University of Strathclyde: Double win for Strathclyde at industry awards

The University of Strathclyde has scored a double success at a national industry awards ceremony.

A Strathclyde–led project for creating a Climate Neutral Innovation District in Glasgow city centre was named winner in the Collaboration In Net Zero category of the Industry Awards presented by CeeD, a network of business and academia which delivers peer-to-peer best practice sharing.

Professor Bill Ion, of the University’s Department of Design, Manufacturing and Engineering Management (DMEM), also received the Peer Recognition Award, in acknowledgement of his work in engineering education throughout his career.

The awards were announced at a ceremony held at the Glasgow Hilton.

The Climate Neutral Innovation District is one of 10 projects forming part of Strathclyde’s vision for a response to global climate change which supports the University’s Net Zero target by 2040 or sooner.
Strathclyde is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 70% by 2025 and 80% by 2030. The vision will deliver 100% renewable heat from the river Clyde using clean power, transport, climate resilience, health and wellbeing for communities and businesses. The district covers a 170-hectare area of Glasgow’s city centre.

The project is now included in the city and region’s £30 billion Greenprint Investment prospectus.

Dr Roddy Yarr, Executive Lead Sustainability at the University of Strathclyde said, “Universities are centres of excellence for sustainability and climate action. Strathclyde’s thought leadership and vision, combined with a strong ambition and ‘can do’ attitude is reflected in our Climate Neutral Districts project and this fantastic award recognises that. This is the decade of change where we have to collaborate and innovate at scale and at speed to shift the dial on climate action.

“I am delighted that CeeD made this award and I must also say thank you, on behalf of all our partners, to SALIX Finance, which has offered a great deal of ongoing support and encouragement to us in this venture.”

Professor Ion joined Strathclyde in 1986 and his work has had a particular focus on forging and forming technologies, additive manufacture, design for manufacture and design processes.
He is founding Director of Strathclyde’s Advanced Forming Research Centre and was the University’s lead on the UK-wide team that secured the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, established in 2011).

Professor Ion was Head of the DMEM Department from 2002-8 and Deputy Head from 2012-22. He was also the Faculty of Engineering’s Vice Dean (Knowledge Exchange) from 2017-22.

He said: “I am extremely grateful to have received the CEED Peer Recognition Award, which is an acknowledgement from some of the leading experts in industry and academia alike.

“It has been a great pleasure to have worked with so many talented colleagues, both in industry and across the higher education sector, over the years and their support has played a significant role in this award.”

Welding and inspection cell at the ANRC at Strathclyde
Real-time weld defect identification demonstrates the power of collaboration