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BRITISH SCIENCE WEEK 2015 BLOG

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Contributed to by staff & students of The Bartlett School of Environment, Energy & Resources

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Archive for the 'Energy' Category

More than a third of people would let their energy supplier turn off their heating

By Michael J Fell, on 23 March 2015

nestA sinister engineer in orange overalls and dark glasses looms from behind your fridge, hands raised, as if to strike… This is the scenario painted in the Daily Mail in a 2013 article on ‘direct load control’, or the possibility that third parties (‘outside forces’) such as energy suppliers could turn appliances in people’s home off and on to help keep the UK’s electricity system in balance. (more…)

Sustainability Self-Help for Universities: the campus as a test bed for research

By Alex Green, on 20 March 2015

alex green 1Institutions like UCL face some big environmental challenges; whether it’s our energy consumption (and accompanied eye-wateringly large bills), carbon emissions, purchasing or difficult to maintain heritage buildings. But we’re also producing world-leading sustainability research. Our academic community is at the forefront of efforts to tackle many of these same challenges.

We believe that unlocking this expertise can form a vital tool to tackle our own sustainability challenges. So how we can use the huge amount of knowledge and expertise within UCL’s academic community to help improve impact of the institution as a whole?

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Will informal settlements ever be electrified by utilities?

By ucftxml, on 19 March 2015

Khayelitsha Township, Western Cape, 2008. Photo credit: Chell Hill.

Khayelitsha Township, Western Cape, 2008. Photo Credit: Chell Hill.

The UCL Energy Institute is co-leading a research project called SAMSET Supporting African Municipalities in Sustainable Energy Transition. This project is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) and the Department for International Development (DFID). (more…)

Downsize homes to downsize energy consumption

By ucftgmh, on 19 March 2015

housesWhen we hear the words “housing crisis”, the first thing that comes to mind is the exorbitant prices for houses, in particular in London and the South East. And quite frankly, after only two months of house hunting in Cambridge, I am fed up with manipulative estate agents, and competing against dozens of other bidders. Housing is just not affordable for a large part of the young generation, and in particular, the social housing sector sees a lack of adequate properties. (more…)

Building performance and scientific research: why we need more of it

By Sofie L J Pelsmakers, on 18 March 2015

This week is British Science Week and last week the EPSRC held its ‘science for a successful nation’ conference. This made me reflect on the use of scientific methods in building performance research, which is essential for us to understand and improve the buildings we design, build, operate, transform and live in. (more…)

Booming Energy Storage Industry Is Expected

By ucqbbl0, on 17 March 2015

energy-storageAs decarbonisation being set as a key target by both the UK government and the energy industry, introduction of more renewable energies into energy systems becomes a clear trend for the next few decades. Among many issues debated within the energy arena, there is a consensus that energy storage is vital to unlock the door towards wider deployment and better integration of renewable energies. (more…)

The answer is blowing in the wind – tackling climate change by putting the washing on when the wind blows and the sun shines

By uctqmln, on 16 March 2015

Most of us know that we need to reduce how much energy we use – but did you know that the timing of our energy use will also make a difference to the fight against climate change? (more…)

Inspiring the next generation of researchers

By ucftped, on 13 March 2015

ideas (c) istockphoto tumpikujaShould academics spend time to talk about their research with the general public?  Academic careers depend on publishing high-quality papers and demonstrating the positive impacts of research for society, and it is easy to concentrate solely on these.  Yet I believe a key role for universities is to inspire the next generation of researchers.  This has been highlighted by two events I’ve attended in the last week. (more…)

It’s getting hot in here, so take off some clothes?

By Harsha P T Kansara, on 13 March 2015

domestic_energy_use_thermogram.jpg

By Tia Kansara, UCL Energy Institute PhD student. Continue the conversation with Tia: @2050city

Thermal comfort is the study of the human psychological, physiological and physical environment. It is a vast subject buried in the science of comfort in the outdoors and indoors. Research, like how we feel comfortable in the buildings and cities we design – is of core value for architects (designers), governments (policy-makers), engineers (construction specialists) and occupants (you and me). (more…)