Personal profile

Research interests

I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering and Associate Director of the Institute of Sustainability and Climate Change (ISCC) at the University of Bath.

My research and teaching focus on embedding sustainability in design and engineering. This is essential for people to improve quality of life around the world while living within our planetary boundaries.

In particular, my team and I use life cycle assessment (LCA) to measure and reduce environmental footprints.  We work in two related areas: (1) improving the methodology of LCA; (2) applying LCA in experimental research and in practical, real-world projects.  We do this in a variety of applications including construction, energy, and manufacturing.

With experience in engineering, industry and Parliament, I think it is essential to collaborate across sectors to shape our research and to maximise its value.  Following a PhD and research contract in mechanical engineering (life cycle energy and carbon analysis of energy supply to buildings; 2006-09), I joined the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology as POST's energy adviser.  POST provides impartial and accessible research to Parliament, and I was also seconded to Select Committee on Energy and Climate Change.  During 2012-18 I was a senior associate at Sustain Ltd (now Anthesis) and then director at Circular Ecology (which maintains the ICE Embodied Carbon Database).  We helped companies with combined turnovers of greater than £10bn to measure and reduce their environmental footprint. Prior to 2006, I worked as an engineer in remote parts of Canada and Mexico, designing and building equipment and accommodation for ecological field research.

Willing to supervise doctoral students

Interested in supervising students studying:

  • Life cycle assessment
  • Sustainable materials
  • Sustainable energy technologies
  • Sustainable manufacturing

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  • SDG 2 - Zero Hunger
  • SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy
  • SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth
  • SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
  • SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities
  • SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production
  • SDG 13 - Climate Action
  • SDG 14 - Life Below Water
  • SDG 15 - Life on Land
  • SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

External positions

Expert member of Committee on Life Cycle Assessment, British Standards Institute

2021 → …

Member of Engineering EC Forum, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

20182020

Director, Circular Ecology Ltd.

20142018

Senior Associate, Sustain Ltd

20122014

Scientific Adviser - Energy, Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology

20102012

Research Officer, SUPERGEN Highly Distributed Power Systems, University of Bath

2009

Engineer (Canada and Mexico), Coastal Ecosystems Research Foundation

20052006

Keywords

  • TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)
  • TJ Mechanical engineering and machinery
  • Sustainable energy
  • Renewable energy
  • Thermodynamics
  • Heat transfer
  • Carbon footprinting
  • Energy analysis
  • Life cycle assessment
  • Embodied energy and carbon
  • Building performance analysis

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