Universities back £52m climate change institute

LEADING universities today unveiled plans for a £52million institute dedicated to tackling climate change.

Backers, including UCL and Imperial College, hope the Thames Gateway Institute for Sustainability will become a world leader in developing environmentally-friendly technologies.

The institute, launched today by housing minister Margaret Beckett, will be built on 60 acres in Dagenham Dock. It will house a campus for UCL, Imperial and the University of East London.

The site will also contain a "green" business park and dozens of working models of sustainable technologies. Environmental technologies already generate more than £24billion for the UK economy annually and it is hoped the site could significantly boost this figure, as well as creating 10,000 jobs.

It will also be used to push the eco-credentials of the 2012 Games.

Ian Short, deputy chief executive of London Thames Gateway Development Corporation, said: "The Institute is central to the Government's plan to establish Thames Gateway as the world's first eco region, and a lot of the work we will be doing will look at the 2012 Games and its legacy.

"We hope to create thousands of jobs, and also develop new technologies - everything from growing algae to create power, to building green roofs for homes."

Work on some of the projects has already begun, with the main construction set to begin next year.

"We are just finalising the details, and beginning to look at designs for the main business park," said Mr Short.

The site will also link up with a second institute being built in Shanghai, and work with UK businesses to solve their biggest problems.

"By working with big companies like M&S or Arup we can find out what problems they really face, and address them," said Mr Short.

The aim of the institute is to bring businesses and academics together.

"We are very keen to have as much collaborative space as possible," said Jonathan Maxwell of Sustainable Development Capital, which is overseeing the site.

Jeremy Watson, director of global research at Arup and board member of the institute, said: "We firmly believe the Institute presents a huge opportunity."

Mrs Beckett announced plans for the new "eco-quarter", along with up to £35million for parks and open spaces.