Richard’s research interests are focused on microstructure/macrostructure property relationships of construction materials.  He has worked on the setting reactions of cementitious binders, sensors, degradation processes, water transport mechanisms, polymeric and ceramic materials for 3D printing, conservation materials, photocatalytic coatings, and materials for improving the indoor air quality of buildings.

He was principal investigator on the research project ‘An overlooked heritage: revealing the fibrous plaster ceilings of the UK’, which was funded by the Leverhulme Trust.  In addition, he was a co-investigator on the EPSRC research grants ‘Aerial Additive Building Manufacturing: Distributed Unmanned Aerial Systems for in-situ manufacturing of the built environment’, 'Resilient Materials for Life (RM4L)', and 'Healthy housing for the Displaced'.  He was the principal investigator on the EPSRC grants ‘An Electrochemical Approach to Study Carbonation of Novel Lime Based Materials’ and ‘Experimentally verified atomistic modeling of lime in construction materials’.  He has received funding from the Royal Academy of Engineering, the British Council, and the Royal Society.

He is President of the West of England Metals and Materials Association and a member of the Bristol Scientific Club.