Spotlight on PEARL: UCL Ranks 1st in the UK and 5th Globally in QS Sustainability Rankings

University College London (UCL) continues to set the benchmark for sustainability in higher education. Recognised as 1st in the UK and 5th globally in the QS Sustainability Rankings, UCL’s achievements are driven by innovative initiatives like PEARL (Person-Environment-Activity Research Laboratory), its first net-zero carbon building.

Highlights of UCL’s sustainability milestones include:

• Carbon emissions reduced by an impressive 56%.
• A 60% reduction in waste per person.
• PEARL achieving net-zero carbon status and an Outstanding classification for BREEAM.

The Person-Environment-Activity Research Laboratory (PEARL) is a unique, flexible facility designed to explore how people interact with their environment. The laboratory offers an extensively customisable space to engage and study the senses. Lighting, sound, smell, and physical features can all be controlled to create unique, real-scale experiences, test environments, and study the brain and senses. This cutting-edge research facility exemplifies UCL’s commitment to sustainable infrastructure and groundbreaking studies aimed at improving urban living environments.

PEARL consumes about 30% of the energy it produces through its solar panels. The remainder is supplied to local community businesses in the Technical Science Park where PEARL is based, reinforcing its commitment to sustainability beyond its immediate operations. As a model for energy efficiency, PEARL is rated at A+ (minus 9 points) on the Energy Performance Certificate, which highlights its negative-energy status. This achievement highlights PEARL's ability to not only meet its own energy needs but also to contribute positively to the surrounding community.

Professor Nick Tyler, Creator and Director of UCL PEARL, shared his excitement:

“We are really proud of PEARL's net-zero carbon status, Outstanding classification for BREEAM, and negative energy footprint, which have also been recognised in a number of external awards. This is a real manifestation of CEGE’s commitment to sustainability as an integral part of its research and education activity.

Call for Participants: Exploring the Impact of Street Lighting

As part of its ongoing research initiatives, UCL PEARL is inviting participants to take part in a unique experiment designed to explore the benefits of street lighting for autistic and neurotypical individuals. This study, led by Davoodian and Navaz, will take place from 21st January to 27th January at UCL PEARL.

The experiment seeks to understand whether street lighting benefits autistic and neurotypical people equally.

Who can participate?

• Neurotypical individuals aged 18-39 or 65 and over who meet the criteria.

If you or someone you know fits this description, please consider participating in this important research. For more details, visit: https://www.pearl.place/participate

UCL’s success in sustainability, exemplified by PEARL and its QS ranking, highlights the university’s dedication to shaping a brighter, more inclusive, and sustainable future.