Living Labs pilot funding call update!
Got a great idea for creating a more sustainable university? You're not alone. The Leeds Living Lab’s new pilot funding call received an inspiring wave of interest, ideas, and energy from across the University community - and we’re thrilled to share what’s happened so far.
What are Living Labs?
Living Labs are practical, collaborative projects that test out ideas for change in real world settings. They bring together a range of perspectives including staff, students and/or external partners to trial solutions, gather feedback and understand what works. Crucially, the learning and outputs are shared openly so projects can be replicated, scaled, transferred or adapted in different settings, contributing to a culture of collective action towards solving complex societal challenges. At Leeds, they’re a key part of delivering our Climate Plan and turning broader sustainability principles into action.
Our new funding call was a step forward in expanding and strengthening our Living Labs programme - and crucially, it was open to non-academic and academic colleagues alike.
A huge response from across the University
This year marked the launch of our first-ever internal Living Lab funding call, offering up to £50,000 to any staff member to support innovative, collaborative projects that trial solutions to real-world sustainability challenges. This year’s themes focused on behaviour change and sustainable travel, and the response far exceeded our expectations.
We were delighted by the level of enthusiasm from colleagues across all areas of the University - academic, operational, professional, and technical. From early conversations to the final applications, it’s been clear that the desire to make a meaningful impact on sustainability is alive and well at Leeds.
In March, our Living Lab networking workshop brought together colleagues from different faculties and services, sparking new connections and creative thinking. It was a powerful reminder that some of our most exciting ideas come when people from different roles and disciplines work together.
A tough decision, and a strong future
We received an incredibly strong and diverse field of applications, many of which were highly innovative and ambitious. From recycling and waste-reduction initiatives to projects exploring cutting-edge technologies like extended reality (XR) and artificial intelligence (AI), the range of ideas was inspiring. We saw proposals focused on behaviour change across areas including travel, health and clinical settings, the arts, textiles and circular fashion, energy use, and carbon reduction. Many applicants were also committed to a just transition, with projects engaging diverse groups such as neurodivergent individuals, racially minoritised and LGBTQIA+ communities, Indigenous peoples, and socially disadvantaged communities both locally and in the global south.
The quality was so high that choosing between them was difficult, with far more strong proposals than our budget allowed. A team of 19 reviewers each looked at three proposals anonymously, then came together for a detailed panel discussion to make the final decisions. Choosing the award winners wasn’t easy - but we’re very pleased to say that we’ve now selected the projects we’ll be taking forward.
New projects, new possibilities
We’re excited to introduce the four projects selected through our first Living Labs pilot funding call – two under the Impact award and two under the Innovation award.
The Impact Awards support projects with potential for transformative outcomes and scalability. CYCLE-LAB explores how to shift student travel habits at a key moment of change, with a focus on equity and inclusion. A second project is developing inclusive, XR-supported virtual field trips to enhance accessibility and experiential learning. In both projects, students are a central voice in the Living Lab process - shaping the research direction and contributing their perspectives as end-users in the studies.
The Innovation Awards focus on testing creative and novel approaches. One team will trial compostable bioplastics for theatre props and sets, aiming to reduce plastic use across the creative industries. Another will explore how to cut clinical waste in Interventional Oncology, using behavioural and operational insights to design more sustainable workflows.
Together, these projects reflect the bold, collaborative ethos of Living Labs, serving as a real-word testbeds for change. These successful projects will begin over the coming months, and we can’t wait to see them in action.
Stay connected - and get involved
We’re excited by what’s already happening, and even more excited by what’s possible next.
We know there are still brilliant ideas out there - and we’re here to help bring them to life. Whether you’ve got a concept in mind, want to connect with others, or are simply curious about how to get involved, we’d love to hear from you – whether you’re a student, a member of staff, or an external community member.
Get in touch with the Sustainability Service at [email protected] to chat through any ideas or questions.
Catch up on past and current Living Lab projects on the Living Labs intranet page.
Together, we’re building a greener, fairer, more collaborative University. Let’s keep the momentum going.
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
We use the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework to guide our activity. Our work on Living Labs linked to the following SDGs:
- Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities
- Goal 13: Climate action
- Goal 17: Partnerships for the goals
Find out more about our impact on the SDGs.
