The environment

Enhancing our knowledge of earth systems and of the human actions that affect the environment is crucial as it will help us to slow down climate change and tackle many of the other environmental problems facing the globe. What is clear is that science alone does not hold all of the answers – instead, collaborations between scientific and social researchers, alongside artists, architects, businesses, policy makers and the community are likely to achieve the most. A number of such collaborative efforts are enjoying considerable success here at the University of Brighton.

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CO2 meets its match

One significant environmental issue being investigated at the university is how to capture, convert and potentially destroy carbon dioxide. If we were able to break CO2 down into its harmless components, it would be possible to stop pumping billions of tonnes of the main greenhouse gas into the atmosphere. Researchers at the university are supporting the work of colleagues from Japan to develop a technique of breaking down CO2, separating it into carbon and oxygen.

The House That Kevin built

An excellent example of our activities in the built environment is our plan to rebuild The House That Kevin Built, the house originally constructed live on television in 2008 for Channel 4’s Grand Designs Live, hosted by Kevin McCloud. It was heralded as the UK’s first low-energy prefabricated house made from eco-friendly materials.

The house is being rebuilt at our Grand Parade campus and will become a venue to learn about environmental issues, healthy living, reducing the use of carbon and tackling climate change. It will also become a site for research, student workshops, conferences and events, linking the university and the city through a shared concern for a more sustainable future.

The edible campus

Our academics are working with students from across the university to grow fruit, vegetables and herbs right in the heart of the city. The canteen roof terrace of our Grand Parade campus has been transformed into a lush garden and the produce will be sold locally and used in the university’s restaurants and cafes. People in the local community are encouraged to get involved, helping them to recognise the effects of importing produce from around the world.

Safer water for everyone

The university’s Environment and Public Health Research Unit is investigating how to develop better technology and environmental management practices to remove disease-causing organisms from drinking water. It is also exploring our understanding of how waterborne diseases are transmitted.

Some 1.8 million people die from diarrhoeal disease each year and 88 per cent of these deaths are attributable to unsafe water supply, sanitation and hygiene, mostly among children in developing countries. This global health issue is closely associated with poverty and is further complicated by climate change-related events and newly emerging strands of the disease.