PhD Studentship: Automating the Circularity Potential Assessment in Building Retrofitting

Building retrofitting is crucial to achieve low/net-zero carbon built environment. While majority of building retrofits focus on improving energy efficiency, there is little attention on the relatively short lifespan of retrofit materials in Buildings. This gives rise to recurring embodied carbon since buildings undergo periodic retrofitting for various purposes such as building upgrade. With over 25 million buildings in the UK requiring retrofitting for a decarbonised building stock, reducing the demand for new materials presents a significant challenge for the next decades. Recent studies have identified circular economy as an effective strategy to recirculate materials in projects. However, applying circularity in retrofitting is a complex process. This challenge has resulted in limited knowledge on the Circularity Potential of building retrofit materials. Therefore, this study aims to develop an artificial intelligence (AI)-based prediction system for assessing the Circularity Potential of materials in Building Retrofitting. Regarding the Circularity Potential, this study would focus on reuse, repurpose and recycle of main Building retrofit materials. The study would be conducted in two stages. First, building practitioners would be engaged for information on the processes and decisions that influence building retrofit circularity. Second, AI would be used to deal with complex circularity decisions and determine effective circularity options for building retrofit material specifications. The study contributes significantly to circularity research by providing a digitised model-platform that recommends circularity options to extend the service-life of retrofit materials. Practitioners lacking methods for predicting retrofit material circularity in complex project situations would benefit from this study. This project is one of five PhDs in Digital Transformation. The successful candidate will be part of a growing community of doctoral and post-doctoral researchers and academics who are extending the boundaries of knowledge and delivering transformative solutions to real-world problems. The other projects in Digital Transformation are: Automated productivity and performance monitoring for construction processes Automating asset management: AI-driven approaches for enhanced efficiency Multi-actor transformation of production in construction: the case of novel concrete The sociotechnical interface with data in construction: aesthetics, emotion, and social discourse Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessment and operating University facilities such as the library, IT equipment and other support services. University fees and charges can be paid in advance and there are several methods of payment, including online payments and payment by instalment. Fees are reviewed annually and are likely to increase to take into account inflationary pressures. The School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering's studentship competition offers the chance for UK and International applicants who are interested in undertaking a PhD to have their full-time studies paid for. The studentship is for 3 years and provides a tax-free stipend of £18,622 per annum (2023/24 rate) for the duration of the studentship plus university tuition fees. Studentships will be awarded on a competitive basis to applicants who have applied to advertised projects starting with the reference 'ABCE24'.