School of the Built Environment

Welcome to all new undergraduate and postgraduate students who are joining the School of the Built Environment and to those students returning to their studies. These are exciting times for students of all aspects of the built environment - circumstances posing challenges and creating opportunities for the future well-being of the economy, our communities and the natural environment. 

Recent events have demonstrated how important the built environment is to society's well-being. The extreme weather conditions - earthquakes, storms, flooding, landslides and coastal erosion - have had a huge impact on all aspects of the built environment, including transport, property and buildings, and infrastructure. Different areas, localities, groups and sectors are affected in different ways and at different times. Here the built environment disciplines can contribute in many ways in seeking to understand these changes and in devising appropriate technologies and standards to ensure a wider community well-being. The built environment disciplines can offer informed and pragmatic ideas to aid the rebuilding of areas damaged by such catastrophic events.

At the same time, the economic context poses a series of questions about its impact on the built environment, and importantly how the built environment can contribute to economic recovery. There is tremendous potential for example, in retro-fitting existing buildings, introducing energy efficiency gains and exploring the deployment of renewable energies. There are new agendas emerging for the future built environment exploring the full potential of renewable energy and technology, smart grids, and connected, low carbon lifestyles. There is also considerable interest, for example, at the moment in designing and constructing appropriate 'green' infrastructure - which contributes to a range of political and environmental ambitions.

We wish you well in your studies this year - it is important you take them seriously - attend, engage and participate in all your academic and social activities - in order to play a part in the new built environment which is being constructed.

Professor Greg Lloyd, Head, School of the Built Environment
Dr Philip Griffiths, Associate Head, School of the Built Environment.