Intel, Imperial College London and University College London to jumpstart British investment in sustainable cities technologies and services

Partners plan to create institute that will focus on sustainability in cities - News Release

Intel Corporation Media Release

• Intel, Imperial College London and University College London today announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the creation of an Institute for Sustainable Connected Cities research, based in London.

• The signing took place at 10 Downing Street prior to a high-profile roundtable, the conclusions of which focused on advancing UK competitiveness.

LONDON, January 16, 2012 – Intel Corporation today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Imperial College London and University College London (UCL) for the creation of an Institute for Sustainable Connected Cities research in London.

Speaking of the MoU, Intel CTO Justin Rattner said: “The collective goal is to establish a new, open, collaborative research institute focused on understanding and enhancing the sustainability of cities and their inhabitants’ quality of life. Intel and the two universities are already hard at work defining a robust research agenda including plans to engage the communities in and around London in defining the future of sustainable city life.”

The collaborating institutions, who together offer uniquely broad and deep expertise spanning technology, user experience, business model innovation, the built environment, and commerce, will conduct world-leading research that draws on these areas. It is expected that details of individual projects will be confirmed in the first half of 2012.

Minister for Universities and Science David Willetts, who witnessed the signing of the MoU and opened the roundtable, commented: “This agreement is a clear signal that the UK is a great place for high-tech research and that our significant investment in e-infrastructure will drive growth and innovation. It brings together leaders from the academic and business worlds and, using London as a test bed, will provide exciting new commercial opportunities to find technological solutions to everyday problems.”

The idea of bringing so many distinguished attendees together for the high-level roundtable was to generate ideas, options and relationships to help advance UK progress through developing new ways of innovating and collaborating.

Speaking at the roundtable at 10 Downing Street, Professor Martin Curley, Director of Intel Labs Europe commented: “Intel’s growing network of UK Labs and development centres has proved the UK’s R&D capabilities in a variety of technologies. This latest development with Imperial and UCL in London will create the opportunity to develop an environment which drives resource optimisation, creates new services and will help enhance the quality of life of those who live in large cities.”

Professor Stephen Caddick said: "I am delighted that UCL has been able to work with Imperial College and Intel to create this ground-breaking new Institute for Sustainable Connected Cities. The partnership combines the research strengths of two world leading universities with the outstanding research and innovation strengths of a world class corporation. It is an exciting model for partnership working and demonstrates our commitment to collaboration in research and enterprise."

Edward Astle, Pro Rector Enterprise at Imperial College London, said Imperial was very pleased to be working with UCL and Intel, adding: “The developments in technology over the last few decades have transformed everyone’s lives, but we’ve only begun to explore how technology can transform our cities. This new collaboration gives us the opportunity to explore how we can use the technologies in cities more effectively and develop new ones to improve the ways in which people live, work and play."

The new Institute for Sustainable Connected Cities research will participate in the Intel Labs Europe network of Research & Development, Product, and Innovation Labs which span the European region.