Our Vision
Our ultimate goal is to deliver inter- & transdisciplinary built environment research to improve health, wellbeing and sustainability. Systems thinking is used to understand how different elements of buildings and the wider built environment interact. Our mission is to inform and support decision making to enable transformative change as cities and governments seek to meet climate change mitigation and adaption targets. Our research fits into the wider context of clean energy and net zero carbon. We work both locally and internationally to help cities achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Our core value underpins the notion of equitable and inclusive spaces where people can live healthy and fulfilling lives.
Methods
We use a range of research methods in our research, including:
1. Measurement, Monitoring & Testing
2. System Dynamics
3. Social & Participatory Research
4. Urban Modelling & Geospatial Analysis
5. Building Performance Simulation, Evaluation & Optimisation
6. Data Analytics, Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence
7. Building Physics & Mathematical Methods
Research themes
Our specialist expertise covers a variety of interconnected themes related to the built environment including but not limited to:
Acoustics and soundscapes
We research how sound propagates in different areas; how people perceive and evaluate different kinds of sounds; and how sounds can be controlled, designed, and engineered.
Moisture, temperature and air quality
We research the complex interlinkages between moisture, temperature and air quality in the built environment.
Climate change, sustainability and cities
Our research addresses the complex interlinkages between cities, urban climate, climate change, health and sustainability.
Smart buildings and digital engineering
We research how digitalisation has changed and will change how built assets are designed, constructed and operated.
Life cycle assessment and circular economy
We research how we estimate the environmental performance of building products and processes from construction to demolition.
Energy use, retrofit and net zero
We research the energy consumption and the carbon intensity of buildings and building stocks to understand how they work today.
Systems thinking and transdisciplinarity
We research sustainability challenges holistically, and combine the perspectives from multiple disciplines and practice through a systemic lens.
Impact
Find out more about the impact of some of our research through:
Explore our project directory
Through our research we tackle fundamental built environment issues facing society. Explore our project directory to discover the array of research projects undertaken by the Institute.