News on 22 December 2000
BP is to support the UK Government sponsored Cambridge-MIT
Institute (CMI) initiative by funding a £2.5m five year project
on integrated low energy building design. Through this initiative, the
CMI aims to advance productivity and competitiveness in university-industry
relationships in the UK.
The CMI believes BP’s choice of project reflects the concern for
minimising the consumption of energy and production of greenhouse gases
whilst maintaining a comfortable and healthy environment within buildings.
BP chief executive Sir John Browne said: “We believe that by integrating
innovative energy-efficient technologies into building design we will
help to minimise the emissions of greenhouse gases, and create comfortable
places to live, work and spend our leisure time. We are looking forward
to working further with Cambridge University, and are particularly pleased
with the creativity encouraged by these industry-university relationships.”
The project brings together experts involved in architectural design,
building engineering and natural ventilation processes, as well as those
in building environmental safety. Through a combination of complementary
fundamental research and a joint design project for a specific building,
the project aims to build the foundations of a new discipline of integrated
low-energy building design.
Funding of this project follows on from BP’s grant of £23m
to establish the BP Institute at Cambridge in 1999.
