Architectural Engineering Research Group

About us

The Architectural Engineering Research Group is an interdisciplinary group working in the field of sustainability and building physics. The group is involved in both pure and 'close to industry' research with a wide portfolio of UK, European and international activities.

Our research experience and expertise include: solar thermal, thermal and electric storage systems, passive/active architectural cooling systems and environmental and economic assessment of products and services.

The group benefits from a dedicated laboratory offering mechanical/thermal physical testing including solar simulators, climatic chamber, and an advanced renewable technologies recycling centre. The group also offers computer-based simulations including computational fluid dynamics, structural finite element analysis (mechanical/thermal), building thermal/energy efficiency simulations, buildings services simulations and general optimisation studies.

Visit our Technology Lab

Related courses

  • Architecture (MPhil / PhD / PhD by Practice / PhD by Published Work / Research Degree involving Creative Work)

Leadership

Shahaboddin Resalati

Dr Shahaboddin Resalati

Reader in Sustainable Architecture

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Membership

Staff

Name Role Email
Paul Henshall Lecturer in Mathematical Sciences phenshall@brookes.ac.uk
Dr Amani Maalouf Post-doc Researcher in Environmental Science and Engineering amaalouf@brookes.ac.uk
Tobechi Okoroafor Post-Doctoral Researcher in Environmental Science and Engineering Tobechi Okoroafor
Professor Nicholas Whitehouse Visiting Professor, MBE for contribution to the Building Industry nicholaswhitehouse@brookes.ac.uk

Students

Name Thesis Title Supervisors Completed
Farhad Salek Thermo-economic modelling and optimization of the second life battery energy storage system for building applications Professor Denise Morrey, Paul Henshall, Dr Shahaboddin Resalati

Active

Collaborators

Name Role Organisation
Dr Mahdi Razavi Setvati Research and Development Engineer Tata Steel

Projects

Active projects

Project title and description Investigator(s) Funder(s) Dates

PowerSkin Plus

The project aims to develop a truly innovative façade solution based on the smart integration of highly energy efficient components, including super-insulative elements, solar energy harvesting and active energy storage features
Dr Shahaboddin Resalati Horizon 2020 From: September 2019
Until: December 2023

CUSTOM-ART

Building- and product-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV and PIPV) are identified as key enabling technologies to make 'near-zero energy buildings' and 'net-zero energy districts' a reality. The CUSTOM-ART project aims to develop the next generation of BIPV and PIPV modules based on abundant thin-film materials such as kesterites.
Dr Shahaboddin Resalati Horizon 2020 From: September 2020
Until: December 2024

Completed projects

Project title and description Investigator(s) Funder(s) Dates

INNOVIP

INNOVIP Consortium will reinvent the top-of-the-line insulating material vacuum-insulation-panels (VIP) by improving their thermal performance over the entire lifetime by at least 25% and making VIPs adjustable, mountable and machineable.
Dr Shahaboddin Resalati Horizon 2020 From: September 2016
Until: December 2020

HAIR

Improved durability of steel sandwich panel constructions regarding hygrothermal and airtightness performance. HAIR is concerned with safeguarding the durability of steel intensive building envelopes against thermal and moisture related hygrothermal failures of the type that are increasing common, in part as a consequence of the more widespread use of well insulated construction.
Dr Shahaboddin Resalati European Commission From: September 2017
Until: December 2020

Research expertise

Building physics including: 

  • thermal, structural and air-tightness testing and analysis
  • modern methods of construction and prefabrication
  • electric and thermal storage systems
  • construction and Life Cycle Costing (LCC)
  • Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
  • sustainable building design
  • building envelope systems
  • product and systems development
  • CAD and computer modelling