The Institute has its own specialist Research and Development department. This team carries out research, evaluation and feasibility studies across the sustainable development spectrum. Working in partnership with other researchers in Nottingham Trent University it creates synergies by drawing on a wider field of expertise and networks with businesses and contacts with other universities across the UK

The work we do
Research areas have included the environmental policy and practice of East Midlands both large and small companies.

Land Based Industries
Non-food crops are a sub-sector of the Land Based Industries with great economic and environmental promise. In the East Midlands for example some researchers are finding ways for natural flax fibres to be used in the manufacture of car doors at Volkswagen as a replacement for traditional fibreglass composites. Yet there are also concerns about expanding the intensity and extensity of non-food crop plantings. The Institute is presently investigating one of these concerns, namely what impact economic development in the sub-sector will have on the quality of the countryside.

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Walbrook
In partnership with the Walbrook Group - a Registered Social Landlord - research has taken place into developing sustainable communities through increasing governance and "e-citizenship". This project involved carrying out in depth interviews with the residents in Walbrook's accommodation to find out what they wanted from the partnership with their "landlord".

Hostels Liaison Group
A major feasibility study for the Hostels Liaison Group in Nottinghamshire took place on the supply of surplus food from manufacturers, distributors and retailers for distribution to hostels with a view to see if better use could be made of the region's surplus food rather than destroying it.

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Gainsborough
Another project was a feasibility study for a recycling project in Lincolnshire which provides employment for people with learning disabilities to enable it to become a sustainable social enterprise and the group has also engaged with East Midlands registered social landlords to study their environmental policy and practice.

fulldetails on the project

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Nottingham Transport
Finally with other researchers across NTU the Integrated Transport Research Group has been formed to provide a multi-disciplinary research team to work on transport research

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Opportunities for partnership
The Institute researchers are a resource for the other funded projects in the Institute and undertake research including literature and internet searches to support project development.

The research unit has many years' experience in many areas and specialises in working with organisations which either do not want or have not got their own research department. If you fall into these categories and want to find more about the marketplace that you work in or want to work in, then this experience can be made available to you.

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