The School of Natural and Built Environment has incorporated ‘living-lab’ opportunities into its curriculum, in partnership with the Estates Directorate. These living learning laboratories provide a collaborative environment where students, staff, and community partners work together to address sustainability challenges.

One example of this approach involved research on the embodied carbon of the University’s Passivhaus student accommodation project. The research focused on assessing the carbon impact of the materials and construction processes used in the project.

Through collaboration with the design team, the research identified areas for improving design efficiency and reducing embodied carbon emissions. The findings were shared with senior University leadership and will inform future efforts to reduce embodied carbon in upcoming capital projects, contributing to more sustainable design and construction practices.