Wednesday, 06 December 2023
The University of Nottingham’s Department of Architecture and Built Environment has been selected to feature in The Future of Engineering – a new multimedia initiative presented by media and communications specialist St James’s House in association with the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE).
The Creative Energy Homes site on University Park campus
Recently launched at the ICE’s London headquarters, The Future of Engineering is a comprehensive online hub that hosts a selection of exclusive, industry-related films, interviews and features.
As one of the leading voices in the higher education sector, the University of Nottingham shares its insights and expertise on one of the initiative’s documentaries, entitled Putting the Smart into Cities.
The documentary explores the ideas, innovations and individuals at the forefront of the development of sustainable, smart cities across the globe. Including commentary and analysis from a host of leading industry organisations, Putting the Smart into Cities addresses the present and future challenges of urban living, from transport and communications to the built environment, work and leisure.
The Future of Engineering also features a dedicated profile of the University of Nottingham and its leading research into sustainable cities, including the university’s award-winning Creative Energy Homes and the local Trent Basin community energy scheme.
We have been pioneering internationally leading research into sustainable buildings and communities for more than two decades.
Professor Rodrigues continued: "When we think of smart cities, we are often drawn to the idea of using data and technology to improve efficiencies, but we have expanded this concept to mean that processes, systems and lifestyles are seamlessly optimised.”
Addressing the smart city challenge, David Porter, Vice President of the ICE, says, “The ICE’s vision for the future is really embodied in the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, and we work very hard to try and support the delivery of those. We need to deliver all those SDGs in a way that helps people and the planet to thrive.”
Story credits
More information is available from Danielle Hall, Media Relations Manager at the University of Nottingham, at danielle.hall@nottingham.ac.uk or 0115 846 7156.
About the Faculty of Engineering:
Made up of six departments – Architecture and Built Environment, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering and Foundation Engineering and Physical Sciences – the university’s Faculty of Engineering is home to more than 5,600 students and 800 staff.
The faculty, which has educated engineers and architects for more than 140 years, was the first in the country to be accredited with an Athena SWAN Gold Award for excellence in advancing gender equality across higher education and research and is home to multiple state-of-the-art facilities, including the recently opened £40m Power Electronics and Machines Centre (PEMC).
With research at its heart, 20 research groups are undertaking pioneering projects for a sustainable future across several themes – including net zero transport, sustainable energies and the built environment, advanced manufacturing, and healthcare technologies – and has delivered a positive impact in more than 20 countries. The faculty’s research has benefitted 500 companies and three governments and has also directly created jobs for around 3,000 people across the world.
The Institution of Civil Engineers (www.ice.org.uk), or ICE, is a 95,000-strong global membership organisation with over 200 years of history. It is a centre of engineering excellence, qualifying engineers and helping them maintain lifelong competence, assuring society that the infrastructure they create is safe, dependable and well designed. Its network of experts offers trusted, impartial advice to politicians and decision makers on how to build and adapt infrastructure to create a more sustainable world.
St James’s House (www.stjamess.org) is a leading publisher and communications company that specialises in providing organisations from around the world with access to exclusive audiences and markets.
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 32 in Europe and 16th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the second most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2022 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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