BALEHAUS@BATH A modern innovative low carbon housing system Professor Pete Walker BRE Centre for Innovative Construction Materials Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering University of Bath http://www.bath.ac.uk/ace/people/walker/index.html The BaleHaus is made from timber and straw bales with a lime render. Background Total carbon contribution from existing and new buildings is around 50% of the UK’s […]

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The Sustainable Energy Quiz Serena Marshall and Jennifer Crabtree Both Serena and Jennifer are in the final year of their PhD studies within the centre for sustainable chemical technologies. Jennifer is working on molecular modelling of CO2 adsorption, separation and sequestration and Serena is working on responsive vesicles in an aqueous cream emulsion for dermatological […]

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Engineers without borders “Engineers without borders” is a sustainable development charity. It is about training people to do things for themselves such as building water pumps and wind turbines and helping them to decide what stuff needs to be developed. http://www.ewb-uk.org/ EWB-UK’s approach puts students and young professionals at the centre of their operations, providing […]

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Visit to a waste treatment plant http://www.geneco.uk.com/ Biofuels and electricity from waste In the UK we are fast running out of landfill sites to dispose of our waste also as a member of the EU we are obliged to reduce the amount of waste that can’t be recycled. https://www.gov.uk/waste-legislation-and-regulations#eu-waste-framework-directive Recycling allows precious resources such as […]

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What is a microbial fuel cell? A device in which bacteria digest organic matter and generate (some) power. Dr. Ioannis Ieropoulos and Prof. John Greenman, Bristol Robotics Laboratory A microbial fuel cell (MFC) or biological fuel cell is a bio-electrochemical system that drives a current by mimicking bacterial interactions found in nature. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microbial_fuel_cell In more […]

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Liquid biofuel production using microorganisms Professor Rod Scott, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, Bath University http://www.bath.ac.uk/bio-sci/contacts/academics/rod_scott/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Baths_(Bath) The Great Bath — the entire structure above the level of the pillar bases is a later construction. Bath was charged with responsibility for the hot springs in a Royal Charter of 1591 granted by Elizabeth I. This […]

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Watts New with Clean Energy Materials: Batteries included Professor Saiful Islam, Department of Chemistry, Bath University http://www.bath.ac.uk/chemistry/contacts/academics/saiful_islam/ http://people.bath.ac.uk/msi20/ http://people.bath.ac.uk/msi20/inaugural/ The lecture and slides can be found by clicking the link below: http://www.rsc.org/ConferencesAndEvents/RSCEvents/Education/MCDSchools/Watts.asp The challenge for the future is to make it low carbon. What are the green alternatives to fossil fuels? There is no single solution. […]

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Hydrogen: Number One Element, Number One Fuel Dr. Tim Mays, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Bath http://www.bath.ac.uk/chem-eng/people/mays/index.html http://people.bath.ac.uk/cestjm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gro_Harlem_Brundtland Gro Harlem Brundtland (20 April 1939) is a Norwegian Social democratic politician, diplomat, and physician, and an international leader in sustainable development and public health. She has said that sustainable development is development that meets […]

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Build your own solar cell Aim: To make and test a solar cell using a common product as the dye In order to do this experiment properly you do need to get some specialist materials. You can buy a whole kit or buy the parts separately. You also need a beaker big enough to soak […]

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Solar Energy Dr Petra Cameron http://www.bath.ac.uk/chemistry/contacts/academics/petra_cameron/ http://people.bath.ac.uk/chppjc/ Sustainable energy is necessary because of climate change and the need for alternative energy sources as we are running out of fossil fuels. The lecture looked at photovoltaic essentials and first, second and third generation solar cells. There is no doubt that greenhouse gases created by humans causes […]

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