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, urban planning and design, and so on.

The detailed research areas covered by individual researchers are detailed below:

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  • Sustainable building design and assessments (Professor Charlie Fu, Dr Efcharis Balodimou, 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 building design, construction and management (Professor Charlie Fu, Dr Umair Khalid)
  • Digital twin in the AEC industry (Dr Umair Khalid, Dr Mohammad Saki, Professor Charlie Fu)
  • Sustainable building retrofitting (Dr Efcharis Balodimou, Professor Charlie Fu)
  • Curriculum and pedagogy development methodology in built environment (Indira Chauhan, Dr Efcharis Balodimou)
  • AI and VR technologies for building design, construction and management (Professor Charlie Fu)
  • Sustainable urbanisation in developing countries (Professor Charlie Fu, Dr Umair Khalid, Dr Waheed Oseni)

PhD research projects and topics

A professional working on a laptop with rolls of paper
  • AI-based energy performance evaluation of residential buildings
  • Indoor environmental quality for higher education buildings
  • Optic fabric solar lighting system for education buildings
  • AI-based automatic design of education buildings
  • Retrofitting strategies focusing on fabric upgrade (fabric-first approach) and energy efficiency
  • Research to establish the extent of problems relating to consumer protection for building safety defects (fire safety and structural) and leasehold abuse linked to the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill
  • Innovation and digital twinning in construction project management 
  • Geospatial analysis methods and techniques for urban sustainability assessments
  • Sustainable urbanisation in developing countries

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, research, and teaching.

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  • Research impact

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

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  • The Graduate School

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

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