Optimising the diversity and resilience of grasses for use in urban environments.
Lead Research Organisation:
Aberystwyth University
Department Name: IBERS
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Publications
J. McDonald L
(2023)
Synergy between industry and agriculture: Techno-economic and life cycle assessments of waste recovery for crop growth in glasshouses
in Journal of Cleaner Production
Description | The project has increased the engagement between UK and Taiwan partners on the uses of grasses in the built as well as rural environment, eg for site stabilisation and flood mitigation as well as for broader human health and well being. This has broadened our thinking and aligned with ongoing work to 1) use of grasses as low cost "geo-engineering" solutions to reduce flood risk and for ground stabilisation, and 2) the greater integration of urban and rural economies, for example in the use of low grade industrial heat and carbon dioxide in protected cropping. |
Exploitation Route | This work will be taken further forward through identifying new end markets for uses of plants in the built environment including to assist in industrial decarbonisation and minimise the impacts of extreme weather events. |
Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink Construction Energy Environment Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology |
Description | The project has increased the engagement between UK and Taiwan partners on the uses of grasses in the built as well as rural health and well being. This has broadened our thinking and aligned with ongoing work to 1) use of grasses as low cost "geo-engineering" solutions to reduce flood risk and for ground stabilisation, and 2) the greater integration of urban and rural economies, for example in the use of low grade industrial heat and carbon dioxide in protected cropping. The findings have increased the diversity of stakeholders that we are engaging with, especially in the built environment, regarding mitigation of extreme weather events and industrial decarbonisation. |
First Year Of Impact | 2018 |
Sector | Environment |
Impact Types | Cultural Societal |
Description | Membership of Expert Advisory Group on "Land use: Policies for a Net Zero UK" for Committee of Climate Change |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
URL | https://www.theccc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Land-use-Policies-for-a-Net-Zero-UK.pdf |
Description | The MacKay Carbon Calculator, expert consultation to follow up on BEIS work with the Energy Systems Catapult and Cambridge Architectural Research to develop the new model and its lever plan |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
URL | https://mackaycarboncalculator.beis.gov.uk/overview/emissions-and-primary-energy-consumption/?levers... |
Description | Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre (IDRIC) |
Amount | £19,903,412 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/V027050/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2021 |
End | 03/2024 |
Description | Collaboration on resilience and drought tolerance in grasses in urban environments |
Organisation | National Taiwan University |
Country | Taiwan, Province of China |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This project brings together grassland scientists, architects and landscape architects to increase the resilience of green infrastructures in the built environment in the UK and in Asia. The IBERS research team brings expertise on grass and legume resilience biology including phenomics and modelling. |
Collaborator Contribution | The National Taiwan University bring expertise on the benefiit of green and blue infrastructures in the built environment. |
Impact | This is a new collaboration which seeks to link groups, in the UK and Taiwan, on grass and legume genetics, phenomics and breeding, green infrastructures, landscape ecology and biodiversity, and innovation to tackle the global challenges of urbanisation and climate change through the use of nature-based solutions. Currently we are working on the use of grasses in a phytostabilisation project to reduce negative environmental impacts. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Welsh School of Architecture |
Organisation | Cardiff University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This project brings together grassland scientists, architects and landscape architects to increase the resilience of green infrastructures in the built environment in the UK and in Asia. |
Collaborator Contribution | The Welsh School of Architecture bring expertise on the modelling and design of green buildings and infrastructure including expertise in Asia and especially in Hong Kong. |
Impact | The project is ongoing and no outputs or outcomes have arisen yet. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Resilient green infrastructures and cities |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Meeting with Taipei Representative Office in the UK including Representative Amb. David Yung-Lo Lin and Director of Science and Technology Division Prof Jiun-Huei Proty Wu on future cities and green infrastructure and UK-Taiwan opportunities for collaboration. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |