Sustainable Built Environment

Welcome to Sustainable Built Environment (SBE) Research Group.

The SBE Research Group aims to promote multi-disciplinary research across two broad research themes: Architecture and urbanism (A + U), and Architectural Engineering, Environmental Design and Energy (AEEDE). Among the many research topics that arise from the built environment, the following are of particular interest to the SBE Research Group:

· Architectural humanity and history across various cultures, climates and geographic locations;

· Past and contemporary urban transition and related sustainability issues in China and beyond;

· Identification of best practices in the area of sustainable building and city development;

· High performance building technologies and system integration.

Students who apply for PhD programs within the Group will have the opportunity to be awarded a full scholarship from the University of Nottingham Ningbo China.

Research Clusters

Architecture and urbanism (A + U)

The work of the A + U cluster focuses on the history and theory of the built environment, with the following distinct areas of research strength: computational architecture and fabrication, transcultural and postcolonial perspectives in architecture; (Chinese) architecture and urbanism; heritage preservation; relationships between architecture, globalization and culture; architectural hermeneutics (architectural and urban interpretation, theory and criticism); sustainable urban transitions (re-use, regeneration and redevelopment) and eco-city theories and practices.

We aim to advance innovative historical and theoretical research through a range of interdisciplinary approaches, including rethinking histories of modernity across cultures, the history of architecture and cities (in China and internationally), and emphasizing the 'everyday', the social and experiential dimensions of sustainable urban spaces and buildings.

Architectural Engineering, Environmental Design and Energy (AEEDE)

The AEEDE is an interdisciplinary cluster dealing with the issues associated with high performance built environment. Our research range from areas such as occupant’s health and comfort, life cycle energy analysis, low energy design and thermal performance, building construction technologies, BIPV (Building Integrated Photovoltaic), building related artificial intelligent and urban comfort.

In addition, the cluster has a strong commitment to environmental-social development with ongoing research projects in collaboration with our partners in China, Europe, Africa, India and South America. These projects range from studies on extreme density, environmental degradation, informality (slums upgrading), public policy and governance, environmental studies of vernacular and rural architecture exploring ways in which design can make an effective contribution towards inclusive and more adaptive and sustainable communities.

Facilities

The CSET Building which is the first zero carbon building in China, provides laboratory, offices and seminar accommodation facilities. It has been designed to serve as an exemplar building, demonstrating state-of-the-art techniques for environmentally responsible and sustainable construction. The building provides 100 percent of its energy usage for lighting, power, heating and cooling from sources such as PV panels, solar absorption air conditioning system, geothermal heat pumps and wind turbine. It also minimises its environmental impact by using locally available materials with low embodied energy, storing rainwater and re-using grey water, and has developed its own ecology and biodiversity within the site.

The CSET building accommodates our PhD students and two research labs within the Group: Urban Innovation Lab and Digital Architecture Lab (led by Dr. Maycon Sedrez), offering workstations equipped with the latest software applications. Other facilities include a climate chamber, thermal testing lab for materials and components, laser particle analyser, low carbon construction material development systems, façade testing facility, daylight and solar modelling lab, wind tunnel facility and a weather station.

Group Members

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Name	Research area	Institution
Dr. Wu Deng	Sustainable building technologies and eco-city, Head of Group	Department of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Nottingham Ningbo China
Dr. Jing Xie	Humanities and history, Deputy Head of Group	Department of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Nottingham Ningbo China
Advisory professors
Prof. Chen Yi	Sustainable architecture	Tongji University, College of Architecture and Urban Planning
Prof. Tiziano Cattaneo	Environmental design and urban regeneration	Tongji University, College of Design & Innovation
External members
Jian Yao	Building physics; associate professor	School of Architecture, Ningbo University
Michelle Shao	Sustainable building technologies; lecturer, Head of Department	Department of Architectural Environmental and Energy Engineering, Ningbo University of Technology
Zhen Peng	Green building technologies; associate professor	School of Urban Planning and Architecture, Qingdao University of Technology
Core members
Dr. Eugenio Mangi	Architecture and urban regeneration, Lead of A + U cluster.	UNNC
Dr. Tongyu Zhou	Energy modelling and thermal comfort, Lead of AEEDE cluster	UNNC
Professor Ali Cheshmehzangi	Architecture and urbanism; Head of Department	UNNC
Dr. Ayotunde Dawodu	Urban sustainability assessment	UNNC
Dr. Byung Gyoo Kang	BIM in construction management, value engineering, risk management, lean construction, sustainable construction	UNNC
Dr. Isaac Yu Fat Lun	Computational fluid dynamics for buildings	UNNC
Dr. Jun Lu	Healthcare design; senior housing; community led regeneration.	UNNC
Dr. Sung-Hugh Hong	Building energy and environment	UNNC
Dr. Yat Ming Loo	Humanities and history	UNNC
Dr. Maycon Sedrez	Computational architecture and digital fabrication, Lead of Digital Architecture Lab	UNNC
Dr. Giaime Botti	Humanities and history	UNNC
Dr. Zhiang Zhang	Learning-based adaptive control for building energy systems, Building energy model-based control and operation, Digital-twin for HVAC systems via BIM/BEM fusion, Occupant-oriented building for human comfort and wellbeing	UNNC
PhD students
Name	Research topic	Main supervisor
Kejun SHAO	The heritage preservation of the historic quarters in Wenzhou	Jing Xie
Jing SUN	Development of multi-objective stormwater resilient Eco-city forms for small water-towns in China	Ali Cheshmehzangi
Polina TROFIMOVA	BIM and GIS based new framework for urban scale building energy modelling and evaluation	Ali Cheshmehzangi
Yuanda HONG	Green retrofit of low-rise office building in Shanghai	Wu Deng
Zhong Wang	Community and Burglary: A spatial analysis	Jun Lu
Yuanli Ma	Passive house technologies in the hot summer and cold winter zone	Wu Deng
Yanning Xiang	Hybrid Architecture and Urban Spaces of the Five Avenues in Tianjin’s Former British Settlement	Yat Ming Loo
Ruiming Zhang	A study of occupant behaviour and building energy consumption at urban scale	Tongyu Zhou
Zimu LI	Energy Saving Renovation of Office Buildings in Severe Cold Region	Ali Cheshmehzangi
Felix Ikworia OSEBER	Assessing Urban Accessibility Indicators in Asian-based Neighbourhood Sustainability Assessment Tools	Ali Cheshmehzangi
Manxuan XIAO	Window open behavior in hospitals	Wu Deng

PhD Opportunities

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The PhD programme offers flexible supervision between The University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) and The University of Nottingham UK (UNUK). Students enrolled at UNNC may be required to spend part of their studies at UNUK depending on the proposed research topic. The Ph.D. graduates will be awarded a University of Nottingham degree which is also recognised by the Chinese Ministry of Education.

The group aims to carry out world-leading research work in architecture, urbanism, and high-performance building. Members are active in producing, disseminating and supervising high-quality investigation across each of following thematic areas:

Architecture and Urbanism Cluster

Architectural theory and criticism;
Sustainable urban culture and urban design;
Urban transitions;
Urban regeneration in Chinese context;
Computational architecture and fabrication
Transcultural and Postcolonial Perspectives in Architecture;
History and theory of architecture and urbanism;
Heritage Preservation;
Sustainable city and community;

Architectural Engineering, Environmental Design and Energy Cluster

Life cycle building energy and carbon modeling and evaluation;
Indoor environmental assessment;
Artificial intelligent and built environment;
Computational fluid dynamics and built environment;
Diagnostic analysis of heritage buildings;
Passive house technologies in the hot summer and cold winter zone;
Sustainable neighborhood evaluation.
Green campus evaluation and design.

Entry requirements

If you apply to a PhD programme, you will generally need to hold an honours degree at 2:1 level (for applicants graduating from a university in the UK) or above (or international equivalent) in an appropriate subject.

The following will be considered when making an offer:

1. academic performance during the undergraduate and postgraduate study

2. ranking and fame of the university where the applicant graduates from

3. research papers published in international academic journals

4. quality of the research proposal

5. research potential and attitude

6. Important awards granted before

7. Very related work experience

8. English proficiency

Students whose first language is not English or their entry qualifications were not obtained from a country/region where English is the native language, are required to provide satisfactory evidence of their proficiency in English.

For more information on specific application procedure, please visit Graduate School webpage.

How to Apply

Please email scanned copies of the following documents to PHDadmissions@nottingham.edu.cn

A completed application form (all fields filled)
Copies of degree certificates for undergraduate and postgraduate studies (Xueli certificates are required too for applicants from Chinese universities)
Official transcripts with marks for all individual modules/courses from undergraduate and postgraduate studies (with official university stamp)
Two references must be emailed to PHDAdmissions@nottingham.edu.cn directly by the referees
English language test score (IELTS/ PTE academic) (not required for native English speakers)
A research proposal (For Ed.D application, one academic writing is required instead of research proposal)
A copy of passport (international applicants) or ID card (Chinese nationals, both sides of Chinese ID cards required)
An electronic copy of passport-sized photo taken within three months of this application
A brief CV (required for Ed.D applicants only)
A copy of your Masters’ dissertation, or a published paper or conference paper, or a sample of your writing work (for applicants to the School of International Studies only)

For more information on scholarships available, please visit Graduate School webpage.