Sustainable Materials and Resources Projects
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Sustainable Materials and Resources Projects
Current research projects
Sugarcrete
The Sugarcrete®️ project brings together experts from the University of East London and sector-leading organisations Grimshaw and Tate & Lyle Sugars to co-create ideas and offer viable construction solutions for real-world applications, using bio-waste as the core resource. The aim of the project is to develop ultra-low carbon building components using sugarcane bio-waste (bagasse), allowing the storage of biogenic carbon from fast-growing plants in construction materials as an effective strategy to delay carbon emissions.
Funded by: SRI, Grimshaw and Tate & Lyle Sugars
SRI Theme: Sustainable Materials
SRI Role: Research lead
Newham Green Economy Transition
The Newham Green Economy Transition project is a two-year collaboration between the SRI and the London borough of Newham that forms part of a national initiative set up to help places and businesses across the UK accelerate the delivery of the transition to net zero. As one of 21 projects involving UK local authorities that were awarded funding under the programme, it seeks to support the development of a borough-wide Green Economy, which is defined by Newham Council as ‘one that is regenerative, ecologically resilient and enables economic opportunities that promote social wellbeing and equity’.
SRI’s role in the project addresses four research objectives:
- To investigate non-technical barriers to a green transition in Newham.
- To use the research findings to design, deliver and evaluate a participatory approach to inform the Council’s Green Economy Strategy.
- To focus in particular on priorities relating to governance and enabling and empowering residents and small businesses.
- To establish a long-lasting legacy of good practice in community engagement within Newham around sustainability.
Funded by: UKRI Fast Followers programme
SRI Theme: Sustainable Materials
SRI Role: Research leads. For more information please contact m.medas@uel.a.c.uk
Previous research projects
Cradle to Cradle
SRI has partnered with the Institute for Sustainability, Imperial College London and Trefoil Technology Ltd to build a pilot plant in the London Sustainable Industries Park (LSIP) to produce commercially viable lightweight aggregates. Using by-products previously treated as waste from a group of adjacent businesses, the pilot plant demonstrates how C2C principles can be applied in a practical, real-world setting. At the heart of the pilot plant is a testing and mixing facility and a highly efficient rotary kiln which enables a variety of waste bi-products to be converted into manufactured inert aggregates that can, for example, be used as a substrate for green rooftops or as local building materials.
Funded by: Via Interreg NW IV project C2C Bizz
SRI Theme: Resource Efficiency (Waste and circular economy)
SRI Role: Development and operation of C2C pilot plant at LSIP
Building Asset Management Platform
BARM focuses on the development of a platform that will utilise electrical power quality data from electrical meters in commercial buildings to drive predictive maintenance insights - leading to reduced lifetime maintenance costs and enhanced asset lifetimes. Undertaken in partnership with lead partners Argand Solutions Ltd, the project's key deliverable is a real-time software interface and API that will enable commercial/industrial building clients to determine which electrical assets they must direct maintenance resources to mitigate the value at risk from not engaging in proactive maintenance. The initial software system developed will be trialled at UEL's Sports Dock building. Funded by Innovate UK and the EPSRC's "Building Whole Life Performance" competition, BARM is an 18-month project completed in June 2017.
Funded by: Innovate UK
SRI Theme: Resource Efficiency (Energy)
SRI Role: Research on renewable energy building assets. Lead on dissemination and exploitation.
Find out more information about BARM.
Eureka Project
Eureka was designed and led by the SRI to help SMEs implement sustainable practices and processes, develop innovative clean technologies and access new markets. The aim of the business supported provided was to increase the competitiveness of your business and enable you to meet environmental requirements in public sector tenders. SRI teams worked with over 100 small businesses across London on areas such as the implementation of an environmental policy and management systems, green.
SRI Theme: Resource Efficiency (Energy efficiency)
SRI Role: Project lead
Aggregate Industries - Concrete Design
Collaborate project investigating how concrete can be designed as architectural installations - including using concrete mixes with recycled glass to maximize light as a design feature.
Client: Aggregate Industries Ltd
SRI Theme: Resource efficiency (materials engineering)