Education

As the Metaverse gains popularity, it is expected to impact the design requirements of physical buildings and learning environments. This project investigates the integration of a university campus with the emerging virtual world known as the Metaverse. It further aims to create a roadmap for universities seeking to integrate the Metaverse into their physical spaces, and to provide insights into how the digital domain can enhance the learning experience for students and facilitate greater collaboration and knowledge sharing among researchers, educators and industry partners.

The UNF, a Danish science NGO, has during the school summer break hosted a number of week-long science camps offering older primary school students and younger high school students the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of natural sciences. The students get to meet other curious like-minded youth through unique learning experiences. The science camps are not only educationally enriching, but also helps students prepare for their future studies and engage socially with each other. At the science camps, the students explore the worlds of mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer game design as well as artificial intelligence. 

We must design less new buildings and repurpose more to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings. To do so, we need a better understanding of the carbon value in our existing buildings in correlation with the understanding of the cultural heritage, to make better decisions when we transform existing structures. This PhD maps values to optimise the use of resources and circularity in buildings, while also assessing cultural and historic assets. It can thus be a driver for a holistic and circular repurposing of the built environment.

The main target of this PhD project is to digitalise and support Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC) control design processes to close the information and energy performance gap in buildings. This is done by integrating a digital HVAC control layer with simulation environments, which builds a robust environment for design, test, and analysis of energy-efficient controls and enables project parties to share information regarding control sequences and principles across all phases of a project.

The Ramboll Foundation supports UNF, a Danish science NGO that promotes the interest of natural sciences among young people. Every year, UNF’s around 250 volunteers arranges inspiring and motivating events across the country and has done so since their foundation in 1944. In 2021, the organisation conducts 108 different events, conferences, science shows, lectures, industry visits, workshops and science camps, all giving young people knowledge and inspiration to become the natural scientists of the future.

The Danish scientist Hans Christian Ørsted (founder of the Danish Technical University) discovered electromagnetism in 1820, an invention that has in many ways paved the way for modern society. Electromagnetism is everywhere around us and plays a vital role in for instance the transition to green energy, in developing better batteries and storing energy. In 2020/2021, Denmark celebrated the 200th anniversary of HC Ørsted’s invention by launching a wide range of different events and activities throughout the country, involving school children, students and society at large, and with Crown Prince Frederik as protector and co-sponsor. The Ramboll Foundation sponsored a digital education course for the 9-13 year olds, coupling digital music to science and based on the legacy of HC Ørsted.

GrEN 2018 is a conference with the vision to encourage and inspire students from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim to be innovative through focus on environmental issues. This year’s theme will be “smart cities” and how to use and benefit from what is normally considered a burden to the cities. One example would be how to make industrial waste a valuable resource, rather than a problem.

University College North Jutland, Tech College Aalborg, Aalborg University and Aalborg Municipality each year launches a new interactive exhibition in its “Universitarium”, with the purpose of raising the interest in science and craftmanship in children. The 2018 exhibition is about safety and security, from daily life in the home to the public sphere, traffic safety, natural disasters, etc.