Welcome to Sustainability Hub: Low Carbon Devon
The Sustainability Hub: Low Carbon Devon project will provide an exciting new catalyst for low-carbon economic growth in Devon.
Supported by an investment from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the three-year £2.6 million programme, will support Devon-based organisations to access research, business support, and engage with the University of Plymouth around the low-carbon agenda.
- Are you a Devon-based enterprise interested in reducing your carbon emissions or developing a new low-carbon product, process or service? We'd love to hear from you.
Complete the Low Carbon Devon – enterprises’ expression of interest
- Are you a University of Plymouth researcher or academic with an interest or expertise in the low-carbon agenda? Register your interest in the project's collaboration, funding and event opportunities.
Complete the Low Carbon Devon – research and innovation expression of interest
Covid-19 update – the project team is working remotely for the time being, in line with the government’s current measures, and please note that the University of Plymouth’s city centre campus is only open for key functions (please refer to our Covid-19 FAQ page for current information).
Although booking the Sustainability Hub is not currently possible, all other aspects of the project are progressing, so if you would like to register your interest in being involved, please complete our expression of interest questionnaire for enterprises or researchers.
We continue to review the latest guidance and would be happy to discuss your plans for events in the Sustainability Hub for later in the year at sustainabilityhub@plymouth.ac.uk.
If you are a student or graduate interested in being an intern in a Devon enterprise, please email sustainabilityhub@plymouth.ac.uk
Get involved
Sustainability Hub
The Sustainability Hub is a refurbished building that provides a physical space where businesses, social enterprises and community groups can mix with researchers and students around the issue of sustainability.
For further information on how you can use the building, visit the Sustainability Hub webpage.
Knowledge exchange
Events – Our events are about supporting the low-carbon sector in Devon, supporting enterprises from any sector to shift to low carbon and also supporting enterprises to engage with the University of Plymouth around the low-carbon agenda.
Forthcoming Events
Future Plymouth 2030 - series of fortnightly webinars exploring low carbon and sustainable development in Plymouth.
Low-carbon internships – We will
have a number of short internships (one to three months) for students and recent
graduates from across the Institute.
This could be from science, engineering, arts, humanities, health and
business. If you are a student or graduate interested in being an intern in a Devon enterprise, please email sustainabilityhub@plymouth.ac.uk
If you have ideas about events/training or a short low carbon research project, please fill out one of the above Expression of Interest questionnaires.
Research and innovation
The Sustainability Hub is a living lab – a place where we can research and test low carbon solutions. Four industrial research fellows are now in place to carry out research, hold training events and bring together enterprises operating in the following areas;
- Green wall sector
- Power electronics (PV & LEDs)
- Creative industry sector
- Energy efficient buildings and Occupant Behaviour
We also have ten small grants for short research projects with Devon enterprises that are developing new low carbon products/processes.
If you have projects that could benefit from collaborating with University of Plymouth researchers – please fill out one of the above Expression of Interest questionnaires.
Carbon Reduction Project
The Low Carbon Devon project brings significant energy savings through delivering an LED lighting retrofit programme in four University buildings. Within one of these buildings the Low Carbon Devon project is trialling an innovative energy efficiency technology. The results of the trial will be disseminated, along with other energy efficiency approaches that have been demonstrated at the University.
If you are interested in finding out more about energy
efficiency -
please fill out one of the above Expression of Interest questionnaires.
Our Green
Wall Industrial Research Fellow Thomas Murphy is interested in the use of
nature-based solutions to tackle local and global environmental issues. The
project will optimise the performance and viability of green walls in
sustainable building design and share information and best practice. Our
thriving internal and external green walls showcase the latest research and
technologies in this area.
Thomas says, “with an expanding urban population,
‘green infrastructure’ provides an opportunity to tackle climate change, air
pollution and biodiversity loss, whilst facilitating low carbon economic
growth. Green walls can offer heating/cooling savings (CO2), improved air
quality, noise reduction and elevated health and well-being. This project is a
fantastic opportunity to kick start local innovation to engender sustainable
low carbon growth in Devon.”
Industrial Research Fellow Thomas Murphy studying soil insulation capacity.
Energy Efficient Buildings and Occupant Behaviour Industrial Research Fellow Sepideh Korsavi
The Energy Efficient Buildings and Occupant Behaviour research area of the Low Carbon Devon project will assist Devon enterprises developing building management systems to improve the control strategies and visual communication of their products.
The wider Devon business community will be supported by our specialist Industrial Research Fellow, Sepideh Korsavi, to identify opportunities to reduce their energy consumption.
The Sustainability Hub on campus at the University will be used as the initial pilot and solutions will be later tested, implemented and disseminated to other businesses.
Low Carbon Devon is supporting the creative industries by offering:
- Research to assist in the development of a practice, process, product or service within the low carbon agenda
- Free events, symposia and workshops to learn about the circular economy or reducing carbon emissions
- Opportunities to network and collaborate by featuring on our creative industries LCD map
- Creative practice – could you engage others by telling the story of how your enterprise is engaging with the low carbon agenda?
We are researching the low carbon practices of creative industries and asking, what are the narratives of low carbon and how can we take action for positive change?
Dr Emma Whittaker, our Industrial Research Fellow, will draw upon the University’s broad spectrum of research expertise to facilitate and advocate the global shift to low carbon within Devon based Creative Industries.
Low Carbon Devon Creative Industries
Our team
-
Professor Iain Stewart
Director of the Sustainable Earth Institute
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Dr Paul Lunt
Associate Professor in Environmental Science
Director and Academic Lead, Green Wall Co-Lead
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Dr Paul Hardman
Manager of the Sustainable Earth Institute (SEI)
Deputy Director
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Ms Claire Pearce
Project Manager - Sustainability Hub: Low Carbon Devon
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Mr Christopher Woodfield
Knowledge Exchange Officer – Sustainability Hub: Low Carbon Devon
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Mrs Hayley Holt
Marketing and Events officer – Sustainability Hub: Low Carbon Devon
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Mrs Rebecca Barnes
Administrator - Sustainability Hub: Low Carbon Devon (Maternity Cover)
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Mr Thomas Murphy
Industrial Research Fellow - Green Wall - Low Carbon Devon
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Dr Emma Whittaker
Industrial Research Fellow - Creative Industries - Low Carbon Devon
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Miss Rosie Mascall
Administrator - Sustainability Hub: Low Carbon Devon
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Mrs Naomi Fowkes
Communications, Marketing and Events Administrator
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Professor Steve Goodhew
Professor of Environmental Building and Discipline Leader
Green Wall Co-Lead
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Dr Alba Fuertes Casals
Associate Professor (Senior Lecturer) in Construction Technology and Management
Behaviour Change Co-Lead
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Dr Rory Jones
Lecturer in Built Environment
Behaviour Change Co-Lead
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Dr Paul Warwick
Associate Professor
Low Carbon Internship Lead
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Ms Polly Macpherson
Associate Head of School - Enterprise
Creative Industries Lead
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Dr Zaki Ahmed
Associate Professor in Information Technology
Power Electronics Lead
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Dr Samantha Davies
Environment and Sustainability Manager
Low Carbon Estates Adviser
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Dr David Sergeant
Associate Professor of Twentieth and Twenty-First Century Literature


European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
The University of Plymouth is proud to be supported by the European Regional Development Fund. As one stream of funding under the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) Growth Programme 2014–2020, the ERDF focuses on smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.
The main priorities involve contributions to research and innovation, supporting and promoting small and medium size enterprises (SMEs), and the creation of a low carbon economy.