· TeenTech is a national charity working with school children to help them consider a future in digital, science technology and engineering.

· Their TeenTech City of Tomorrow initiative is working with nine Coventry schools with the help of WMG, University of Warwick

· Experts from WMG will deliver advice to children on sustainable materials, and inspire them as they design and build their city of the future out of recyclable household items

· A few Cities will then be exhibited at The Coventry Transport Museum

As it’s ‘Cities, Regions and Built Environment’ day at the COP26 summit in Glasgow, researchers from WMG at the University of Warwick are helping children understand sustainability and its importance, by delivering an online session about sustainable materials and why it’s important we use them more for a greener future, thanks to funding from the University’s Innovative Manufacturing and Future Materials GRP.

As ERA reaches the end of its £60 million capital build programme, which has focused on the development of 23 test and demonstration facilities, it has been through a process of examining how to apply its academic capability and facilities to a series of major research, development and demonstration challenges which face the UK as it accelerates the delivery of low-carbon solutions towards 2050. This has resulted in a series of ‘Big Ideas’ focussed on:

• Implementation and demonstration of next-generation fuels;
• Medium-term, large-scale, energy storage;
• Integrating the circular economy with zero carbon and CCUS acceleration;
• Grid-scale electricity system modelling for future-proofing infrastructure;
• A National Centre for Decarbonisation of Heat, NCDH, and
• Behavioural transition for a low-carbon future.

The full document of the Big Ideas can be viewed along with the ERA Into the next ERA document.

If you would like to get involved with any of the Big Ideas or have any feedback please contact the Energy GRP: EnergyGRP@warwick.ac.uk