My specialist area of expertise is in Environmental Design, which is qualified by my Doctor of Philosophy in the subject area, awarded by the Department of Architecture, University of Cambridge, in 2022. This UKRI / EPSRC funded doctoral project considered the integration of the green infrastructure typology of vertical greening, to examine the hypothesis that such features serve to enhance the climate resilience of urban built environments.

The project utilised a range of quantitative and qualitative methodologies that included case study measurements and observations (onsite environmental data collection), as well as the development of a novel model (in Matlab), and its integration to building and urban-scale simulation pathways (dynamic thermal simulations coupled with the building energy modeller TRNSYS, as well as an urban climate framework).

The results of the measurement and observational studies highlighted the state of the art and best practice principles for designers, while the simulation component considered influence approximation and scalability, with the results providing quantitative evidence on widespread application approaches in temperate climates. The synthesis of both observational and simulation results was the delivery of two innovative practical assessment pathways (including a novel simulation tool - Vertical Greening Model), which now enable building and urban performance analysts to determine and best integrate the thermal relief and energy saving benefits of vertical greening systems.

The findings of the constituent studies of the project have been presented at five renowned international conferences, with complementing peer-reviewed proceedings publications, and numerous presentations at EPSRC forums, the Department of Architecture, and Cambridge Colleges; while the originality and impact of findings have been demonstrated by six papers published in leading peer-reviewed journals in the field.

My research masters project also at the Cambridge Martin Centre, included the assessment of overheating risk in dwellings located in a Conservation Area (traditional masonry construction) and within the London heat island, as well as in relation to different occupancy profiles. It also evaluated potential mitigation measures including material amendments to the construction of these dwellings as retrofit options.

This involved the dynamic thermal modelling and simulation of such building typologies using IES-VE, with weather files generated from heat island simulations presented by an urban climate framework. The results of this Cambridge Trust funded study was eventually published in the peer reviewed journal, Building and Energy.

This project with the Centre for Doctoral Training in Decarbonisation of the Built Environment (dCarb) at the University of Bath considered the impact of green and blue infrastructure on the wider climate of cities, specifically their influence on urban heat island mitigation.

This meta-analysis of urban heat island studies and data included the assessment of the contribution of different physical parameters of such green and blue bodies. The results of this Bath University Research (URS) funded project was presented at two international conferences (Bath and Kandy), with subsequent proceedings publications.