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Royal Docks Centre for Sustainability (RDCS): Green Skills at the University of East London

Royal Docks Centre for Sustainability (RDCS): Building London’s Green Future

At the University of East London’s Docklands campus, our mission at RDCS is to turn one of London’s most dynamic regeneration zones into a living laboratory for green skills, sustainable industry and community-driven innovation. By forging partnerships with local SMEs, social enterprises and civic bodies, we deliver hands-on training and cutting-edge research that upskills Londoners while decarbonising our built environment.

Spotlight on Sugarcrete: Sweetening the Construction Sector

Sugarcrete first took shape in the heart of London’s Royal Docks, where UEL’s Sustainability Research Institute (SRI) and MArch Architecture programme, alongside Tate & Lyle Sugars, Chemical Systems Technologies and Grimshaw Architects, devised a game-changing bio‑composite. By binding sugarcane bagasse (the fibrous residue from the Tate & Lyle factory) with bespoke sand‑mineral formulations, to create a sustainable alternative to concrete. Sugarcrete bricks deliver:

• Up to 80–85% lower embodied carbon than traditional concrete
• High-performance thermal insulation, validated through rigorous Hot‑Box testing
• Circular‑economy impact, diverting agro‑waste into durable, revenue-generating building blocks

What began as an experimental slab on the Thames is now rising in classrooms from Karnataka to Valencia’s harbourside and even dazzling design crowds in Milan.

Hands-On Build Days
The Sustainable Research Institute has delivered Sugarcrete Build Days, training learners in mixing, moulding and performance‑testing blocks. Under the guidance of UEL researchers, Architecture tutors and industry mentors, participants not only master practical fabricationand quality‑control techniques but also gain insights into circular supply chains and material life cycles.

Through Sugarcrete, we’re not just erecting eco-friendly walls, but also upskilling Londoners to lead the low-carbon transformation of our built environment.

Beyond Bricks: A Spectrum of Green Skills

While Sugarcrete grabs headlines, our broader Green Skills Programme spans across sectors:

• TerraDock – A cutting-edge business‑acceleration space within the Royal Docks Centre for Sustainability, TerraDock incubates and fast-tracks low-carbon startups and SMEs, offering tailored accelerator programmes, co-working studios and bespoke mentorship to green‑tech entrepreneurs
• STEAM Community Support Centre (SCSC) – a student-led, practice-based hub pairing Architecture, Computing and Engineering (ACE) undergraduates with local residents to provide completely free expert clinics in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Maths. Residents and micro‑businesses drop in for hands-on help from digital skills and creative design to renewable‑energy advice, bridging knowledge gaps and catalysing local innovation
• AI and Infrastructure Talent Development Programme (AITDP)– a remote‐evening course run by UEL’s Enterprise Computing Lab, equips professionals and graduates with cutting-edge AI and data‑centre optimisation skills. Topics cover energy-aware software engineering, sustainable digital infrastructure and international standards for green data centres, preparing learners to drive efficiency gains across global ICT networks

Partnering for Impact

Our successes are rooted in collaboration:

• Greater London Authority (GLA) and London & Partners
  Strategic allies through the Good Growth Fund, helping us scale sustainable infrastructure and community impact across the Royal Docks.
• The Mayor’s Green Skills Academy for Local London
  Funded by the GLA, this is a partnership of eight colleges, and our university, designed to provide Londoners with access to good jobs and training in green skills.
• Local SMEs and Enterprise Support Networks
  Collaborating with platforms like Grow London Local, we co-develop initiatives that champion green entrepreneurship, build resilience, and unlock new pathways for start-up and SME growth.
• Social Enterprises as Connectors and Co-Creators
  Organisations such as OneNewham are instrumental in bridging gaps between institutions and communities, co-designing inclusive green skills workshops and ensuring our programmes engage the borough’s most underrepresented voices.

Join the Green Regeneration

Whether you’re a resident curious about a new career in construction, an SME looking to decarbonise your supply chain, or a community group seeking to host an event/programme, RDCS is here to support and collaborate with you.

Contact us at rdcs@uel.ac.uk or visit https://www.uel.ac.uk/partners/royal-docks-centre-sustainability to learn more about upcoming courses, partnership opportunities and our next Sugarcrete showcase in June 2025 at the Royal Docks Innovation and Enterprise Festival.

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