UEL robotics project wins national innovation award

Robots are set to play a major role in building the homes of the future - and a University of East London (UEL) research team is leading the way, winning national recognition for their cutting-edge work in robotic construction.

The team from the School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering (ACE) has received the RISE 2025 Award in the Field and Laboratory Research category for their British Council-funded project, Robotic Construction in the UK and China. The project is a collaboration with Tongji University in Shanghai, one of China’s leading engineering and architecture institutions.

The international project aims to transform the way homes are built by harnessing robotics to increase housing output while meeting the UK’s ambitious net-zero targets. Over the past two years, UEL’s team has been developing innovative design tools and construction processes based on extensive lab research and simulations. Their work has explored areas such as material mixtures, thermal and structural performance, and the production of 3D-printed components and prototypes.

Dr Arman Hashemi, the project’s Principal Investigator, said UEL is at the forefront of this emerging field.

“UEL is one of the very few universities in the UK delivering meaningful research in this area,” the Programme Leader for BSc (Hons) Architectural Design Technology explained.

When it comes to robotic construction, the UK is relatively behind in comparison to other European countries, the US and China. Developing relevant manufacturing and testing standards, and simplifying the design and construction processes to comply with building regulations are some of the main challenges for broader adoption. This project intends to address these challenges head-on.”

The RISE Awards (Research, Innovation, Sustainability and Enterprise) highlight pioneering case studies from across the built environment sector. They celebrate new and innovative products, technologies, processes and projects that drive positive change in the industry.

UEL’s winning project involved collaboration between numerous staff and students from both UEL and Tongji University, including Deborah Benrós, Su Yunsheng, Carl Callaghan, Fulvio Wirz, Shahrokh Zandi, Mohan Dungarani, Paul Nichols, Vishaal Raghu Nath Dharmalingam, Anjali Santhosh Kumar, Jayjit Kachari, Omid Rahat and Daniel Bonney-Andrews. A PhD project on optimising design and construction processes is continuing the work.

“We are delighted to see our work honoured with the RISE 2025 Award,” said Professor David Tann, Vice-Provost (Technology) and Executive Dean of the School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering at UEL. “This recognition reflects not just the creativity and dedication of our team, but UEL’s growing leadership in sustainable construction and robotics-driven innovation.”