Pioneers required for the challenge titled 'Zero carbon: Intelligent buildings and real estate'
The Energy Systems Catapult, in collaboration with Places for People, Geovation, Pineapple Partners, and other industry partners, has launched the Innovator Support Platform (ISP) to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) develop innovative solutions for the built environment.
The ISP offers access to advanced energy system expertise from the Catapult and a network of around 40 firms offering business support. The programme is not about finding the next renewable energy solution, but about developing interoperability across systems, using intelligent infrastructure to manage demand and supply, and identifying new business models for deployment at scale.
Alex Wrottesley, Head of Geovation, is supportive of the Zero Carbon: Smart Buildings & Estates challenge as a step towards accelerating the transition to net zero. As part of the programme, Geovation is offering free membership to the Geovation Hub to start-ups participating in the challenge. The Geovation Hub, an Ordnance Survey initiative, supports start-ups and provides them with world-class location and place-based datasets.
Start-ups joining the Geovation Hub can request specialist support and access an established start-up community and business network. Engaging with the supply chain is the starting point, according to Alexander, and the goal is to identify technologies and business models that are effective and deliverable within the coming decade.
The ISP aims to unleash innovative products and services that can realize benefits across the built environment for multiple stakeholders, including building occupants, owners, networks, system operators, and energy suppliers. The programme recognizes smart controls and interoperability between innovations as a barrier for integrating buildings, estates, and the wider energy system.
The Zero Carbon: Smart Buildings & Estates challenge includes innovators working on integrating low carbon generation or infrastructure technologies, zero carbon domestic heating solutions, leveraging data for new services, enabling active control systems, and delivering better living environments.
SMEs interested in applying can access the call documentation and application details for the Zero Carbon: Smart Buildings & Estates challenge here. The closing date for applications is noon on the 30th of March 2020. At least two innovator challenges will run each year through the ISP.
Julie Alexander, Director of Technology & Innovation at Places for People, stated that climate change is the most pressing challenge of our time, and the construction sector and buildings are the most prolific polluters. The ISP's goal is to capture value from low carbon generation and infrastructure systems through emerging smart innovations. The ISP also aims to help innovators unlock new routes-to-market, secure investment, and break down barriers to growth.
The ISP's launch is in response to the challenge of creating Zero Carbon places for people to live and work in the UK. The programme is open to SMEs developing products and services for Zero Carbon Housing Solutions, Smart Buildings, and Estates. The shortlist of SMEs will be generated, and they must attend a workshop at the Catapult innovation hub in Birmingham on the 5th and 6th of May 2020.
Wrottesley welcomes approaches from additional funding partners interested in supporting a Net Zero Accelerator being developed by Geovation with Pineapple Partnerships. The ISP is collaborating with the ISP to offer even more opportunities and resources for innovators working on solutions for the built environment.
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