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Redefining the future of universities

The University of Birmingham (UoB) has established a global partnership with Siemens to make its campuses in Birmingham, UK and in Dubai among the smartest net-zero campuses in the world.

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Designing smart net zero campuses

In aiming to become net-zero by 2045, the University of Birmingham has committed to make its Edgbaston and Dubai campuses among the smartest, most intelligent, and sustainable globally.

Aerial view of the historic University of Birmingham campus, centrally located in the city.

Net zero, cost savings, and new opportunities

To reach its goal, the university - one of the largest in the UK - has established a global partnership with Siemens. The partnership addresses infrastructure, research and teaching with a focus on digital transformation. It includes collaboration across a diverse range of fields such as energy, carbon emissions reduction, transport, big data, IoT and even healthcare.

The partnership also includes access to a wide variety of datasets that can be embedded into the curriculum as well as a fully engineered plan to transition the university to net zero in a commercially and technically viable way at minimal cost – making education, research and campus life more attractive and highly sustainable in the social, ecological and economic sense.

tons maximum CO₂ reduction annually

installed sensors

target year for a net-zero campus

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.

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, University of Birmingham

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.

Less energy demand for lighting

A major lighting program will significantly reduce electricity consumption. The rollout of LED lighting devices along with 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 an intelligent campus: The 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.

Getting building management up to speed

Siemens found many buildings had outdated management systems limiting digital and IoT benefits. It proposed replacing old controllers with modern equipment and supported implementing the necessary upgrades.

Improved energy management

New energy management software has been implemented to monitor energy-intensive equipment performance in detail. This enables improved efficiency and, with communication-capable devices, also helps reduce maintenance costs.

Ending heating energy waste

The introduction of various heating upgrades such as the equipment of all radiators with automatic vents helps improve the way each building is heated. This helps reduce costs while improving comfort levels in the buildings.

Students studying in a bright library, visible through an "X" shaped cutout on a dark blue background.

Make your campus an innovation hub

Siemens Xcelerator helps create efficient, secure and sustainable campuses and accelerate digital transformation.

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Leading by example

The use of digital technologies will unlock data and information that can be harnessed to underpin the university's roadmap to net zero. At the same time, it will provide living laboratory opportunities that reach far beyond the campus.

University campus and industrial facility connected by directional arrows, representing a smart living laboratory ecosystem.

Living laboratory

The University of Birmingham’s Edgbaston campus will become a smart living laboratory: a large, city-scale demonstration ecosystem working in synergy with the industrial energy park at nearby Tyseley.

Building with lightning bolt, lightbulb and check mark, representing an energy technology demonstrator.

Energy technology demonstrator

The new Energy Accelerator Building will be a demonstrator, where new energy technologies can be integrated, trialed, tested and commissioned.

Rows of people beside a graduation cap and lightning bolt, representing pioneering education in energy disciplines.

Pioneering education

Over the next 10 years, the University of Birmingham will train up to 1,000 graduates and over 200 people to doctoral level in energy sector disciplines that are essential for the transition to net zero.

Shanghai cityscape at night with intelligent infrastructure

Financing: Making the most of the given budget

To meet its sustainability and carbon emissions targets despite budget constraints, the University of Birmingham has selected Siemens as a strategic partner to provide building efficiency as a service (BEaaS) with guaranteed energy efficiency results. The university pays service fees for technology and services over a 10-year period, Siemens Financial Services (SFS) finances the underlying technology under a prime contractor lease.

Learn more about financing options

Let’s co-create your smart and sustainable campus

Are you a faculty member, a campus developer, an architect, a planner, a builder, or a campus operator? Would you like your campus project to have sustainable value? Feel free to get in touch using the form below.

University of Birmingham Campus with two students in front of a glass entrance