Built Environment
Where we live
The built environment includes buildings, the spaces, passages, and landscapes between them, and the above and below ground infrastructure that supports human activity such as transportation networks and utilities (e.g., water, energy, telecommunications).
Clean Energy Systems
​
Product, process, infrastructure, and management innovations relating to energy in context of
clean generation, efficient transmission, smart distribution, and storage at different scales, both
centralized and decentralized.
Energy Production:
Reducing carbon emissions through clean and renewable energy
generation and increased efficiency.
Energy Transmission and Distribution:
Increasing power efficiency and reducing power loss during transmission and distribution, improving power flow and congestion management, enhancing grid flexibility, demand response capabilities and bi and multi-directional smart energy flows in distributed energy resources.
Energy Storage:
Developing energy conversion and stationary storage systems applicable to
the utilities, commercial, industrial as well as residential sectors, ranging from fast responsive
options for near real-time to long-duration options.
Sustainable Mobility & Transport
​
Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions generated by passenger mobility and transport of goods
over land, sea, and air. This could be facilitated through innovation in fuels, transportation
modality, infrastructure, services, optimized operations, innovative materials and route, system,
and charge management.
Electrification:
New generation batteries with improved energy density and lifespan,
advancing electric propulsion technologies for medium and heavy-duty vehicles and improving
braking energy recovery. Facilitation of charging infrastructure.
Alternative Fuels:
Development of low-carbon alternative fuels and design of highly efficient,
compatible engines and auxiliary components. Facilitation of refueling infrastructure and fuel
distribution.
Fuel Efficiency:
Enhancing fuel efficiency in context of vehicle design, materials and
maintenance of road infrastructure.
Routing:
Efficiencies in traffic flow, connectivity and routes for individuals and fleets.
Transportation Modality:
Technologies and infrastructure that facilitate shifts to low carbon transportation modes and influence individual travel behavior.
Low Carbon Buildings
​
Technologies that facilitate zero or low carbon operational emissions from buildings and built
infrastructure. This could be via increased energy efficiency or low carbon alternatives for
energy demanding processes and appliances or alternatively, via enabling innovations that
reduce the energy demand within a building.
Operational Functions:
Low carbon and improved efficiency technologies for heating,
cooling, ventilation, refrigeration, and lighting.
Optimized Control:
Optimization in energy control and management for indoor and outdoor
environments.
Reduced Demand:
Innovations leading to performance improvement of buildings such as
solar gain control, daylight control, night cooling and insulation.
Green Construction
​
On and off site construction that integrates low carbon and recycled construction materials, consumes less energy and natural resources through efficient design, processes and equipment, reduces waste and addresses end of life recovery of demolition debris.
Low Carbon Elements:
Developing low carbon primary construction materials in upstream and on-site production.
Reduced Material Resources:
Designing for modularity and durability. Integration of recyclable materials, nature-based materials, and implementation of closed material flows such as materials with a high recycled content. Revalorizing construction and demolition waste.
Heavy Equipment:
Decarbonizing construction and quarrying equipment.
Infrastructure Resilience:
Resilience of built infrastructure against the impacts of climate change
Eco-Efficient Water Infrastructure
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Innovations targeting increased resource efficiency and energy efficiency, as well as improved reliability, capacity, security, and resilience across the water sector and across community dimensions. Relates to water processes and systems management in industry, the residential sector and agriculture.
Demand:
Innovations that reduce and manage water demand and reduce waste and non-revenue water.
Energy Efficiency:
Energy efficient extraction, purification, distribution, treatment, and reclamation of water resources.
Wastewater Treatment:
Innovations in wastewater treatment to reduce fugitive waste gases such as methane and nitrous oxide, innovations for reuse of wastewater.
Resilience:
Resilience of water infrastructure to the impacts of climate change.
