EPSRC platform grants

Research themes, methods & impact | UCL Grand Challenges 

Over the last decade UCL IEDE has received three Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Platform Grants.

These prestigious awards of funding are given to what the EPSRC calls ‘well-established, world-leading research groups’ and have given the Institute a flexible foundation, allowing the creation of a long-term research strategy.

EPSRC Platform Grant (2006–11): Complex Built Environment Systems 

The Institute’s first Platform Grant enabled the establishment of a multidisciplinary research group that was able to grow, evolve and innovate while carrying out pioneering research, publishing influential papers and books and winning international prizes.

EPSRC Platform Grant Renewal (2011–16): The Unintended Consequences of Decarbonising the Built Environment

The Institute’s second Platform Grant enabled the establishment of a strategic programme of research to transform the understanding of the system-level effects of climate change policies. Conventional scientific approaches designed to analyse systems into simple components are limited in their ability to predict potential system outcomes. This grant is allowing new models to be developed to minimise the unintended consequences of future climate change policies.

UCL IEDE received £1.41m for the 2011-16 grant. Its project partners are UCL-Energy, UCL ISH and UCL ISR.

EPSRC Platform Grant Renewal (2017–22): Built Environment Systems Thinking

The Institute's third Platform Grant will develop a new strategic programme of research aimed at informing the scientific understanding of the systemic nature of a sustainable built environment. The grant will support retention and career development of key staff members through bridging between projects and by funding concept development project work. The grant also allows BSEER to build knowledge exchange through industry fellowships, collaborative projects and internships for platform staff.