BBSRC. We are also developing biosensors for nutrients and pollutants in crops with Gwent Electronic Materials, working on bioremediation with JD Norman Industries and on the biogeochemistry of greenhouse gas emissions from soils and peats for NERC and the British Ecological Society.”
The building will be officially opened on Tuesday in a ceremony attended by UWE vice-chancellor Steve West and researchers and students from the Faculty of Health and Applied Sciences.
