The Sustainable Built Environment Research Group was established in September 2010 and the groups research covers a broad area within sustainable construction and the application of renewable energy in buildings including:

• application of recycled materials
• building information integration with BIM
• computational modeling and Structural design
• intelligent building system
• sustainability and codes of practice
• sustainable building design
• sustainable disposal of construction waste
• urban sustainability analysis
• virtual reality visualisation in building design and urban planning.

The group has established connection with the construction industry (eg Intelligent Building System Ltd and Consultants for Construction Innovation C4Ci) and benefits from highly qualified researchers including Chartered Civil Engineers and a Chartered Town Planner.

The group has several PhD students working in civil, structure and construction topics, including:

• comparative study of sustainable drainage systems
• an evaluation of environmental assessment methods
• sustainable means of disposal for UK construction waste.

Comparative study of sustainable drainage systems

The use of sustainable drainage systems (SUDS) forms an important part of the requirement to conserve natural resources in an age of ever-increasing consumption.

This study explores the options available in the design of drainage systems, by virtue of a project to design two systems for a Greenfield site with office and car parking.

An evaluation of environmental assessment methods

After successive global environmental conferences in which national governments pledged to reduce carbon emissions, there is ever-increasing scrutiny on the construction industry.

This is because the energy used in the production of building materials and subsequently required to power a completed building, form a substantial part of the overall carbon emissions generated by society.

The response from both public and private sector interests around the world has been to enhance the importance of environmental assessments – both of building methods and the finished product – almost in inverse proportion to the tolerance for energy waste.

Sustainable means of disposal for UK construction waste

The context for this research area is the ever-increasing environmental and regulatory requirements to reduce reuse and recycle material formerly regarded as 'waste'.

Sustainable means of disposal for construction waste comprises two facets: environmental sustainability
cost-efficiency.

These have hitherto been mutually exclusive, since meeting 'green' standards of disposal have always been perceived as costing more than standard methods.

The research project evaluates the two main waste disposal methods in UK construction sites.

Contact us

For more information contact:

• Dr Ali B-Jahromi - e-mail: ali.jahromi@uwl.ac.uk
• Dr. Charlie Fu - e-mail: changfeng.fu@uwl.ac.uk.