Inclusive High-Performance Social Housing: From New-Build Performance to Low-Carbon Retrofit in Northern Ireland

Summary

How can we design social housing that is not only energy efficient, but also comfortable, affordable and genuinely responsive to the diverse needs of the people who live in it?

This PhD will investigate the real-world performance of high-performance social housing in Northern Ireland, with a particular focus on the relationship between building design, accessibility, occupancy, energy use, thermal comfort and overheating.

The research will be undertaken in collaboration with Grove Housing Association, providing the opportunity to follow a new development of 31 social homes from design and construction through to occupation. Four homes are specifically designed for residents with physical disabilities, creating an important opportunity to explore how inclusive design requirements interact with low-energy building performance.

The project will combine building monitoring, energy analysis, post-occupancy evaluation, resident surveys and community engagement. Existing homes will be monitored before residents move, establishing a baseline for comparison with their new homes after occupation. The research will also build on Grove previous high-performance retrofit project, known as the ‘Perfect Storm’, to investigate how residents real-life needs and adaptations can influence the operation of high-performance homes.

Particular attention will be given to overheating and thermal comfort, including the experiences of residents who spend substantial periods at home or have specific mobility or care requirements.

The PhD will generate evidence to support future low-energy social housing and the low-carbon retrofit of existing housing stock, with potential applications for housing providers, design practice and policy in Northern Ireland. The researcher will work directly with Grove throughout the project and gain specialist industry training alongside academic research skills.

Essential criteria

Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree in a subject relevant to the proposed area of study.

We may also consider applications from those who hold equivalent qualifications, for example, a Lower Second Class Honours Degree plus a Master’s Degree with Distinction.

In exceptional circumstances, the University may consider a portfolio of evidence from applicants who have appropriate professional experience which is equivalent to the learning outcomes of an Honours degree in lieu of academic qualifications.

• Research proposal of no more than 2000 words detailing aims, objectives, milestones and methodology of the project

Equal Opportunities

The University is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applicants from all sections of the community, particularly from those with disabilities.

Appointment will be made on merit.

Funding and eligibility

This project is funded by:

• Department for the Economy (DfE)
• Vice Chancellor's Research Scholarship (VCRS)

PhD Scholarships are available for this project and will cover:

• Tuition fees.
• A maintenance allowance of approximately £22,000 (exact rate is to be confirmed) per annum for three years, subject to satisfactory academic performance.
• A Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) of approximately £900 per annum.

To be eligible for these scholarships applicants must: be a UK or Irish national; or have pre-settled or settled status; or have indefinite leave to remain or enter.

Applicants should also meet the residency criteria which requires that they have lived in the EEA, Switzerland, the UK or Gibraltar for at least the three years preceding the start date of the research degree programme i.e. September 2027.

Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year, or part-time equivalent, funded from any source, including self-financing students, are NOT eligible to apply for an award.

Students in full-time employment are not eligible for an award.

Due consideration should be given to financing your studies.

Part-time PhD scholarships may be available at a 0.5 pro rata rate of the full-time scholarship, which would require a six-year registration period.

The University will award a successful candidate one of the following scholarships for the project, depending on the funding available at the time an admissions offer is made:

1. Department for the Economy (DfE) PhD Scholarships
2. Vice Chancellor’s Research Scholarships (VCRS)

Please note that the Terms and Conditions for scholarships are subject to change for 2027/28.