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PerspectivesProfileSolving the right problemsProfessor Nigel Mellors is the newly-appointed Pro-Vice-Chancellorof Enterprise at Salford, but he has a long history with theUniversity and in business, which dates back to even before hisundergraduate student days…Why did you choose Salford asa student?I began my career as an entrepreneurdeveloping my first enterprise venturefrom leaving high school, which I sold 10years later and took the opportunity tostudy at University. I visited several placesand considered my choice carefully beforedeciding to come to Salford for aphysics degree.What is your research about?I started out looking at nano-transmittersand the “Joule effect”– it was fascinating tobe studying what James Joule posited righthere at Salford, 150 years later. I’m currentlyvery interested in energy reduction and howto reduce the amount of waste. It’s a topicalissue and one which affects everyone on theplanet. Did you know we lose 2 kilowatts(kw) of energy for each kw used – so if yourkettle uses 3kw, it actually costs the system9kw because it takes 3kw of wasted energyto produce each kw used? We don’t needmore power if we can address this energyloss.When I started work in this area I thought itwas all about the technologies and improvingthose, but actually there is much more toconsider in terms of people’s behaviourand behaviour change . In effect, it’s theconnection between technology and peoplewhich matters – houses themselves don’t useenergy, people do.How does a business know where tostart in terms of working with theUniversity?It could feel like searching for a needle in ahaystack trying to find out who out of our800-strong academics would be the rightperson to approach. So we’re building agateway into the University and a responsiveteam behind that. It has to be a two-waypartnership between business and researchers– even “pure” research funding agencies areinterested in the impact research can haveand how technologies can be exploited andcommercialised for everyone’s benefit.We are keen to develop long termrelationships with key partners andstakeholder both at regional and nationallevel and a more integrated approach ofboth research and enterprise. I believe thisapproach will lead to a more meaningfullyand sustainable relationship for both theuniversity and our partners. We have anumber of great cases studies where thishas worked extremely well including thepartnership with Greater Manchester FireService where a number of academicsfrom across the University are engaged indeveloping and supporting the Fire Servicesgoals (see page 24).Tell me more about Energy HouseEnergy House is a unique facility for peopleto easily see how research and business cometogether and get industry in to the University.Right now some of the projects we haveunderway look at thin materials to insulatebuildings, particularly retrofitting old stoneor listed buildings with easily installed energysaving measures including double-glazing ornew external cladding and internal insulationsbecause of space restrictions or aesthetics.There are many disciplines needed to developnew technologies including nanotechnology,physics, engineering, the built environmentand architecture, but we need to also includeNigel Mellors outside the Energy Houseend users and installers. If these technologiesare not installed correctly then they can work10-20% less efficiently than predicted whichhas a significant impact when the UK has 26million houses to make more energy efficientwithin this decade if it is to meet its carbonreduction commitments.What’s your vision for the future ofenterprise at the University?I want the University to be a place businesscan connect with academics and real-worldresearch. To do this we need to understandacademics’ needs as well as what industryneeds. It should be a place where public,commercial, and contract research fundingcome together as the model for goingforward. We need to make sure all partiesunderstand their shared goals and howthey’re going to achieve them. Salford isin a really good position to capitalise on itsheritage in terms of real world research.We have a long history of connecting industryand public sector, and have been doing thisfor over 50 years. As a University, we’re verygood at solving problems, but we need towork with business to ensure we’re solvingthe right problems.To find out more about Energy House andsome of our consultancy work with industry,visit: www.salford.ac.uk/energy14 | May 2013