Research
Research and expertise
As a building physicist with an academic career spanning almost 40 years, I have led work on experimental design and measurement, particularly related to thermal systems, indoor environments and human thermal comfort. I have managed more than 20 funded research projects from a variety of funding bodies, as Principal or Co-investigator. Contributions to engineering have included thermal comfort design conditions for chilled ceiling / displacement ventilation environments, fundamental heat transfer data for building applications, and new clothing thermal insulation values for comfort evaluation, these data informing professional handbooks.
As Principal Investigator of the ‘CALEBRE’ Project, I led a partnership of six UK universities that delivered research findings to inform refurbishment of the UK’s solid wall housing stock in ways that appeal to householders, save energy, reduce carbon emissions and maintain thermal comfort. The project team was supported by an Industrial Panel, guidance from which was incorporated into the strategy and delivery of the project. Project ‘CALEBRE’ was awarded the Loughborough University Energy Medal in 2015 for outstanding research project.
I’ve published more than 100 articles, many as peer-reviewed journal papers, and am co-inventor of internationally-patented technology for low energy cooling of buildings. I have an extensive record of successfully supervising doctoral research students, and have examined many PhD theses over a period spanning approximately twenty years.
My current role includes monitoring and evaluation of a research project on behalf of the UK Government’s Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS).
Current research activity
- ‘Low Energy Cooling and Ventilation for Indian Residences’ (LECaVIR) Project, funded by EPSRC Global Challenges Research Fund, 2017-2020 (Co-Investigator). This research aims to reduce unnecessary air conditioning in homes by facilitating design solutions involving natural and fan-assisted ventilation for maintaining occupant thermal comfort.
- ‘Update of clothing database for existing and new Western clothing ensembles, including effects of posture, body and air movement’, project funded by American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), 2018-2019 (Co-Investigator). Knowledge of the thermal insulation afforded by clothing is needed to assess human thermal comfort. New textiles and changing fashions necessitate that existing data are kept up to date.
- Research by current doctoral students includes: the effects of messaging on human thermal comfort and usage of energy-consuming equipment; the potential for residential heat pumps in the UK evaluated at the building stock level; solar absorption cooling for residential application in Egypt.
Recently completed research projects
Air motion for maintaining thermal comfort in homes, Global Innovation Initiative international project, funded by British Council, 2014-2016 (Principal Investigator)
- Evaluation of advanced digital control for residential energy saving (DEFACTO) Project, funded by EPSRC, 2012-2017 (Co-Investigator)
- ‘Consumer-Appealing Low Energy technologies for Building REtrofitting’ (CALEBRE) Project, funded by E.ON / RCUK, 2008-2013 (Principal Investigator)