The Centre for Urban Wellbeing draws together research across many areas, including physical, social and mental wellbeing, ageing, behaviour change, political and cultural economic theory, environmental and health sciences, digital technologies, historical and literary investigations on embodiment, compassion and care, and urban planning and infrastructures. This research provides new insight into the ways in which we live in and interact with our urban environment, and will help ensure that local solutions can be shaped by the best-informed global research and evidence.
Infrastructure Engineering research at Birmingham focuses on sustainability and resilience in utility service provision, underground space usage, geotechnical processes and urban engineering.
We are founding partners of the UK Collaboratorium for Research on Infrastructure and Cities (UKCRIC). Our National Buried Infrastructure Facility (NBIF) is part of UKCRIC and a centre of excellence supporting next generational design and the construction, operation and maintenance of the complex and interdependent systems needed to support civilised life in rapidly-changing urban contexts.
Novel approaches to the design of cities are needed to improve public health and wellbeing. Collaborative projects with industry such as Low Carbon Smart Pipes have the potential for a significant step-change in helping the construction sector achieve Government decarbonisation targets.