Living Lab

The Leeds Living Lab drives the University’s commitment to embedding sustainability through knowledge, engagement, collaboration and innovation. It brings together students, academic and professional staff to research and test sustainable solutions, enhance our curriculum and solve real-world challenges using the University as a test-bed. It is interdisciplinary and drives continual, sustainable improvement.

Since its launch in May 2017 it has co-created nine interdisciplinary research projects, ten individual student curriculum projects, secured over £130,000 in collaborative funding, and directly engaged over 140 staff and students. The approach is quickly becoming embedded, with participants from ten Schools in five different Faculties, partnering with colleagues from Estates Services, Residential Services, Campus and Commercial Support and Leeds University Union.

Leeds Living Lab is a rapidly growing learning loop for collaborative sustainability research and teaching. Projects to date are as diverse as a natural capital assessment of campus trees in partnership with Estates Services and Leeds City Council, and trialling the Mixed Ability Sports model in University facilities to form a business case for the Sports & Physical Activity team. The approach creates institutional value through breaking down boundaries, developing knowledge and skills and providing staff and students with a greater sense of connection to the University.  Learning and outcomes are shared across the sector and beyond and we work with other anchor institutions in Leeds to scale and transfer them to our City and its communities.