This category covers the role of buildings and physical spaces in delivering sustainable research. It focuses on the design, construction, and management of research estates to cut carbon, improve efficiency, and build resilience. Topics include:
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New builds & retrofits – low-carbon construction, refurbishment, and estate transformation.
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Space utilisation – reducing demand, flexible/shared use, and managing growth.
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Sustainable design standards – BREEAM, Passivhaus, EnerPHit, WELL, and other benchmarks.
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Renewable energy & efficiency – solar PV, wind, CHP, heat recovery, insulation, and other building-level measures.
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Facilities optimisation – smart systems, BMS, fault detection, and operational efficiencies.
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Heat decarbonisation – low-carbon heat sources, electrification, and district heating.
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Maintenance & lifecycle – preventative/reactive maintenance, plant replacement, whole-life costing.
This category is distinct from Energy Management & Equipment, which focuses on labs and research-specific kit. Buildings, Space & Design looks at the wider estate and long-term building performance.