Research & Consultancy

• Centre for Built Environment (CeBE)
• Centre for Urban Development and Environmental Management (CUDEM)
• Centre for Project Management (C4PM)
• Centre for Knowledge Exchange (CKE)
• Civil Engineering

Research and consultancy activities play an important element of the School's academic activities. Research clusters support each of the four subject groups, in each case this activity links closely to industry through partnerships and industry supported activities. The main focus of activity lies in low carbon buildings, knowledge exchange and planning policy. These activities meet well with current demands and play an important role in ensuring the future sustainability of the industry. We see these activities linking to our academic programmes and provide a basis for post graduate studies.

Centre for Built Environment (CeBE)

Since its inception, CeBE has developed a strong portfolio of research, with projects being undertaken in partnership with industry; local and national government; research charities and academics in other higher education and research organisations. Key research activities lie in the review and monitoring of low carbon and high thermal performance buildings. This work is undertaken with a number of key partners and involves physical monitoring and measurement. The outcomes of this work are being used to guide the design of homes for the future.

Current and recent projects include:

• The Elm Tree Mews field trial - Joseph Rowntree Foundation Project Ref No. 805319
• The development of a Low Carbon Housing Learning Zone residing within Leeds Metropolitan University's Virtual Site
• Evaluation of Heat Pump Installations: Extracting Meaning from Existing Data Sets
• Study to investigate Solutions to the Cavity Party Wall Thermal Bypass
• The Stamford Brook Energy Performance Project

To find out more please click here.

Centre for Urban Development and Environmental Management (CUDEM)

CUDEM provides a focus for the research of academics in the Planning, Housing and Human Geography group. It offers an interdisciplinary environment for staff to engage in academic inquiry and policy-related research. Research focuses on the development of conceptual frameworks and their relevance to local, regional, national and international policy. Projects have been undertaken for the European Commission, UK government, and regional authorities and agencies have delivered agenda-setting research with significant contribution to the academy, policy and practice, while enriching our undergraduate and postgraduate teaching portfolio. In this period, CUDEM and academic staff have been involved in a range of funded research and consultancy activity with colleagues across the University. Projects have included the following:

• 'Sustainable Communities Skills Symposium 2006: Evaluation of planning, delivery and outcomes', Academy for Sustainable Communities
• 'A Study of Green Infrastructure in the Y&H region', Countryside Agency, (2006)
• 'The Possibilities for Success of the Sustainable Communities Approach and its Implementation', European Parliament Committee on Regional Development, (2006-2007)
• 'Geoland', EU-funded FP6 Integrated Project, partner in Spatial Planning Observatory, (2005-2007)
• 'Spatial Scenarios and Orientations in Relation to the ESDP and EU Cohesion Policy', ESPON project 3.2 (2006-2007)
• 'Territorial Dimension of the Lisbon/Gothenburg Process', ESPON Project 3.3 (2005-2007)
• 'Architecture Week - Options Appraisal', Arts Council England (2007- 2008)
• 'An Evaluation of the "Welcome to the North Public Art Programme" ', Yorkshire Forward, (with the Policy Research Institute) (2007-2009)
• 'Northern Defence Industries Research', Joseph Rowntree Trust (with Praxis) (2007-2009)
• SURF - Sustainable Urban Fringes, INTERREG, (September 2009-2011)

To find out more please click here.

Centre for Project Management (C4PM)

The Centre for Project Management (C4PM) has specialist staff from a wide range of project based sectors such as aerospace, finance, IT as well as construction. C4PM are skilled at undertaking projects across a broad range of sectors which combine research and consultancy.

Some areas in which it is active are listed below:

• Project Support Offices - their functionality and how they might contribute to an organisation's project management maturity. Shouldn't project managers be tasked with the day to day running of the project - the negotiation, the motivation, the conflict resolution etc
• Project Planning - is there a need for a standardised process' Planning is often undertaken poorly within project-based organisations and the project sought to provide a standard process
• Project Methodologies and their implementation; many methodologies exist and it can be a very difficult process not only getting an appropriate project methodology, but deciding upon how to roll it out
• The role of knowledge management in project management
• The impact of an economic downturn on project management

Over recent times the centre has presented at both international and UK based conferences and has provided a number of Masters by Research studentships.

To find out more please click here.

Centre for Knowledge Exchange (CKE)

The Centre for Knowledge Exchange's has used its strong links between academia, industry and professional associations to develop enterprise, teaching and learning and research. The collaborative activities of CKE underpin and enhance teaching and training within the School. As well as providing site visits, assisting with course contacts the Centre engages in research and business development that benefits business and student opportunities. The large networks and forums that have been established have improved business link, assisted with corporate activity and have benefited the academic community. The vocational ethos of education within the School is wholly enhanced by the fundamental links and activities which CKE fosters and maintains. The links to industry and back into education are essential for developing research, teaching, training and new enterprise. Recent development and research projects undertaken by the CKE team include:

• The Leeds Sustainability Forum
• Low Carbon Housing Learning Zone - working with CeBE
• Women in work
• Advanced development of web platforms for teaching and learning, research and business development
• Module development for West Yorkshire Life Long Learning
  • Refurbishment
  • Materials science
• Construction Knowledge Exchange
• Development of open access materials for JISC
  • Advanced Construction Technology
  • Introduction to Construction Technology
  • Environmental Science
  • Refurbishment
  • Materials
• Virtual Site
  • Site visits and case studies
  • Gallery
  • Classroom
• Virtual Maths - BECTA, Work with Schools and Colleges on Maths Projects
• Motivational Maths - WYLLN - Development of Teaching and Learning Resources
• Functional Maths - Sheffield Hallam University and Yorkshire Forward Exemplar Resources for New Diplomas

To find out more please click here.

Civil Engineering

Civil Engineering research is carried out in a dedicated off-campus laboratory in Leeds. Recent research projects include:

• The use of novel vegetable fibre geotextiles to reinforce and reinstate contaminated soils
• Improving the performance of unpaved roads in Africa
• Development of a novel water purification system using plant extracts for developing countries
• Performance of lime mortars in masonry
• The use of thermally desorbed soils in concrete and mortars
• Fire resistance of masonry structures
• Sustainability and the sustainable use of building materials

Research and development work in Malawi has been funded by the Water Research Fund for Southern Africa (WARFSA). International funding has also been secured to develop a range of new postgraduate sustainability courses in Africa in conjunction with the Universities of Malawi and Botswana. Funding has also been obtained from the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and industry.

Working with industrial partners has also enabled research projects to focus on solving real life problems by developing new process, procedures, concepts and standards. Case-studies and site visits have also been fed into the curriculum, together with guest lecturers from companies which the research group has worked with.

Staff from the Materials, Structures & Geotechnics Group have published numerous papers in journals and at international conferences and have contributed chapters to books.

To find out more please click here.