Feasibility Studies - Energy, People, Buildings and Systems

新的知识、发明和见解始于一个想法，但如果没有进一步的研究和资助，想法可能只是这样：它们没有得到严格的检验，它们的潜在价值没有得到检验，因此它们对社会的好处也没有实现。这个可行性账户将为研究人员、技术人员和学者提供一个论坛，让他们提出自己的好主意，并有机会获得所需的支持、时间和资金，以更充分地探索他们的想法。可行性账户将资助三个主题领域的创意。低碳社会：所有用途的能源使用，建筑、交通、工业等；替代能源，特别是可再生能源技术；政府政策，社会态度和动机，以及媒体和其他信息工具的作用。人、系统和建筑：减少能源需求，提高能源效率，为建筑居住者提供热、冷、光、建筑设计和施工以及性能监测和维护-重点是通过创新、信息通信技术应用和新颖的以人为本的设计来满足居住者的需求。舒适、气候和人口：气候变化与人口和生活方式变化（如老龄化社会、肥胖和在家工作）的综合影响对资源需求、健康和福祉的影响。显然，这些领域是人类的主要关注点，但这些全球问题的解决方案仍然需要新的学术研究——通常是将不同学科的学者结合起来的研究，特别是与社会科学家和经济学家一起工作的工程师和科学家。它们可以共同解决从技术潜力到财务可行性和社会可接受性的完整途径。这个可行性帐户将支持在拉夫堡大学许多部门工作的研究人员。通过他们之前的联合项目（通常由可持续发展研究学院协调），他们有着建设性合作的记录。可行性帐户将建立并加强这种工作文化，使新的和创新的想法得以发展，并确定那些具有明显潜力的想法。大学与工业界和其他利益相关者的紧密联系增加了这些想法最终被采纳的可能性，为社会带来更明智的利益。

New knowledge, inventions and insights begin with an idea, but without further research and, very often funding, ideas can remain just that: they are not examined critically, their potential value in not tested, and thus their benefits to society are not realised. This Feasibility Account will provide researchers, technicians and academics with a forum for bringing forward their bright ideas together with the opportunity to access the support, time and funding needed to explore their ideas more fully. The Feasibility Account will fund ideas from three theme areas. The low carbon society: energy use for all purposes, buildings, transport, industry etc; alternative energy sources, especially renewable energy technologies; government policy, social attitudes and motivations, and the role of the media and other information vehicles.People, systems and buildings: reducing energy demand and increased energy efficiency for providing heat, cooling and light to building occupants, building design and construction and performance monitoring and maintenance - with the emphasis on meeting occupant needs through innovation, ICT applications, and novel people-centred design.Comfort, climate and demographics: the implications of the combined effects of climate change and shifts in demographics and lifestyles, such as the aging society, obesity and home working, on resource demands, health and well-being.Clearly, these areas are major concerns for humanity and yet solutions to these global problems still require new academic research - often research that combines academics from different disciplines, especially engineers and scientists working alongside social scientists and economists. Together they can address the complete pathway from technical potential through to financial viability and social acceptability.This Feasibility Account will support researchers who work across the many departments at Loughborough University. Through their previous joint projects, which are often co-ordinated through the Sustainability Research School, they have a track record of constructive collaboration. The Feasibility Account will build on and strengthen this culture of working, enable new and innovative ideas to be developed and identify those with clear potential. The strong links that the University has with industry and other stakeholders increases the likelihood that the ideas will ultimately be taken up for the wiser benefit of the society.