Akademiska Hus and KTH Climate Action Centre join forces in new testbed for the sustainable campus environments of the future

The Climate Action House building on KTH Campus in Stockholm will serve as a test bed where research, business models and concepts for shared premises will be tested and refined over a period of three years. The goal is for the parties to jointly develop sustainable solutions for a more flexible and resource-efficient use of the built campus environment, but also for the testbed to generate research results that contribute to positive effects for companies and communities that want to reduce their environmental impact.

"The testbed gives us a valuable opportunity to understand how to create more vibrant campus environments where living, study and collaboration environments can be integrated. Here we can test and develop flexible solutions that meet different needs and thus increase both the comfort, benefit and use of our buildings," says Linda Teng, concept manager for student and researcher housing at Akademiska Hus.

Key focus areas

The test bed will, among other things, investigate how the Climate Action House building can be optimized with a focus on room quality, health and well-being. Important factors such as temperature, lighting and acoustics will be taken into account. The project will also evaluate how use and sharing between individuals and organizations can reduce energy consumption and digital resource use.

"This collaboration is an example of the value of interdisciplinary partnerships to address climate change, in this case with a focus on the built environment. By working with Akademiska Hus, we can explore innovative solutions that have the potential to have a profound impact on how the built environment can be better utilized," says Karin Larsdotter, Deputy Director of KTH Climate Action Centre.

The formation of the joint testbed is part of the letter of intent signed by Akademiska Hus and KTH to strengthen the parties' long-term and strategic collaboration in education, research and innovation in order to jointly contribute to a more sustainable society.