summary

The architecture, construction and urban study research group aims to develop high quality, multidisciplinary research and technical solutions. This promotes sustainability in built environment, as well as in design and construction projects.

It underpins our undergraduate and postgraduate courses in built environment and hosts PhD students studying various issues in the sustainable built environment area. The group is also a basis for the academics in the school to pursue research funding and projects, jointly publish academic papers and build up industrial collaboration.

Our research

The research in this group covers various aspects including architectural design and technology, building surveying and retrofitting, construction project management, facility management, and urban planning and design.

The detailed research areas covered by individual researchers are: 

A pen on an architectural design
  • Sustainable architectural technology (Professor Charlie Fu, Dr Efcharis Balodimou) 
  • Sustainable building design and assessments (Professor Charlie Fu, Dr Efcharis Balodimou, Dr Mohammad Sakikhales, Dr Umair Khalid) 
  • Sustainable construction and project management (Dr Umair Khalid, Dr Waheed Oseni, Dr Shamil Naoum) 
  • Sustainable urban planning and development (Professor Charlie Fu, Dr Efcharis Balodimou) 
  • BIM implementation in architecture, construction and management (Professor Charlie Fu, Dr Mohammad Sakikhales, Dr Umair Khalid, Dr Bolanle Noruwa) 
  • Digital twin in the AEC industry (Dr Umair Khalid, Dr Mohammad Saki, Dr Bolanle Noruwa, Professor Charlie Fu) 
  • Sustainable building retrofitting (Dr Efcharis Balodimou, Professor Charlie Fu) 
  • Curriculum and pedagogy development methodology in the built environment (Indira Chauhan, Dr Efcharis Balodimou) 
  • AI and VR technologies for architecture, construction and management (Professor Charlie Fu, Dr Mohammad Sakikhales, Dr Bolanle Noruwa, Dr Umair Khalid, Dr Efcharis Balodimou) 
  • Sustainable urbanisation in developing countries (Professor Charlie Fu, Dr Efcharis Balodimou) 
  • Climate change and construction (Dr Waheed Oseni, Dr Efcharis Balodimou) 
  • Energy efficiency and renewable technologies for buildings (Dr Waheed Oseni, Dr Umair Khalid, Professor Charlie Fu)

PhD research projects and topics

A professional working on a laptop with rolls of paper
  • AI-based and BIM-based energy performance and human comfort analysis (Professor Charlie Fu, Dr Efcharis Balodimou) 
  • BIM-based Indoor environmental quality for higher education buildings (Professor Charlie Fu, Dr Mohammad Sakikhales, Dr Efcharis Balodimou) 
  • Improving sun-lighting environments for education buildings (Professor Charlie Fu, Dr Efcharis Balodimou) 
  • AI-based automatic design of education buildings (Prof Charlie Fu, Dr Shamil Naoum, Dr Efcharis Balodimou) 
  • Retrofitting strategies focusing on fabric upgrade (fabric-first approach) and energy efficiency (Dr Efcharis Balodimou) 
  • Innovation and digital twinning in construction project management (Dr Umair Khalid, Dr Mohammad Sakikhales) 
  • AI-based geospatial analysis for urban sustainability assessments (Professor Charlie Fu, Dr Efcharis Balodimou) 
  • Sustainable urbanisation in developing countries (Professor Charlie Fu, Dr Efcharis Balodimou) 
  • How artificial intelligence can reduce project cost and overall project performance (Dr Bolanle Noruwa) 
  • Impact of emerging technologies on labour motivation, cost and productivity in the construction sector (Dr Bolanle Noruwa)

Group members

Selected publications

PhD opportunities

All our PhD opportunities can be found on the School of Computing and Engineering research degrees page.

These include: 

  • Using BIM technologies to promote teaching of higher education-built environment courses
  • Computational architectural design
  • Indoor environment quality for education buildings.

For more information, please contact individual members of the group or Professor Charlie Fu:

Find out more

  • Research Centres and Groups

    Find out about our multi-disciplinary areas of expertise, PhD research, and teaching.

    An analyst looking at a digital display
  • Research impact

    Learn how our PhD research has helped communities locally, nationally and internationally.

    Two students sitting and standing in front of a computer screen with protective glasses on.
  • The Graduate School

    If you are interested in studying for a PhD or Professional Doctorate, the Graduate School is here to support your research.

    Two students working with scientific equipment with protective glasses on.