South Yorkshire IOT Barnsley College wins Retrofit Award at Constructing Excellence Yorkshire & Humber 2026
The South Yorkshire Institute of Technology (IoT) at the Barnsley College University Centre, has been named ‘Retrofit of the Year’ at the 2026 Constructing Excellence Yorkshire & Humber Awards, recognising an outstanding transformation that blends heritage conservation with low‑carbon innovation.
The award highlights the success of Barnsley College and the wider South Yorkshire Institute of Technology programme, demonstrating how heritage‑led regeneration can support regional skills development, economic growth and decarbonisation.
The £16m South Yorkshire Institute of Technology (IoT) at Barnsley College stood out for its sensitive and ambitious regeneration, of a 93‑year‑old Art Deco former Mining and Technical College into a future‑ready centre for higher technical education. CPW is proud to have delivered the MEP and decarbonisation design for the project, supporting the creation of a landmark low‑carbon education facility at the heart of Barnsley town centre.
Held at The Queens Hotel in Leeds, and organised by the School of Built Environment, Engineering and Computing at Leeds Beckett University, the annual Constructing Excellence Yorkshire & Humber Awards celebrates excellence, collaboration and innovation across the built environment in the North. With categories spanning infrastructure, residential, regeneration, sustainability, social impact and retrofit.
The ‘Retrofit of the Year’ Award highlights projects that significantly improve the performance of existing buildings, supporting the UK’s journey towards a net zero built environment while delivering long‑term social and economic value.
Our Associate Directors, Kevin Ballantyne and Gareth Whitaker, alongside Associate, Adam Ashton, from our Leeds office, were pleased to attend the ceremony on Thursday 4th June.
“It was a fantastic evening and great to see so many outstanding projects being recognised across the North. There is so much positive work happening across the industry, particularly when it comes to end‑user wellbeing and sustainability. It’s encouraging to see how the sector is coming together with the push for Net Zero, and refurbishment projects are a key part of that,” shared Kevin.
The evening also brought additional recognition for CPW’s work across the region. Middlecross Extra Care was named ‘Residential Project of the Year’, while the Health Sciences Library at the University of Leeds was ‘Highly Commended’.
As part of the Department for Education‑backed South Yorkshire Institute of Technology programme – one of just 21 IoTs nationally – Barnsley College required a flagship facility, capable of supporting advanced engineering, construction and digital education. The project also needed to align with Barnsley Council’s ambitious Zero 45 decarbonisation target, setting a clear direction for low‑carbon regeneration across the borough.
Located on Church Street, the 1,795m² building was originally constructed in 1932, and has been in continuous educational use ever since. As the oldest building in Barnsley College’s estate, it holds significant architectural and civic value. However, decades of ageing fabric, inefficient gas heating, poor thermal performance and outdated infrastructure meant it could no longer meet the demands of modern technical learning.
From the earliest stages, a fabric‑first, heritage‑sensitive strategy underpinned the project. Given the age and construction of the building, reducing heat loss and improving airtightness were critical to unlocking long‑term operational efficiency and enabling a transition away from fossil fuels.
Working alongside Barnsley College University Centre, Race Cottam Architects, Adept, AECOM, Edge Consultants and G F Tomlinson, the completed South Yorkshire Institute of Technology is now one of Barnsley College’s most sustainable and inspiring buildings. What was once a thermally inefficient 1930s structure has been reimagined as a landmark low‑carbon education facility, supporting regional skills development and economic growth.
As a flagship hub within the South Yorkshire Institute of Technology, the project opens doors to opportunity and achievement for learners across the region. It stands as a powerful example of how thoughtful retrofit and collaboration can extend the life of historic buildings, while aligning with national net zero priorities and local regeneration ambitions, and offers a replicable blueprint for further education estate decarbonisation across the UK.
If you’d like to learn more about how CPW supports education, retrofit and decarbonisation projects, our team would be happy to help. Get in touch to discuss how we can support your next project.