The purpose of this proposal is to create a water-based reversible adhesive using commodity materials that is inexpensive, scalable, and environmentally friendly. The target impact of this research is a commercially successful adhesive that has widespread applications, particularly in areas where recycling is important, such as bottle labelling. Other areas, such as automotive parts and e-waste management, would also benefit by supporting a design for an environment approach in which, at the end of the first life cycle, products can be dismantled, and parts repurposed. The technology can also function as a simple water-based adhesive to replace other glues based on volatile organic compounds. The premise is simple: a surface coated with a positively charged polymer can adhere to one coated with a negatively charged polymer. These will stick in water and remain adhered even after the contact has dried. Changing the local pH changes the charge on the polyelectrolytes so that, in an acid pH, the polyacid will become neutral. The polybase will remain charged and the adhesion fails. Previous demonstrations of reversible adhesion have required the end-user to perform significant chemistry. Here we are proposing a simple route to reversible adhesion based on a standard polymerization process. The surfaces to be adhered would each be coated by separate layers and joined. Adhesion is expected to be instantaneous and durable. Unlike other water-based adhesives, exposure to moisture would not compromise the joint. An acid or alkaline wash would be used to separate the two components. A rapid and effective means of disjoining requires significant research and forms a large part of this proposal. In addition, the spray coating of polyelectrolytes onto surfaces will also be explored as a simple route to adhesion for a limited range of applications. The technology will be validated in collaboration with partner companies.

This research proposal by the ReVISIONS consortium aims to provide the knowledge for public agencies and companies to plan regional infrastructure for transport, water, waste, and energy, (ranging from large capital schemes to small scale decentralised services), in a more coordinated and integrated way so as to maximise economic competitiveness, reduce environmental and resource impacts, and allow households to live more sustainably with an enhanced quality of life. This research will explore the inter-relationships between infrastructure policies and measures at the regional and local scales and explore the tensions and interactions that exist across these scales, and between sectors. The research builds on the expertise, data, models, and tools of the EPSRC sustainable urban environments projects of SOLUTIONS, (land use and transport), WaND, (water), and SUE-Waste, with additional expertise on energy generation and supply, and building energy demand. The research will aim to develop a holistic and practical integrated framework for the analysis and assessment of the sustainability of regional spatial development. It will devise and test alternative regional spatial strategies integrated across infrastructure sectors and spatial scales to investigate to what extent infrastructure selection, investment, regulation, and pricing can help to achieve more sustainable ways of living. At the regional scale these options will range from focussing new development on the core city of the region, to allocating most of the new dwellings within planned new developments dispersed throughout the region. Regional policies affect the location of development and the density of housing and hence the demand for transport, energy, water and waste services, which has major implications for infrastructure provision. Whilst regional policies can enhance the sustainability of the allocation of land and movement of resources at the regional scale, they also risk constraining sustainable development through limiting opportunities for sustainable action at the local scale. Local solutions clearly have implications at the regional level (via aggregate demand for travel and resources, and waste flows), and have an important role in making efficient use of existing infrastructure capacity and obviating the need for potentially unsustainable capital works. These local sustainability improvements will be re-aggregated to estimate the impacts at the regional level for each of these integrated regional options.The research will be based on case studies of the Greater South East regions, (London, East and South East of England), and contrasted with a case study of a lower growth more polycentric region, such as the North East of England. The research will be carried out in parallel with similar case studies of city regions in other parts of the world to compare and contrast regions of similar size to the Greater South East but at different stages of development. These cases studies will include Beijing, Sao Paulo, and possibly Los Angeles.Each option will be assessed across a wide range of criteria encompassing environmental impacts, use of resources, economy, social inclusion, health, and other quality of life factors. The options will be compared within a multi-criteria assessment framework in full consultation with end users and stakeholders. This will identify the most robust options that perform well for different value judgements and different future scenarios. The research will deliver generic normative guidance and decision support tools for use by central and regional government departments and agencies, regional assemblies, utility companies, developers, planners and designers.

One Bin to Rule Them All is an innovative, interdisciplinary research project focused on developing a streamlined standard for plastics recycling which can be rolled out across UK homes, businesses and urban infrastructures. Working with stakeholders from across the plastics supply chain, including manufacturers, retailers and consumers, the project prioritises the value in plastic waste materials to ensure more effective and efficient pathways for recycling. Thus, reducing overall plastic waste and ensuring that future plastics are produced from higher recycled content. David Attenborough's Blue Planet II has highlighted the urgent global need to address plastic waste, pushing the issue into the forefront of the public mind. Whilst retailers and manufacturers are focused on improving the recycled content of their packaging, there is simply a lack of quality recyclable material available in the UK. Inadequate recycling infrastructure causes 60% of single use packaging to be exported, much of which is then incinerated. Not only is this a waste of valuable recyclable materials but there are significant environmental impacts involved in moving such waste across the globe and then burning it. One Bin will develop and integrate modern recycling technologies and processes in order to eliminate plastic release into the environment. This will be achieved through three interdisciplinary and interrelated work packages: Work package 1, led by material science, will create a hierarchy of plastic packaging to determine the optimal route for capturing and retaining value in plastic waste through re-use, mechanical recycling or chemical recycling. Work package 2, led by management science and economics, will design and then trial innovations for One Bin business models along the plastic packaging supply chain, identifying new business opportunities and pathways to design out waste. Work package 3, led by social science, will examine consumer engagement with One Bin and potential barriers to adoption through a consumer trial of the One Bin system, pre and post trial consumer interviews and a focus group with key stakeholders. By recognising and releasing the value in plastic waste, and standardising the current UK plastic waste management system, One Bin will overcome the current complexities surrounding plastic recycling and contribute to the UK Plastic Pact goals. The potential benefits from the project are significant, including: a) Reducing plastic release into the environment through enabling the creation of a truly circular plastics economy and a long-term elimination of plastic release. b) Creating an easy-to-use, standardised waste system for consumers that can be rolled out across the UK and incorporated into households, work places and leisure settings. c) Releasing and achieving economic value by identifying the most efficient recycling pathways and business models for different types of plastic.

There are major challenges inherent in meeting the goals of the UK national energy policy, including, climate change mitigation and adaption, security of supply, asset renewal, supply infrastructure etc. Additionally, there is a recognized shortage of high quality scientists and engineers with energy-related training to tackle these challenges, and to support the UK's future research and development and innovation performance as evidenced by several recent reports;Doosan Babcock (Energy Brief, Issue 3, June 2007, Doosan Babcock); UK Energy Institute (conducted by Deloitte/Norman Broadbent, 'Skills Needs in the Energy Industry' 2008); The Institution of Engineering and Technology, (evidence to the House of Commons, Select Committee on Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Fifth Report (19th June 2008); The Energy Research Partnership (Investigation into High-level Skills Shortages in the Energy Sector, March 2007). Here we present a proposal to host a Doctoral Training Centre (DTC) focusing on the development of technologies for a low carbon future, providing a challenging, exciting and inspiring research environment for the development of tomorrow's research leaders. This DTC will bring together a cohort of postgraduate research students and their supervisors to develop innovative technologies for a low carbon future based around the key interlinking themes: [1] Low Carbon Enabling Technologies; [2] Transport & Energy; [3] Carbon Storage, underpinned by [4] Climate Change & Energy Systems Research. Thereby each student will develop high level expertise in a particular topic but with excitement of working in a multidisciplinary environment. The DTC will be integrated within a campus wide Interdisciplinary Institute which coordinates energy research to tackle the 'Grand Challenge' of developing technologies for a low carbon future, our DTC students therefore working in a transformational research environment. The DTC will be housed in a NEW 14.8M Energy Research Building and administered by the established (2005) cross campus Earth, Energy & Environment (EEE) University Interdisciplinary Institute

The Stern and Dasgupta reviews on the economics of climate change and biodiversity respectively make clear, wealth creation, ecosystem health, and quality of life are inextricably linked. The UK government is committed to showing global leadership in climate change and biodiversity (and in their intersection) building on commitment that will be made in 2021 for climate change at Glasgow (COP26) and biodiversity at Kunming (COP15). Furthermore, the UK government's 25-Year Environment Plan includes the pledge to leave the environment in a better state than it is in now, while the Environment Bill currently going through parliament commits the government to set legally enforceable targets for different areas including climate, air quality, water quality, land management and biodiversity. Within these broad areas, there are numerous decisions requiring scientific input that have to be made in short timeframes (6-12 months). However, Universities are adept at doing excellent research within the typical three to five years projects, and UKRI is highly skilled at selecting the most promising of these projects. This presents the problem of delivering interdisciplinary research (IDR) with stakeholders to address challenges and provide tangible outcomes and environmental solutions within much shorter public and private sector policy cycles. The challenge we identify for this call is urgency and rapid delivery of IDR to provide a clear path from discovery to translation and impact. Our approach within AGILE is to build capacity within Oxford University to rapidly bring together IDR, and identify evidence-based solutions to major social and environmental challenges. AGILE is composed three overarching goals. First is delivering a collection of Sprint projects, characterized by policy pull for their socio-economic importance, timeliness for policy and practice, co-creation with stakeholders, and researchers with the capability to communicate effectively across boundaries to adopt a whole systems approach. Goal 1 will deliver five central objectives: 1) Demand-led Sprint formulation through engagement with stakeholders, 2) Convene Sprint teams to set tangible outcomes and robust action plans, 3) Monitor and evaluate progress to accelerate projects ensuring optimal deployment of resources, 4) Creation of a body of knowledge on effective approaches to IDR and the capability of IDR researchers, to be embedded in the university culture and shared with UKRI, and crucially 5) Uptake partnerships and reformulation to ensure implementable solutions. Second is to create a critical mass of IDR researchers, through 1) capturing lessons learned from these Sprints and translating them into training opportunities for the wider research community, 2) building a community of IDR researchers through shared learning and ongoing engagement with the programme and policy-makers, and 3) and enabling rapid development of AGILE teams creating capability and supporting career development. Third is the AGILE legacy, of creating a culture shift in the way universities evaluate IDR and work towards ensuring the outputs of IDR are recognised as of equal value in recruitment and retention policies. This will ensure increased opportunities for funding and delivering excellent interdisciplinary research, with users, providing the evidence base for effective policy and practice, in a more realistic policy-cycle timeframe. AGILE will enable transformational change in the way high-quality interdisciplinary research informs decision-making on how we manage the natural environment in a rapidly warming world.