RDCS moves successfully to next phase

The new Royal Docks Centre for Sustainability (RDCS) has taken a significant step forward, with stakeholders moving into the building for the first time. It’s a major advance for the RDCS as it sets out on its mission to be a regional centre for innovation, skills and enterprise, with sustainability at its heart.

The centre, at the University of East London’s (UEL) Docklands Campus, officially opened on 6 December 2023. The opening ceremony was attended by more than 650 guests, including the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and the Mayor of Newham, Rokhsana Fiaz.

But after the glitz of the opening celebrations, the hard work has now begun, with the RDCS welcoming stakeholders onto the premises on 15 February and laying out its plans for the next year. Some UEL services and research centres have already moved to the centre. These include the RIX Centre and the Sustainability Research Institute. Other facilities such as the Renewable Energy Labs, Maker Space and the Data Centre will also be based there.

A series of events have been lined up for the coming months, including roundtables, workshops, and discussions. These aim to bring together the University, the local community and industry to discuss pressing challenges around climate change and sustainability.

RDCS Director Robert de Jong said most of the furniture had been donated, signalling the centre’s mission to recycle, re-think and reduce emissions. He said, 

Within the context of the Royal Docks, there is a huge opportunity to do things differently. For example, how do we innovate? How do we use this as a testbed for cleantech? How do we learn and research in this space, and how do we involve the community and industry to produce the best outcomes for the long term?

“We need to think dynamically and creatively about what we need for a sustainable future. This centre provides the facilities, space and equipment to focus our thoughts and turn ideas into new skills aligned with practical outcomes.”

Spanning three floors, the RDCS is a cornerstone of an ambitious multi-million-pound investment programme which is creating dynamic, inclusive spaces for learning, working, and living.

Partially funded by the Royal Docks Enterprise Zone’s Good Growth Fund, the RDCS is positioned to become a regional hub for innovation and creativity. It forms part of the University’s bid to become net carbon neutral by 2030.

Central to the University’s careers-first approach, the centre will be home to several world-leading initiatives including UEL’s Living Lab. The RDCS will also host sustainable startups – building on the University’s reputation in business incubation and acceleration.

With that in mind, Associate Director, Careers, Enterprise and Mentoring, Bekki Moodie, said there were 100 spaces in the RDCS set aside to showcase the work of student and graduate enterprises, offering a shop window to fledging entrepreneurs.

Ms Moodie said, “These spaces will be filled with amazing products, which will be beautifully displayed with a small profile of the student or graduate and a QR code which takes customers directly to buy the product. It is a hugely exciting development. To have up to 100 people

represented and able to sell their products will be a powerful and practical way to support our entrepreneurs.”

Workplace Change Manager Deborah Kempson-Wren said she wanted people to interact with the space and with each other to create energy and a buzz in the building.

She said, “Research has shown that people want to be in a workplace that has a real sense of culture and community because that’s what helps them to thrive. That is what RDCS is predicated upon, that connection and collaboration, so we are encouraging people to come in, to connect and communicate and to build a community that will foster innovation, becoming that humming, productive place we know it can be.”