Advancing Sustainability in the Built Environment via Intelligent and Passive Strategies

You are cordially invited to attend the Research Seminar: Advancing Sustainability in the Built Environment via Intelligent and Passive Strategies by Dr John Calautit.

Date: 22 February 2024 (Thurs)
Time: 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
Venue: SDE 4 Level 5 Forum

Abstract
The built environment sector, responsible for 36% of carbon emissions, presents a crucial opportunity for global emission reduction. With urbanisation on the rise and an ongoing demand for living spaces, there is a pressing need to transform the design and management of buildings and cities. This presentation will highlight a few recent advancements in this field, contributed by my research team, including:

1) The development of net-zero passive cooling devices and strategies,
2) The implementation of a computer vision and deep learning approach for detecting occupancy behaviour, allowing for demand-based heating, ventilation and air-conditioning control,
3) An exploration of aero-thermal comfort conditions, examining the impact of incorporating courtyards and sky gardens within buildings.

About the speaker

Dr John Calautit is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Architecture and Built Environment at the University of Nottingham. A Chartered Engineer (CEng) in the UK and a Member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (MIMechE), Dr Calautit earned his first-class honours degree in Mechanical Engineering from Heriot-Watt University and subsequently pursued a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering (funded by Qatar National Research Fund) at the University of Leeds in 2013.

The impact of Dr. Calautit’s Ph.D. work resonates through the success of the spin-off company Free Running Building Limited. His contributed and see through the conceptualization, laboratory-scale testing, all the way to full-scale installations. Notably, Dr Calautit and his team at Free Running Building Limited have filed three key patents for developing zero-energy passive cooling wind towers and humidity control systems. The technology has been widely embraced, particularly in Middle Eastern countries, capitalizing on its suitability for the hot and dry desert climate prevalent in the region.

Post-Ph.D., Dr. Calautit continued to work on the development of innovative passive cooling technologies, sustainable building practices, and renewable energy leveraging computational fluid dynamic modeling (CFD), building energy modelling, artificial intelligence (AI), and data-driven control systems. He has published over 130 publications in these areas.

Dr. Calautit strongly advocates for interdisciplinary research across architecture, engineering, and sustainability, aiming to achieve a comprehensive and seamlessly integrable solution. He actively participates in shaping the discourse around sustainability and energy in buildings, and continues to be a leading force in advancing the fields.