Arbnco opens new research arm with partners including Strathclyde University

Arbnco, the Glasgow-based property tech business, has launched a new research and development (R&D) arm after doubling in size over the past year.

The Arbn Labs team aims to transform workplaces by creating energy efficiency technology. Picture: Contributed

The company has established Arbn Labs, a division aiming to “dramatically transform” commercial and public sector properties by creating technology to make them more energy efficient and healthier for occupants.

It will partner with academic institutions including the Energy Systems Research Unit at the University of Strathclyde, and the Energy and Efficiency Institute at the University of California, Davis.

Arbn Labs will also test pilot projects, some of which are funded by organisations such as Construction Scotland Innovation Centre and The Data Lab, in commercial environments with industry partners, including property investor Nuveen Real Estate.

The launch comes after a year which has seen Arbnco double its head count to 37 and follows the recent opening of new offices in Detroit and California.

Of the company’s 19 new recruits, 11 are based in the labs team, which it claims will significantly enhance its R&D capacity. The new division is based in the group’s head office on Glasgow’s George Street.

Alan Wegienka, who has served as chief technology officer at Arbnco since the company’s inception in 2012, said: “At the heart of Arbn Labs is an ambition to bring together the world’s best minds to tackle global energy problems.

“This ability to leverage emerging research and deploy it effectively can dramatically transform the built environment, as we all strive to reduce carbon emissions and make the world a more sustainable place.

“Our labs team has been strengthened significantly by the cumulative expertise of our new colleagues, and we look forward to the milestones that will be reached with them on board.”

Joe Clarke, director of the Energy Systems Research Unit at the University of Strathclyde, has already worked with the Arbn Labs team on two Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs), an initiative funded by Innovate UK which links businesses with research or academic organisations to promote innovation.

He said: “The success of being awarded two KTPs by the University of Strathclyde is evidence of the strength and breadth of the Arbn Labs team. I am delighted to be part of the success story and continue to support Arbn Labs and the wider Arbnco business in their many innovative R&D projects.”