The ERBE Programme

ERBE will train innovative leaders with the necessary skills to transform the relationships between buildings and the energy system, providing sustainable, affordable, and healthy places to live and work. In order to achieve this, a whole system multi-disciplinary approach will be implemented that draws on the skills of each ERBE partner, involving the training of 68 students across five separate intakes. These students will make significant research advances and become the future leaders in the energy sector.

Students will be immersed in world-leading multi-disciplinary training environments at MaREI, UCL & Loughborough University. They will work with partners in industry, government and NGOs to deliver insights that are directly relevant to the challenges this sector faces.

The core activities of this Ph.D. Studentship include an immersive Block Week, a  Secondment with the UK partner & institution, a Summer School, a Colloquium and a Student-led conference along with other external training as deemed necessary.

ERBE students will attain a depth of understanding only possible as cohorts work and learn together. An integrated, 4-year programme will provide the knowledge, research and transferable skills to enable outstanding graduates from physics to social sciences to pursue research in one of three themes:

Theme 1: Flexibility and resilience: the interaction between buildings, both domestic and non-domestic, and the whole energy system, through new generation, storage, and energy efficiency technology, enabled by smart control systems and new business models.

Theme 2: Technology and system performance: demand reduction and decarbonisation of the built environment and its utilisation through design, construction methods, technological innovation, cyber-physical monitoring and control systems and regulation.

Theme 3: Comfort, health and well-being: building, energy, and ICT systems that create productive and efficient work and operational environments and affordable, clean, safe homes.

By providing training in a rigorous, world-leading, stakeholder-shaped, outward-facing and multi-centred research environment, the new ERBE CDT will help the UK achieve the goals in the government’s industrial strategy and clean growth plan.