Net zero, cost savings, and new opportunities
To reach its ambitious goal, the university, which is one of the largest in the UK, has established a global partnership with Siemens. The partnership addresses infrastructure, research, and teaching, and it focuses on a digital transformation. It includes collaboration on a diverse range of fields such as energy, carbon emissions reduction, transport, big data, IoT, and even healthcare. It also comprises the access to and integration of a wide variety of datasets that can be embedded into the curriculum as well as a fully engineered plan to transition university to net zero in a commercially and technically viable way at minimal cost – in this way making education, research, and campus life more attractive and at the same time maximally sustainable in the social, ecological, and economic sense.
The use of sensors, the Internet of things (IoT), and a digital twin of the campus energy system makes it possible to increase transparency on building utilization, heating, and power consumption. Digital sensors, data analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning help to provide a reliable basis for comprehensive optimization of the entire energy system including distributed power generation from renewable sources, energy storage, HVAC, and mobility. In this way, a reliable roadmap for achieving both net zero and energy cost optimization can be developed.
At the same time, the vast amount of precise data available creates new educational and research opportunities: The project includes the largest rollout of IoT technology at any university campus in the world so far, which holds enormous research potential. On top of that multiple PhDs have already been sponsored by Siemens, and there’s potential for 20 additional PhDs in coming years.
Accelerating the net zero transition
In a global partnership with Siemens, the University of Birmingham is wants to make its Edgbaston and Dubai campuses the smartest campuses in the world. Taking advantage of the benefits of digitization, both gradual decarbonization and the integration of the university's infrastructure with the Internet of Things (IoT) are put on track. At the same time, the transformation is creating a dynamic living laboratory environment for power generation, energy systems management, social behavior, and big data.
Collaboration with a partner like Siemens is the first step toward a net-zero campus. We’re going to make the ways we use the campus, how we utilize the infrastructure, how people work, and how they learn more efficient. And as the smart campus and the available data teach us more about these factors, they’ll contribute to a change in behavior that will hopefully take us to exactly the place we need to be.Professor Tim Jones, Provost and Vice-Principal of the University of Birmingham
Siemens Xcelerator – the digital ecosystem to optimize student experience and campus operations
Siemens Xcelerator is our open digital business platform enabling efficiency, resiliency, flexibility, user experience, and sustainability. Making digital transformation easier, with faster time to market, and at scale.
It comprises:
- a curated, modular portfolio of software and IOT-enabled hardware built on standard application programming interfaces and a range of services from Siemens and certified third parties
- a growing ecosystem of partners – from solution vendors to technology partners
- a marketplace, that will grow over time, as a central point to explore, educate, exchange and transact alongside a community of customers, partners, and developers
With clear technical and commercial governance based on highest standards and values, we facilitate co-creation and collaboration between partners, customers and developers. Together, we can accelerate your digital transformation!
Digital technologies that will change university life
The project is being implemented in several steps, with Siemens providing long-term advisory to the University of Birmingham. With the first phase almost completed after two years, a whole range of technical solutions have already been implemented.
LED lighting with Enlighted
A major lighting program will significantly reduce electricity consumption. The rollout of LED lighting devices along with Enlighted sensors for automatic light level adjustments to take advantage of ambient daylight will significantly reduce energy requirements for lighting and at the same time create the world’s most intelligent campus:
Enlighted sensors measure ambient light along with motion (people in room), energy consumption, and temperature, in this way enabling comprehensive optimization of space and energy utilization as well as new research opportunities.
More information
Discover the future of urban life!
The University of Birmingham’s smart campus initiative illustrates how digital technology can help to transform university and city life – and the world at large. It will enhance the physical and digital foundations of the university, promote the development of future technologies, and at the same time enable considerable cost savings. Click the button to learn more about smart urban communities.