11 May 2022

The University of East London (UEL) in the United Kingdom has established a strategic partnership with Siemens to collaborate on their aspiration of achieving net-zero carbon by 2030.

Siemens will deliver improvement measures to reduce overall energy use, and engineer solutions to drive the shift to renewable and on-site low-carbon energy generation at UEL’s campuses in the London Docklands and Stratford.

Digital-first culture 

In addition to targeting net zero for the University’s urban sites by 2030, the partnership also aims to enhance the well-being of students and staff, foster inclusivity by creating new learning opportunities, and support a digital-first culture through the roll-out of the technology.

The net-zero carbon roadmap identified four focus areas for UEL’s campuses: introducing renewable energy sources and reducing overall energy consumption; supporting sustainable enterprise; leveraging real-time energy data through the creation of a living lab and nurturing a strong talent pipeline.

sustainable energy

The first phase will immediately cut 10 percent of UEL’s carbon emissions and reduce operational costs by installing LED lighting in all buildings and upgrading the Building Management Systems (BMS).

A second workstream will focus on engineering the design of sustainable energy technology, including solar panels on rooftops and in car parks, ground source or water source heat pumps fed by the River Thames, and electric vehicle charging solutions.