University showcases research at community event
Release Date 03 March 2011
Why Britain should expect colder winters in the future and how to cut our carbon footprint will form part of a showcase of University of Reading research at Wokingham Borough Community Conference next week.
Staff and students from the University's Walker Institute for Climate System Research and the Technologies for Sustainable Built Environments (TSBE) Centre will discuss the important work of both with visitors on Friday, March 11.
Kathy Maskell will be showcasing the work of the Walker Institute, which is helping to understand climate, to predict how climate might change in the future and to assess the impacts and consequences.
She said: "We look at questions like what caused recent extreme events such as the cold UK winter and the floods in Queensland. We are also looking at how to predict climate over the next 5 to 20 years - a timescale that's particularly important to businesses and policymakers when planning how best to adapt to the effects of climate.
"These events provide a vital opportunity for dialogue between climate researchers and local government, businesses and members of the public who, after all, are the people who are dealing with effects of climate down on the ground and making decisions about how to manage the future effects of climate change."
TSBE focuses on improving energy management in Britain's new and existing housing stock and investigating the built environment's impact on local and global climate. Engineering doctorate students will talk about current projects with Microsoft, Reading Borough Council and Southern Electric.
Professor Peter Grindgrod, of the University's School of Mathematics and Physical Sciences, will also give a talk on ‘Changing behaviour: Insights into consumer behaviour through modelling energy use in homes'.
The event, called Fit for the Future, is being held in Segro Building, Eskdale Road, IQ Winnersh, from 9am to 3pm, and will also launch the 2012 Olympic sport programme.
ENDS
For more information please contact Rona Cheeseman, press officer, on 0118 378 7388 or email r.cheeseman@reading.ac.uk.