Bert Belmans is a Researcher in Architectural Engineering at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (College of Engineering). His work focuses on sustainable and climate-adaptive building practices, particularly in school buildings, with expertise in ventilation systems, life cycle assessment, and green infrastructure. Ventilation and indoor air quality School buildings and climate adaptation Life cycle assessment (LCA) Vertical greening systems Hygrothermal behavior of green roofs/walls Bert's research explores the intersection of architectural design and environmental sustainability. Recent projects include modeling green walls in climate chambers, analyzing moss-based substrates, and assessing resilient urban rooftops. His work often combines simulation tools with empirical validation. Scientific collaborations highlight partnerships with institutions like UGent and KU Leuven. His research outputs emphasize reducing environmental impacts through innovative materials and adaptable building strategies, addressing both current and future climate challenges.
Juan José Pons Izquierdo is a Professor at the Department of History, Art History and Geography within the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters (FFL) at the University of Navarra. He is affiliated with the Institute of Biodiversity and Environment (BIOMA) and holds a PhD from the University of Navarra with a thesis on "Urban Environment in the Metropolitan Area of Pamplona. Impacts and Effects" supervised by Dr. Manuel Ferrer Regales in 1997. Research Interests: His work spans urban planning, environmental science, demography, and public health. Key themes include urban overheating adaptation, vitamin D's role in health outcomes, demographic aging in Spanish cities, and accessibility to green spaces. He utilizes GIS technologies like Story Maps for education and heritage management. Publications & Collaboration: Recent articles focus on palliative care mapping (EAPC Atlas), climate change impacts on urban environments, and nutritional epidemiology. Collaborations include international health indicator assessments and territorial sustainability analysis. Teaching & Projects: He integrates geospatial tools into teaching and has contributed to territorial cohesion policies in Navarra, recreational riverfront planning, and urban air quality studies using CFD modeling.
Emmanuel Bozonnet is a Professor at La Rochelle University specializing in urban microclimate and building energy performance. He serves as Director of the joint RUPEE'lab laboratory ( https://lasie.univ-larochelle.fr/RUPEElab ), Head of the Urban Microclimate and Energy axis at IRSTV ( https://irstv.ec-nantes.fr/organisation ), and is affiliated with 4evLab Urban Microclimate and IBPSA France. His primary research focuses on the interaction between urban microclimates and buildings, with particular emphasis on improving building performance through envelope treatments. He investigates technical solutions related to modification of surface radiative properties and vegetation for building cooling. His work bridges theoretical modeling with practical applications for climate adaptation in urban environments. Bozonnet has developed multiple experimental and computational tools including EQLORE (urban weather stations), vegBat (TRNSYS type for vegetated façade or roof), ClimaBat (experimental street canyon model), RENOIR (energy rehabilitation system), and EnviBatE (coupled building-microclimate model). His research spans both Mediterranean and global contexts with applications to industrial buildings, schools, and residential districts. His publication record shows a clear trend toward climate adaptation strategies, particularly for Mediterranean climates, with increasing focus on heatwave resilience, passive cooling techniques, and urban heat island mitigation. His recent work (2023-2025) demonstrates strong interdisciplinary collaboration across engineering, urban planning, and environmental science domains. Bozonnet actively collaborates with researchers internationally, particularly in France, Italy, Greece, and other Mediterranean countries. His work contributes significantly to both academic knowledge and practical solutions for sustainable urban development in the face of climate change. He has developed a comprehensive suite of simulation tools and experimental platforms that enable detailed analysis of urban microclimate effects on building energy performance. His leadership in RUPEE'lab and other research initiatives positions him at the forefront of urban climate adaptation research in France.
Dr Arman Hashemi is an Associate Professor at the University of East London in the Department of Architecture & Visual Arts , School of Architecture Computing and Engineering . He leads the BSc (Hons) Architectural Design Technology program and co-leads two multidisciplinary research groups: the Environmental Design and Performance Research Group and the Resilient Built Environment Research Group . PhD, Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University MSc & BSc, Architecture, University of Tehran Professional memberships: FHEA, MCMI, ACIAT, Iranian Construction Engineers Organisation Regional Director of ZEMCH Network in England Panel member for UKRI/NERC Strategic Priorities Fund and CIAT Climate Change Group His research focuses on Building Performance Evaluation (energy efficiency, thermal comfort, indoor air quality) and Modern Methods of Construction (offsite construction, BIM, mass customisation). Recent work explores machine learning applications for overheating prediction and 3D printing in construction. Key article themes include: building retrofit strategies for climate resilience, indoor air quality in social housing, and modular design innovations through robotic manufacturing. Scientific recognition includes CIOB awards and a patented thermal shutter system. HEED project (UKRI/MRC, £187K) Robotic Construction in UK-China (British Council, £50K) Pre-retrofit assessments for Newham Council (UEL, £44K) Zero-Carbon Mass Customised Housing (UEL, £62.5K) Dr Hashemi supervises funded PhD projects on building health and sustainability and contributes to knowledge exchange initiatives with industry partners.
Dr. Oliver Kinnane is a Researcher at University College Dublin's School of Architecture, Planning & Environmental Policy within the College of Engineering and Architecture. His research focuses on developing high-performance building materials, particularly innovative concrete technologies for energy-efficient building skins. As a principal investigator on the European Horizon 2020 IMPRESS project, he collaborates with industry partners including Firebird and Techrete to create sustainable solutions for both new construction and building retrofit applications. Dr. Kinnane's research interests center on sustainable building materials, energy efficiency in construction, and reducing the carbon footprint of the built environment. His work addresses critical challenges in building physics, particularly the hygrothermal properties of traditional and innovative materials. He specializes in developing thin, ultra-high-strength concrete skins that improve thermal performance while reducing material usage. His research spans from fundamental material science to practical applications in social housing and commercial buildings, with particular emphasis on Ireland's building stock and climate conditions. Analysis of Dr. Kinnane's recent publications reveals a strong focus on the hygrothermal properties of traditional building materials, particularly Irish stone and brick construction. His work bridges historic building conservation with modern energy efficiency requirements, investigating how traditional materials perform under contemporary climate conditions. A significant portion of his research examines retrofit strategies for existing buildings, with emphasis on accurate material characterization for reliable performance prediction. His publications consistently address the environmental impact of construction, particularly embodied carbon analysis and life cycle assessment of building materials and systems. Dr. Kinnane has secured significant research funding including from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) for the nZEB_101 project monitoring near zero energy buildings in social housing. As principal investigator on the Horizon 2020 IMPRESS project, he leads a 16-partner European collaboration developing innovative prefabricated building panels. His industry partnerships with companies like Firebird and Techrete demonstrate the applied nature of his research, translating academic findings into practical building solutions. Dr. Kinnane's laboratory work focuses on developing and testing novel concrete technologies incorporating phase change materials, cement replacements, and alternative reinforcement systems. His research group collaborates with architects, construction companies, and local authorities to implement sustainable building practices in Ireland. The IMPRESS project demonstration units represent a key aspect of his team's work, validating new prefabricated technologies under real-world conditions.
Professor Kevin John Lomas is a renowned academic at Loughborough University, holding the position of Professor of Building Simulation and serving as Division Lead for Architecture and Building. He directs the Loughborough Centre for Doctoral Training in Energy Resilience and the Built Environment. With over 35 years of expertise, his research focuses on building energy systems, thermal modeling, and climate-responsive design. He has secured £ millions in grants, supervised 40 PhD students, and authored over 140 publications. Trained as a civil engineer, his work bridges physics and architecture, addressing challenges like low-energy building design, indoor environmental quality, and overheating mitigation in residential and healthcare settings. Notable projects include the UK Energy Follow-up Survey, the Active Buildings Centre, and the REFIT initiative analyzing extreme heat impacts on urban populations. His research employs advanced methodologies such as synthetic occupancy testing in prototype homes, Bayesian calibration, and time-series forecasting to improve energy models. He collaborates with national agencies like BEIS and EPSRC, influencing policy through findings on building regulations, heat pump adoption, and climate resilience. Education: BSc, PhD, DSc (Doctor of Science), Chartered Engineer (CEng), Fellow of CIBSE (FCIBSE), Member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (MEI) Key Projects: £2.4M EPSRC-SFI Energy Resilience CDT, £300k GCRF-funded REFIT study, £2.1M ERBE CDT Phase 2 Impact: Advised UK government on overheating risks, contributed to building regulation reforms, and developed operational rating systems for homes
Dr. Ben Roberts is a Senior Lecturer in Healthy Buildings Research at Loughborough University's School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering. His work focuses on thermal comfort, indoor air quality, and climate resilience in buildings, with a particular emphasis on mitigating overheating and improving public health in both temperate and tropical climates. He leads projects like the ROMMA initiative and the REFIT program, which investigate building performance in the UK and Ghana. His research has earned awards such as the CIBSE Carter Bronze Medal and an EPSRC fellowship. Education: BSc Geography, University of Exeter MSc Energy Policy, University of Exeter MRes Built Environment (Energy Demand Studies), Loughborough University PhD Building Physics, Loughborough University Research Interests: Roberts explores passive cooling strategies, ventilation optimization, and climate adaptation in buildings. His Ghana-based work investigates low-cost interventions to reduce extreme heat in hospitals and informal settlements. He also contributed to the UK Government’s Events Research Programme, enabling the safe reopening of mass gatherings post-pandemic. Key Projects: Principal Investigator of ROMMA (Overheating Modelling in Apartments) Co-Investigator on Smart Windows trials (InnovateUK) EPSRC Doctoral Prize Fellowship (Ghana Heat Mitigation) Lead on SMETER Technologies evaluation (BEIS-funded) Grants and Awards: CIBSE Carter Bronze Medal (2020) EPSRC Doctoral Prize Fellowship (2022-2024) EPSRC IAA and CIBSE Grant (2024-2025) Lab Affiliations: Roberts is part of the Building Energy Research Group (BERG), which focuses on sustainable building design and zero-carbon solutions. He collaborates with institutions like the University of Ghana and the University of Development Studies.
Giorgos Petrou is a Research Fellow in Building Physics and Urban Modelling at the UCL Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering, and a Doctoral Researcher (MPhil/PhD) at the UCL Energy Institute. His work focuses on integrating building simulation, environmental data, and health equity to address climate change impacts on indoor environments. He contributes to the NIHR-funded Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) on Environmental Change and Health, examining indoor air quality and ventilation in residential settings. Giorgos holds a BSc in Physics from the University of Warwick, an MRes in Energy Demand Studies from UCL, and is nearing completion of a PhD on Bayesian calibration of archetype-based indoor temperature models. His research spans thermal simulation, data-driven statistical methods, and causal inference in built environment studies. He has presented at conferences including the AIVC Conference and Building Simulation and Optimisation Conference. His research interests emphasize the intersection of climate adaptation, housing policy, and health equity, with a focus on vulnerable populations such as care home residents. He explores trade-offs in natural ventilation strategies, model validation methodologies, and participatory approaches to policy design.
Masood Parvania is the Roger P. Webb Endowed Professor at the University of Utah in Electrical and Computer Engineering. He serves as Director of the Utah Smart Energy Laboratory (U-Smart) and Co-Director of the NSF WIRED Global Center . His research focuses on mathematical optimization , control theory , and machine learning applications in power system operation, resilience, and interdependent infrastructure modeling. His work addresses critical challenges including: Equity-aware grid restoration Climate-resilient energy systems Cyber-physical security analysis Hybrid energy storage coordination Extreme heat event mitigation strategies Key research trends across his 15 most recent publications reveal deep integration of: Renewable energy with storage systems Machine learning in real-time grid operation Cybersecurity frameworks for critical infrastructure Equity metrics in energy distribution Honors include: IEEE Outstanding Associate Editor Award (2022) University of Utah Presidential Scholar (2020) IEEE Utah Section Outstanding Educator Award (2017) Multiple Best Reviewer and Distinguished Service Awards As Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on Power Systems , he actively shapes energy research discourse while leading NSF-funded initiatives like: U.S.-Canada Climate-Resilient Grid Center ($90M+ Western EV Infrastructure Scale-Up Wasatch Multi-Modal Corridor Electrification
Francesco Leccese is Associate Professor of Environmental Technical Physics at the University of Pisa’s Department of Energy, Systems, Land and Building Engineering and serves as Vice-Rector (Pro-Rettore) for Construction and Real Estate since 2022. He has been a full-time faculty member since 2006 and leads the Lighting and Acoustics Laboratory. Education PhD in Energetics, University of Pisa, 2002 Laurea (MSc) in Civil Engineering (Buildings), University of Pisa, 1997 Research Interests Professor Leccese’s research spans the entire spectrum of Environmental Technical Physics . His core themes include: Physical-technical performance of opaque and glazed building-envelope components Thermal, visual and acoustic comfort in indoor environments Energy performance of buildings and HVAC systems Human exposure to physical agents at workplaces Environmental pollution from anthropogenic and natural sources Smart monitoring, IoT and data-driven control for energy savings He combines advanced experimental measurement campaigns with modelling and simulation, leading to over 200 scientific publications and a co-owned national patent for an innovative illuminating device for radiodiagnostic stations. Recent Publication Trends Between 2023 and 2025 his work has concentrated on urban overheating mitigation , textile-based solar shading , thermal resilience of building envelopes , and integrated indoor-environmental-quality (IEQ) assessment . These studies often merge on-site infrared thermography, sensor networks and occupant-centred data analysis to optimise both energy demand and human comfort. Scientific Awards & Patents Co-owner, National patent for an illuminating device for radiodiagnostic reporting stations Institutional Service & Grants President, Joint Council of the Master’s programmes in Structural & Building Engineering and Civil Infrastructure & Environmental Engineering (since 2021) Member, Doctoral School of Energy, Systems, Land and Construction Engineering (since 2015) Member, School of Engineering Council (since 2022) Head, Lighting and Acoustics Laboratory, School of Engineering (since 2006) Laboratory & Teams Professor Leccese directs the Lighting and Acoustics Laboratory at the School of Engineering, where interdisciplinary teams of researchers and graduate students conduct experimental and simulation studies on lighting, acoustics and environmental physics.
Dr. Nitin Muttil is a Full Professor and Associate Dean at the School of Advanced Engineering, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES) in Dehradun, India. With a PhD from the National University of Singapore and an M.Tech. from IIT Delhi, he has built an extensive career in water resources engineering and environmental sustainability. His academic journey includes positions as a Senior Lecturer at Victoria University in Australia (2006-2007) and Research Associate roles at both the National University of Singapore and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. As Associate Dean, he plays a key leadership role in academic administration while maintaining an active research profile. Professor Muttil's research expertise spans hydrologic modelling, hydroinformatics, water sensitive urban design, optimization/model-calibration using evolutionary algorithms, and GIS applications. His recent work has increasingly focused on sustainable urban infrastructure solutions for climate adaptation. His primary research interests include: Urban heat island mitigation strategies Nature-based flood management solutions Green infrastructure for stormwater management Climate change impacts on water resources Sustainable urban design and planning Hydrological modeling and water resources engineering Professor Muttil has published 141 research articles with over 5,236 citations, demonstrating significant impact in his field. His recent publications (2023-2025) show a strong focus on practical, sustainable solutions for urban environmental challenges, particularly through green infrastructure approaches that integrate biochar, cool roof technologies, and nature-based flood management. His collaborative research spans multiple countries including Australia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Bhutan, reflecting an international perspective on water resources and urban sustainability challenges. This global approach allows him to address region-specific environmental issues while contributing to broader scientific understanding of climate adaptation strategies.
Andrew Wright is an Associate Professor in Building Engineering Physics at De Montfort University, where he joined in September 2004. He serves as Subject Group Leader for teaching of Energy and Built Environment within the School of Engineering, Infrastructure & Sustainability. His research is affiliated with the Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development (IESD). Dr. Wright holds a BSc in Applied Maths, an MSc in Atmospheric Physics, and a PhD focused on computer modeling of the thermal performance of industrial buildings. His academic journey includes positions at UMIST (now University of Manchester), and prior professional experience with the UK Electricity Industry at EA Technology Ltd, Newcastle University, and the Building Design Partnership in Manchester. Wright's research focuses on low energy buildings, energy in industry, and renewable energy applications in the developing world. His expertise spans energy in buildings and thermal storage, building modeling and monitoring, climate change impacts on buildings, and retrofit strategies for improved energy efficiency. His work integrates theoretical modeling with practical applications to address real-world energy challenges in the built environment, with recent publications examining overheating in low-energy homes, BIM applications in green building, and innovative thermal storage systems. Andrew Wright has received notable recognition including: British Science Association Media Fellow (2011) Chartered Engineer status (1988) Fellow of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) Member of the Energy Institute (2013) As an academic leader, Wright has supervised multiple PhD students including Damla Kaleli, Anthony Maduabum, and Sina Aalikhani. He has led significant research projects including the LESSONS project (TSB, 2010-2013), THERM project (TSB, 2008-2010), and multiple Retrofit for the Future initiatives (2009-2012). Currently, he serves as academic lead on Knowledge Transfer Partnerships with Advanced Infrastructure Ltd. and Marlowe Foods Ltd., evaluating carbon reduction strategies and energy modeling. Wright is actively involved with the Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development (IESD) at DMU, contributing to both research and practical applications. His work extends to consultancy projects including advising on low-energy house development in Herefordshire and the 'solar house' project in Great Glen near Leicester that stores solar energy underground for seasonal use. He has contributed to industry design guides including CIBSE's Environmental Design (Volume A) and Weather (Volume J), and serves as secretary of the CIBSE Schools Design Group.
