Postgraduate research opportunities Strathclyde Centre for Doctoral Training: Energy-efficient Indoor Climate Control for Optimised Health
ApplyKey facts
- Opens: Wednesday 12 April 2023
- Number of places: 3
- Duration: 3.5 years
Overview
This exciting 42-month project will be part of the Strathclyde Centre for Doctoral Training (SCDT) in ‘Energy-efficient Indoor Climate Control for Optimised Health (EICCOH)’. The aim of this interdisciplinary SCDT is to meet the needs of the fast-growing green construction industry to optimise building performance and deliver net-zero buildings whilst promoting occupant’s health and wellbeing.Eligibility
Qualifications / skills required:
- An upper-second or first class BA / BSc Honours degree or a Master's degree in a relevant area (for example Architecture, Engineering, Sustainable Design, Psychology, Computer Science)
- A strong interest and prior knowledge or experience in topics related to:
- zero-carbon design
- building ventilation
- indoor air quality
- thermal comfort
- human factors related to the built environment
- energy-related behaviour
- data analytics
- building control systems
- machine learning
- SMART indoor climate control for optimised health
- health / environmental psychology
- building performance evaluation
- Experience in research, preferably in the form of a research project or dissertation
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Strong analytical and problem solving skills
- Have good interpersonal skills and an ability to work independently and as part of a team
Project Details
This SCDT will provide PhD students with a world-class interdisciplinary research and training programme to bridge the net-zero design and construction skills gap whilst providing specialist skills in human-centric smart building design and digitisation for optimised health and resilience.
The increased risk of overheating, poor indoor air quality (IAQ) and inadequate ventilation in energy-efficient and/or net-zero buildings is now well evidenced, including the increasing gap between design expectations and energy performance, which is highly influenced by human behaviour. This CDT will train future innovators and leaders that can drive the transition to a healthy and energy-efficient built environment. The training will be led by experts in net-zero design, indoor air quality, building resilience, human behaviour and data analytics. Each project will be co-supervised by staff from different disciplines and all projects will involve industry partners and/or clinical advisors, to ensure that the research explored is based on an area of industry/clinical need.
The centre will provide highly-skilled future experts and leaders to tackle the challenges of delivering net-zero buildings that are human-oriented and optimise health. The CDT will deliver emerging multidisciplinary research endeavours by working across the departments of Architecture, Psychology and CIS, to decarbonise the built environment while providing a healthy and comfortable indoor environment.
SCDT students will become part of a growing PGR cohort, benefiting from peer-to-peer learning and an inclusive research culture. Opportunities will be provided to collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders (such as clinicians, industry specialists and the public), through internships/placements, personal development and specialist training, networking and interdisciplinary collaborations.
Successful candidates will be trained in writing manuscripts for publication in scientific journals, and strongly supported and encouraged to apply to external funding (such as travel grants), where appropriate. As part of the PhD programme, the candidate will be registered on the PGCert in Researcher Development. This is a 60-credit qualification covering personal effectiveness, governance, organisation, engagement, impact, and intellectual abilities, running in tandem with the PhD programme.
Candidates are expected to proactively take ownership of their project and creatively contribute to shaping it. We are seeking future leaders to develop knowledge and expertise required to address future challenges in the following three areas:
- Linking indoor pollutant exposure and climate conditions with physical and psychological health outcomes,
- Technological solutions for energy-efficient indoor climate control,
- Understanding and analysis of psychological and behavioural factors that affect exposure indoors.
Funding details
Please note that there is currently no funding available for this PhD position.
Prospective candidates are encouraged to explore alternative funding sources, such as scholarships, grants and fellowships. Possible sources of external funding include:
- national and international scholarship programmes
- research councils and foundations
- University of Strathclyde scholarships and bursaries
- industry sponsorships and partnerships
We are committed to supporting applicants in their search for funding and can provide assistance with identifying and applying for external funding opportunities. Applicants are also encouraged to discuss their funding plans with their prospective supervisor to explore potential avenues for support.
For more information on potential funding sources and assistance, please visit funding your postgraduate research.
Supervisors
As part of this new initiative, you will have the opportunity to contribute to setting the agenda of the SCDT, to address the challenge of delivering net-zero buildings without compromising health and wellbeing. Membership of this SCDT will enable you to engage with a vibrant community of PhD students, academics and industry specialists, providing the specialist knowledge and skills needed to design and manage healthy, human-centric indoor environments for net-zero buildings.
The centre will build on established excellence in research on ‘healthy, net-zero buildings’, providing access to state-of-the art equipment in building performance and air pollution monitoring, whilst providing opportunities to engage with a significant portfolio of funded projects in this area.
Expected outputs for this studentship would include 3-4* articles in the relevant fields, public engagement and outreach activities, and co-development of future grant applications to support signature research in this area.
Apply
Applicants should send the following documents to Alejandro.moreno-rangel@strath.ac.uk with subject “Application for SCDT Scholarship”. Please include Dr. Gráinne McGill, (grainne.mcgill@strath.ac.uk).
Earlier applications are highly encouraged. Please upload all the usual expected documentation which is listed on the subject ‘apply’ page and the following information:
- A cover letter (max 3 pages): This should include:
- your motivation to pursue a PhD degree
- your preference among the three topics listed
- your interest and understanding of the chosen topic
- Please also discuss how you meet the eligibility criteria, and the areas in which you would like to grow the research.
- A research proposal is not required at this stage, but we highly recommend that you demonstrate a critical understanding of the topic in your cover letter.
- One piece of a substantial writing sample (for example, an academic article, thesis, dissertation, project report or assignment).
Number of places: 3
The three positions each cover different aspects of the SCDT, including:
- linking indoor pollutant exposure and climate conditions with physical and psychological health outcomes
- technological solutions for energy-efficient indoor climate control
- understanding and analysis of psychological and behavioural factors that affect exposure indoors. Please indicate your preferred position
Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.
To read how we process personal data, applicants can review our 'Privacy Notice for Student Applicants and Potential Applicants' on our Privacy notices' web page.
To read how we process personal data, applicants can review our 'Privacy Notice for Student Applicants and Potential Applicants' on our Privacy notices' web page.
Contact us
If you would like any further information, please contact Alejandro.moreno-rangel@strath.ac.uk and grainne.mcgill@strath.ac.uk.