Demonstrator projects
One of the University’s key strategic objectives is to be recognised as a demonstrator campus for environmentally sustainable initiatives through learning from our research and enterprise activities in making improvements in our operations.
The following provide examples of some of the projects under consideration to fulfill this objective.
Low Carbon Vehicles
Professor Richard Stobart, Dr Rui Chen, Anne Mumford, Kevin Walmsley and Jo Hasbury
Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering are keen to collaborate with the operational team at LU to create a “laboratory” for low carbon vehicles.
A student project is reviewing current fleet management, cost and emissions and identifying potential savings.
AAE have agreed to approach Ford as a strategic partner.
Active Travel - Walk to Work
Emma Adams (Research Associate - SSEHS and BHF), Dr Stacey Clemes (Lecturer - Department of Human Sciences) and Jo Hasbury (Sustainability Manager)
In anticipation of the national walk to work week in 2010 it is proposed that we consider extending the It’s Better Off campaign into “It’s Better Off, You’re Better Off”.
This would involve a staff survey in the weeks leading up to the week. There would then be an awareness campaign launched over walk to work week.
A study would be conducted after to assess any change and improvement and identify the effects on staff. One or two MSc students would also be involved to help in data analysis and the promotion of the awareness campaign.
Loughbikes
Dr Tim Ryley (Lecturer in Transport Studies - Department of Civil and Building Engineering) and Jo Hasbury (Sustainability Manager)
The main objective of the Loughbike project is to assist in the development of a bike hire system at Loughborough University, with applicability to other UK sites.
Following the successful implementation of Paris Velolib system in Summer 2007, there have been initial discussions to develop similar schemes in the UK. However, a more concerted effort is required.
A university campus, such as Loughborough University represents an ideal location to implement a bike hire system.
Facilities Management Projects
Andrew Burgess, David Fulford and Dr Paul Rowley (CREST)
A PhD or EngDoc engineer could be used to a clearly defined work programme that includes specific packages of work across a number of projects - these could include Towers, SportPark and the forthcoming Science Park Phase 2 low-C building.
The focus of any PhD/EngDoc should be applied, and relate to clearly attainable aspects of each project.
Building / Refurbishment
Professor Kevin Lomas (Building Simulation - Department of Civil and Building Engineering)
Facilitate use of the research undertaken by Kevin and his team into building efficiency to enable us to measure building efficiency on some older buildings on campus and to establish what we can do to reduce their carbon footprint.
We would like to identify a small number of buildings which we know to be inefficient and which we are going to keep for some years. A good model to enable this would be to employ an Research Associate to work with both the research team and Facilities Management to enable this to happen.
Business Travel - Cost Buster
Dr Marcos Enoch (Senior Lecturer in Transport Studies - Department of Civil and Building Engineering)
Background: In the current economic climate trying to involve organisations to undertake travel plan measures is a rather challenging task. However, one motivation that is likely to appeal in this environment is the idea that costs can be cut, and cut in a way that is relatively painless.
In addition, one useful by-product of this cost cutting measure is that energy use will be significantly reduced. The concept then, is to develop a series of tools that will reduce the costs of travel to a whole range of private and public sector organisations.
It is proposed that this will be done by adopting a ‘backcasting’ approach, whereby targets for cost reduction are agreed and then policies developed that are intended to meet them. Specifically, this approach will develop the work of Markus Robert, a researcher at the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden who is currently conducting research in this area.
