PhD in Architecture

Overheating in buildings is a growing threat to health and wellbeing of citizens. Overheating in bedrooms is of particular concern as during sleep occupants’ ability to take actions to adapt to heat is more limited. In many parts of the world air-conditioning (AC) is used to maintain thermally comfortable sleep environments. The International Energy Agency predicts a significant increase in the uptake of AC units globally and in Europe between now and 2050. Research has shown that the bed microclimate has a greater effect on thermal comfort and sleep quality than the bedroom’s temperature. There is a potential to reduce the energy demand for cooling by using low-energy personal cooling strategies to minimise or eliminate the need for energy intensive AC. Personal cooling is a rapidly developing area with new systems emerging. However, Credible, unbiased, documented evidence about their effectiveness to enhance thermal comfort and prevent sleep deprivation is needed if they are to be widely implemented. The aim of this project is to quantify the impact of state-of-the-art personal cooling systems on human thermal comfort and sleep quality and establish their optimised performance under various thermal conditions. The project will use the newly refurbished full-scale thermal comfort test house facility at Loughborough University. The successful candidate will conduct controlled experiments using both advanced thermal manikins as well as human participants. The project outcomes will provide the knowledge for engineers and manufacturers to develop energy efficient personal cooling systems.