In late September 2025, Mihyun Kim, Research Officer in Spatial Data Science, attended an international research sprint held at Symbiosis International University in Pune, India. The event aimed to strengthen UK–India research collaboration and was supported by the Centre for Postdoctoral Development in Infrastructure, Cities and Energy (C-DICE) at Loughborough University and Symbiosis International University.
The UK–India team, co-led by Mihyun from the UK, won the competition and received a £5,000 grant for a pilot project titled “Circular Solutions for Plastic Waste in Pre- and Post-Construction of Buildings: Driving the Net Zero Pathway.” The project tackles India’s plastic waste challenges by promoting circular and sustainable construction material management across policies, practices, and digital systems.
As part of the project, the Colouring Loughborough team will develop evidence-based methods for a plastic material management system, using Loughborough as a testbed. The research outcomes will contribute to the advancement of the Colouring Loughborough programme and will be implemented within the Construction & Design section.
The pilot study is expected to conclude by mid-December 2025, with plans for the UK–India team to continue their collaboration and explore wider research opportunities. The project is supported by the Impact Hub, University of Cambridge, the Colouring Cities Research Programme international consortium, Loughborough University, and Indian partners including Symbiosis International University.
