Developing age-friendly and just indoor spaces: indoor environmental quality and Net Zero transitions

With the UK Government committed to achieving Net Zero by 2050, decarbonising the built environment is essential to meet these goals. Improvements to buildings to make them more energy efficient requires high levels of air tightness to prevent heat loss: this can improve thermal comfort and reduce fuel poverty. However, high levels of air tightness can result in a significant unintended consequence: poor indoor air quality (IAQ).

<p style="text-align:justify">Poor air quality is the largest environmental public health risk in the UK. Outdoor air quality tends to be the focus, despite on average people spending ~90% of their time indoors, where the brunt of air pollution exposure happens. While poor IAQ affects us all, it disproportionately impacts more vulnerable groups such as younger and older people. Research investigating the experiences and impacts of IAQ on older people is underdeveloped (especially compared to younger people), despite a rapidly aging population in the UK, and older people spending even more time indoors than other population sub-groups. This project will examine the experiences and impacts of Net Zero building upgrades on indoor environmental quality (IEQ) for older people, including measures of both thermal comfort and IAQ. Moreover, this project will develop and deploy an energy / environmental justice lens to explore how decarbonising the UK built environment can be achieved in a just way for older people.</p> <p>The project will use a whole system approach to investigate what it means to live with good IEQ for older people, the sociotechnical factors driving better/worse IEQ for them, and steps required to improve IEQ in different residential environments (e.g. care homes, and private residences). The project will be mixed methods, including participatory systems mapping, IEQ measurements (using low-cost IEQ sensors as well as higher-grade sensors e.g. NAQTS V2000,  and inductive thematic analysis of age-appropriate, less intrusive qualitative data collection.</p> <p>The candidate will work with the Fair Energy Futures, and Water, Public Health and Environmental Engineering research groups at the University of Leeds, alongside external partners such as the Leeds City Council Age Friendly Leeds Partnership. This project will provide timely knowledge on age-friendly living as we move towards Net Zero buildings, to ensure that those living in care homes and ‘aging in place’ in private residences can do so in a climate and health friendly way, and to ensure that no one is left in behind in this transition.</p>

<p>Formal applications for research degree study should be made online through the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/research-applying/doc/applying-research-degrees">University's website</a>. Please state clearly in the research information section that the research degree you wish to be considered for is Developing age-friendly and just indoor spaces: indoor environmental quality and Net Zero transitions with Dr Douglas Booker. <a href="https://eps.leeds.ac.uk/civil-engineering/staff/14849/dr-douglas-booker">https://eps.leeds.ac.uk/civil-engineering/staff/14849/dr-douglas-booker</a> </p> <p>If English is not your first language, you must provide evidence that you meet the University's minimum English language requirements (below).</p> <p>As an international research-intensive university, we welcome students from all walks of life and from across the world. We foster an inclusive environment where all can flourish and prosper, and we are proud of our strong commitment to student education. Across all Faculties we are dedicated to diversifying our community and we welcome the unique contributions that individuals can bring, and particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to Black, Asian, people who belong to a minority ethnic community, people who identify as LGBT+ and people with disabilities. Applicants will always be selected based on merit and ability.</p>

Applicants to research degree programmes should normally have at least a first class or an upper second class British Bachelors Honours degree (or equivalent) in an appropriate discipline. The criteria for entry for some research degrees may be higher, for example, several faculties, also require a Masters degree. Applicants are advised to check with the relevant School prior to making an application. Applicants who are uncertain about the requirements for a particular research degree are advised to contact the School or Graduate School prior to making an application.

The minimum English language entry requirement for research postgraduate research study is an IELTS of 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in each component (reading, writing, listening and speaking) or equivalent. The test must be dated within two years of the start date of the course in order to be valid. Some schools and faculties have a higher requirement.

<p style="margin-bottom:11px">A highly competitive EPSRC Doctoral Training Partnership Studentship offering the award of fees, together with a tax-free maintenance grant (currently £19,237 academic session 2024/25) for 3.5 years.  Training and support will also be provided. </p>

<p style="text-align:justify">For further information about this project, please contact Dr Douglas Booker by email: d.d.booker@leeds.ac.uk</p>