ZERO Institute wins the CIBSE Awards 2025 for Learning and Development

The ZERO Institute (Zero-carbon Energy Research Oxford) has won the CIBSE Building Performance Awards 2025 for Learning and Development. This award celebrates the groundbreaking teaching and internship programme launched in 2024 by the ZERO Institute in collaboration with the Department of Engineering Science and three Oxford Colleges - Wolfson, Exeter, and Lincoln - dedicated to zero-carbon energy systems in buildings.

The ZERO Institute brings together researchers from across the University of Oxford to tackle questions surrounding zero-carbon energy systems, and to accelerate multi-disciplinary research on the zero-carbon transition. 

CIBSE said: “The judges were impressed by the ZERO Internship Programme and the potential significant impact on Oxford. They said the model could be scaled up to operate in across more cities and communities. They noted that the programme had received overwhelmingly positive feedback from students highlighting its effectiveness and relevance.”

The judges also emphasised the ZERO Institute’s innovative approach to training future leaders in the built environment, integrating cutting-edge research, hands-on learning, and novel digital tools, including energy simulation software created in Oxford. They highlighted the strong engagement with real-world projects in Wolfson, Lincoln and Exeter colleges.

Led by Associate Professor in Engineering Science Jesús Lizana, the programme introduces innovative courses in Building Services Engineering as part of the Master of Engineering (MEng) degree and different MSc programmes at Oxford. These courses equip future Oxford engineers with the expertise to drive innovation and implement zero-carbon energy solutions for buildings. The programme integrates real-world case studies while actively contributing to Oxford’s transition to net zero.

He says ''At the ZERO Institute, we believe that the path to a net-zero future starts with education. Through interdisciplinary learning and real-world collaboration, we are not only advancing academic knowledge but also driving tangible change in how buildings integrate zero-carbon technologies. And this is just the beginning—we are committed to scaling our impact and accelerating the global transition to net-zero through new initiatives, including participation in the European University Student Competition on Net-Zero, the Oxford Roadmap for Net-Zero Buildings, and many more to come.''

Jointly with Professor Lizana, many Engineering Science academics and researchers involved with the ZERO Institute have provided their unique expertise and commitment to shape this new teaching programme, including Professor David Wallom (Oxford e-Research Centre), researchers Dr Scot Wheeler, Dr Branoc Richards and Dr Zeynep Tekler, and DPhil Student Laurence Peinturier.

Crucial contributors to this ZERO Institute’s initiative include Chris Licence, Home Bursar at Wolfson College; Ray Upton, Estates Manager at Wolfson College; Julian Mitchell, Estates Manager at Lincoln College; Michele McCartney, Domestic Operations Manager at Lincoln College; Steven Cunningham, Buildings Manager at Exeter College; Babis Karakoulas, Domestic Bursar at Exeter College; and Juliet Tye, Sustainability Officer at both Lincoln and Exeter Colleges.

Looking ahead, the ZERO Institute plans to expand these activities into other graduate and postgraduate programmes, incorporating more initiatives on sustainability and net-zero best practices.