Smart Districts and Urban Energy Innovation

Institution: University of Manchester

Dept/School/Faculty: EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Power Networks

PhD Supervisor: Dr A Karvonen

Application Deadline: Applications accepted all year round

Funding Availability: Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)

Student background required: 

Planning, Geography, Business, Urban Studies, Environmental Studies, Innovation Studies 

Benefit to / Impact on Industry: 
This project will explore the emergence of smart districts for energy efficiency and carbon savings in the UK, Norway, and the Netherlands. It will help the private and public sectors understand how the smart cities agenda is influencing the governance of infrastructure services with a specific emphasis on energy service provision. 

What novelty will the student base their PhD on? 
The research will involve a sociotechnical approach that includes qualitative and spatial methods to understand the social, political, and geographic implications of smart cities. It will contribute to the social studies of technology and innovation. 

Project overview: 
The University of Manchester was recently awarded a Horizon 2020 grant to develop a low-carbon smart district on Oxford Road with partners including Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester City Council, and Siemens. The district will include renewable energy infrastructure, retrofitted buildings, and a low-carbon delivery vehicle programme. The project is part of a large European consortium that includes Eindhoven, Stavanger, Prague, Leipzig, and Sabadell where the smart cities agenda will be pioneered. The aim of this project is to provide insights on the implications of these smart districts on the governance of urban energy services. The introduction of ICT into infrastructure networks will have a significant influence on both the supply and demand for energy services. The research will build upon existing studies on the social and political implications of infrastructure innovation to understand how the smart cities agenda changes urban energy provision. 

Outline of Proposed Project Plan: 
Year 1: Taught courses and preparatory study 
Year 2: Literature review 
Year 3: Data collection and analysis 
Year 4: Writing of thesis 

Funding Notes:

This project is funded by EPSRC, the University of Manchester and our Industry partners. Funding is available to UK candidates. EU candidates are also eligible if they have been studying or working continuously in the UK for three or more years (prior to the start date of the programme). The successful candidates will have their fees paid in full and will receive an enhanced maintenance stipend. 

See here for information on how to apply and entry requirements: www.power-networks-cdt.manchester.ac.uk/study/projects-apply