Using systems thinking to align health, environmental, and justice co benefits of the transition to Net Zero in UK schools

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. However, high levels of air tightness can result in significant unintended consequences, including poor indoor air quality (IAQ), and overheating.<br /> <br /> There are nearly 127,000 nurseries and school buildings in England and Wales, educating over 11 million students, contributing 15 percent of carbon emissions from public buildings in the UK. We urgently need a better understanding of the complex relationships between Net Zero building adaptations, IAQ, overheating, and children and young persons health, and how interventions can be implemented to align health, environmental, and justice co benefits in UK schools.

<p style="text-align:justify">The project will use systems thinking approaches to understand systemic and structural barriers in the delivery of Net Zero schools, and potential levers to optimise heath, environmental, and justice co benefits. The candidate will work with the CHILI Hub (Child and adolescent Health Impacts of Learning Indoor environments under net zero), a five-year UKRI and NIHR funded project in collaboration between five universities (UCL, Leeds, Imperial, Swansea, York) and the UK Health Security Agency. CHILI uses energy and air quality modelling, indoor environmental quality data, large health data sets, and cocreation and engagement with schools and other stakeholders to provide an evidence base for how the indoor environment in schools can affect children and young persons health, in particular as school and nursery buildings are being adapted to meet Net Zero targets.</p> <p>The project will draw on data from the literature and expertise across the CHILI Hub (including schools, industry, unions, local and national government) to explore where interventions have interconnecting effects which may lead to unintended consequences. The project will draw on quantitative and qualitative evidence generated by CHILI and use systems mapping approaches to identify where Net Zero interventions may have positive, negative or neutral impacts on health, environmental, and justice outcomes. We anticipate that this will involve both qualitative participatory methods to gain expert insight from CHILI partners and stakeholders as well as identifying quantitative data that could be used to develop tools to evaluate consequences of Net Zero interventions.</p> <p>The candidate will also work with the Priestley Centre Just Transition theme, and the Water, Public Health and Environmental Engineering research group at the University of Leeds. This project will provide timely knowledge on aligning health, environmental, and justice co-benefits as we move towards Net Zero buildings.</p>

<p style="text-align:start; margin-bottom:24px">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 <em><strong>Planned Course of Study section that you are applying for PHD Civil Engineering  FT</strong></em>, in the research information section, please state clearly that the research project you wish to be considered for is <em><strong>Using systems thinking to align health, environmental, and justice co benefits of the transition to Net Zero in UK schools</strong></em>, and mention <a href="https://eps.leeds.ac.uk/civil-engineering/staff/14849/dr-douglas-booker">Dr Douglas Booker</a> as your proposed supervisor and in the finance section, please state clearly that you are applying for the <em><strong>School of Civil Engineering Scholarship 2025/26 (CHILI).</strong></em></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>Applications will be considered on an ongoing basis.  Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the supervisors for an informal discussion before making a formal application.  We also advise that you apply at the earliest opportunity as the application and selection process may close early, should we receive a sufficient number of applications or that a suitable candidate is appointed.</p> <p>Please ensure you provide your supporting documents by the closing date of Monday 24 November 2025: </p> <ul> <li>Full Transcripts of all degree study or if in final year of study, full transcripts to date including grading scheme</li> <li>Personal Statement outlining your interest in the project</li> <li>CV</li> </ul> <p><em>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.</em></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 class="MsoNoSpacing">A highly competitive School of Civil Engineering Studentship providing the award of full academic fees, together with a tax-free maintenance grant at the standard UKRI rate (£20,780 in academic session 2025/26) for 3.5 years. There are no additional allowances for travel, research expenses, conference attendance or any other costs. An additional Top-Up of £3,000 per year for 3.5 years is available to previous University of Leeds graduates.<br /> <br /> You will be responsible for paying the overtime fee in full in your writing up/overtime year (£340 in Session 2025/26), but the scholarship maintenance allowance will continue to be paid for up to 6 months in the final year of award.</p> <p>Please note that there is only 1 funded place available. If you are successful in securing an academic offer for PhD study, this does not mean that you have been successful in securing an offer of funding.</p> <p>Please refer to the <a href="https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/">UKCISA</a> website for information regarding Fee Status for Non-UK Nationals.</p>

<p>For further information about this project, please contact Dr Douglas Booker by email to <a href="mailto:d.d.booker@leeds.ac.uk">d.d.booker@leeds.ac.uk</a></p> <p>For further information about your application, please contact the PGR Admissions team by email to <a href="mailto:phd@engineering.leeds.ac.uk">phd@engineering.leeds.ac.uk</a></p>