Welcome to the web portal for the Living laboratory for Sustainability at the University of Cambridge!

The core vision

The Living Laboratory project supports students from a variety of disciplines in carrying out research into the operational sustainability of the University, such as feasibility studies for energy efficient technologies for new and existing University buildings, understanding of human behaviour in buildings and monitoring the effects of measures which have already been taken. This requires collaboration between the building managers who provide data and implement recommendations, the students who carry out the research as part of their curriculum, and the academics who provide expert supervision and advice.

This integrated approach aims to enable significant changes in the University’s operational sustainability, by making use of the intellectual resources in the educational and research parts of the University. Involving students in this work during their education gives them hands on experience and deepens the understanding of sustainability they take into the world after graduation. Using the University estate and buildings as a living laboratory also opens a new opportunity for applied research into sustainability that can inform change in the wider world, and give Cambridge University a place as a leader in integrated sustainability research.