To support the 1.5 degrees celcius targets,
the UK has ambitions of reaching Net Zero Carbon by 2050.
Universities have a role to play in the global effort,
but they too are complex in their nature.
They are educational institutions where students learn,
faculty teach and places where we conduct research.
They also function as small cities, complete with facilities,
energy plants, sports facilities, and other civic attractions.
As a result, they are a major local employer within our region
and they are important catalysts within their
local and regional economies.
The Higher Education sector is undergoing significant change
Pre-Covid-19, funding and revenue concerns,
increased competition and globalisation
were all influencing factors.
Covid-19 has further emphasised and accelerated the pace at
which Universities need to adapt
in the fast-changing Higher Education market,
with the need to adopt new educational tools, research techniques, learning methods and teaching styles.
As a University founded on social responsibility,
the University of Birmingham has the expertise and partnerships to play a significant role
in tackling global sustainability challenges
and to answer some of the sector’s needs.
We have also set ambitious targets of reaching Net Zero Carbon by 2045.
The University of Birmingham is developing the world’s smartest campus.
This initiative will focus the innovation required to deliver an excellent University experience to future generations,
all whilst improving environmental sustainability, protecting both cultural and physical heritage, and realising cost savings.
So what is a Smart Campus Living Lab?
It is a technologically enhanced campus where data drives decision making
and research collaboration is enabled by better utilisation of space and digital technologies.
It will deliver an enriched, personalised experience for students,
staff, academics and visitors, bringing together all of our people, processes and services
to become a fully connected, global campus.
There are three main areas of focus:
Firstly, our digital transformation will focus on a series of coordinated technology shifts
that enable new operating and education models
and transform an institution’s operations, strategic directions, and value proposition.
Secondly, our work will enable new ways of working.
We will empower our people so that work can take place at the most effective locations and times.
Flexibility will become the norm, helping to improve work-life balance for staff,
as well as delivering greater productivity and efficiency for the institution.
Thirdly, by embedding the Internet of Things devices into our physical estate,
we will be able to gather real-time data, information and feedback about the things that matter most.
The use of such technologies will enable the estate to flex and respond to the changing needs of our people.
The development of our Smart Campus Living-Lab
will make significant contributions to our target of decarbonisation by 2045.
Working in collaboration with others, we aim to create a user-centric, open-innovation ecosystem
where investment in our physical and digital estate enhances the outputs of our research
and improves the quality of our education.
As we look forward, we plan to experiment with a wide range of built environment technologies,
ranging from Smart Energy Grids, Sensor Technology, state-of-the-art Middleware and Digital Twins;
for it Is these technologies that will help us create new knowledge and drive innovation in a diverse range of fields
such as energy, carbon, transport, big data, Internet of Things and Digitalisation.
Take a smart energy grid for example,
the lessons we learn through application on a campus our size
will empower academics to develop progressive energy technologies on a much larger scale,
leading to smarter and more energy-efficient cities.
Higher Education has never been as dynamic and open to new ideas as it is right now.
The next decade provides a unique opportunity for us all to rethink everything,
especially the things we take for granted.
Let’s embrace change, let’s innovate together.
Together, let’s make important things happen.