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Construction of 果冻影院鈥檚 newest research building, PEARL, has completed
18 May 2021
The construction of PEARL (Person Environment Activity Research Laboratory), 果冻影院鈥檚 first research building in east London, has now been completed.
The building, located in the LondonEast-UK Business and Technical Park, Dagenham, will also be one of the core laboratories in the UK government鈥檚 EPSRC-funded UK Collaboratorium for Research on Infrastructure and Cities (UKCRIC). The facility will become part of the 果冻影院鈥檚 Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering鈥檚 (CEGE) Centre for Transport Studies (CTS) and will be the only space like this in the world.
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Speaking on what this development will mean for the department, Professor Nick Tyler, Director of 果冻影院 CTS, remarked, 鈥淧EARL places us at the centre of the UK鈥檚 national research facility for infrastructure and cities. We will bring new transdisciplinary approaches to the science and engineering of cities and their interactions with people, and all that this implies for the future of cities and people.鈥�
PEARL's facilities will allow the impact of environmental conditions, such as space, colour, lighting and sound, on people鈥檚 behaviour and perception to be tested. A fully customisable floor and decommissioned TFL train carriages can create real life contexts, for example a railway station, a high street or town square, where people's interaction with the physical environment and each other can be examined. 听Bringing the experiment conditions as close to real life as possible, PEARL is also equipped with simulated indoor weather and sound systems. With these provisions being available in the space, researchers will be able to measure subjects鈥� sense of contentment, reaction to risk and the impact of changes in sound in public spaces.
The first net zero carbon building at 果冻影院
PEARL is the first net zero carbon building in the 果冻影院 portfolio and is a clear demonstration of 果冻影院鈥檚 strategic commitment to lead by example and operate in a sustainable way. The project is highly efficient, bringing meeting spaces, workshops, and the public gallery into three indoor zones, to help reduce the space that needs to be continuously heated and cooled. Needing only a small amount of energy to operate, PEARL also produces its own energy from solar panels that span the roof. The project used only durable construction materials and since occupying the site, 果冻影院 has planted more trees and installed box planters, reducing air pollution and supporting local biodiversity.听
Placing 果冻影院 at the forefront in global research into accessibility for public design, PEARL has been created as the newest chapter in 果冻影院鈥檚 history as a disruptive centre of excellence which is open to all.听
For more information about the vision for PEARL including working there, see pearl.place.
Neil Turvey, 果冻影院 Estates Assistant Director Capital Projects, commented on the completion saying 鈥淭his has been an exceptional project from the outset with a clear academic vision. By working and performing as a team from concept to construction, we have been able to deliver this outstanding facility both safely and on time. PEARL is 果冻影院's first carbon neutral facility in use and will听enable research into accessibility and mobility in modern cities. A great achievement by all those involved鈥�.
Further Reading
PEARL is the first 果冻影院 building classified as net zero carbon