Design and Sustainability Assessment of Novel Building Integrated Solar Technologies Kingston University in United Kingdom

This PhD opportunity at Kingston University focuses on the design and sustainability assessment of novel Building Integrated Solar Technologies, aiming to transform urban environments into active energy hubs. Buildings and industrial sites are significant energy consumers and sources of emissions, and current approaches often add renewable components to passive buildings, resulting in inefficiency and grid strain. This project seeks to develop a unified framework that integrates advanced hardware, intelligent software, and a comprehensive understanding of lifelong sustainability impacts, accounting for the entire system rather than isolated parts.

The research addresses the need for truly integrated, sustainable energy systems in the built environment. The core challenge is overcoming fragmented solutions that focus on single technologies without considering their interconnected performance and total lifecycle impact. The project aims to enable Positive Energy Districts (PEDs)—urban areas that produce more energy than they consume—by merging advanced technology development with rigorous sustainability assessment. It moves beyond simple energy-saving metrics to a full accounting of environmental, social, and economic consequences from manufacturing to end-of-life.

The project is structured around three pillars: hardware innovation, intelligent control, and comprehensive sustainability assessment. The first pillar involves designing and fabricating a novel Building Integrated Photovoltaic-Thermal (BIPVT) system, which generates both electricity and useful heat. The second pillar focuses on developing an intelligent control system using machine learning to optimize energy flows and manage energy dispatch and storage. The third pillar is an advanced Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA), which will develop refined methodologies for defining functional units and system boundaries, utilizing dynamic LCA models to account for changes over the system’s lifespan and integrating social and economic indicators alongside environmental impacts.

Specific objectives include designing, fabricating, and testing a new BIPVT solar panel to validate its enhanced performance; developing a machine learning-based control system; and conducting a holistic LCSA that reflects the interconnectedness of BIPVT, battery storage, and building systems. The framework will be validated through a detailed case study, with the expected outcome being a comprehensive and validated model for climate-neutral communities. This includes a proven new design for BIPVT panels, operational control strategies, and a novel LCSA methodology tailored for integrated renewable systems.

The ideal candidate should have a first-class honours degree or a master’s (or international equivalent) in a relevant engineering-related discipline, with strong foundations in thermodynamics, energy systems, and data analysis. Proficiency in Python or MATLAB for system modelling and control, experience with CAD (SolidWorks), ray-tracing analysis, multiphysics simulations (COMSOL, ANSYS), and LCA tools (SimaPro, GaBi, or openLCA) are required. Applicants must also demonstrate research experience through contributions to international journal or conference publications.

This project is included in the Graduate School studentships competition for October 2026 entry, with funding details available on the Kingston University PhD Studentships page. The application deadline is March 4, 2026. Interested candidates should review the studentships information and follow the application instructions provided on the university’s website.