CEREB - the Centre for Efficient and Renewable Energy in Buildings, is a unique teaching, research and demonstration facility for low carbon technologies in the built environment at London South Bank University, funded by HEFCE, the LDA and M&E Sustainability in partnership with City and Kingston Universities.
Built on the roof of LSBU's K2 building, the Centre demonstrates diverse renewable energy technologies, monitors real carbon savings and enables practising engineers to understand which solutions are most appropriate to particular situations. Students have access to CEREB for their lectures and teaching modules. 'Plug and play' facilities enable technologies to be tested, in this and other buildings.
CEREB (and the K2 building beneath it) host many forms of renewable or energy efficient technologies including solar fibre optics, ground source heat pumps, solar hot water, photovoltaics, wind turbines, tri-generation and phase change materials. Much previous research into alternative energy resources has been in a more rural environment - CEREB is the first centre of its kind to be located in an urban setting with a dedicated space providing opportunities to research and develop sustainable and environmentally friendly technologies for urban buildings.
Opening the Centre in June 2010 the Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: "This exciting new technology centre...is unique in that it provides both research and teaching facilities but also enables people to see, hands on, how technologies can be used...If we are to reduce carbon emissions in London and tackle climate change, it is vital that we help the construction and design industries to incorporate energy efficient technologies into their buildings."
This project was chosen to feature in the RIBA HEDQF's Small Budget Big Impact Exhibition 2011, see brochure here.
