Exploring performance and experience in ultra-low energy student housing

An opportunity to apply for a funded full-time PhD in the College of Arts, Technology and Environment, UWE Bristol. The studentship will be funded by UWE Bristol and external partners.

Ref: 2526-APRIL-CATE01.

The expected start date of this studentship is 1 April 2026.

The closing date for applications is 18 January 2026. 

Aims and objectives

While Passivhaus buildings are widely recognised for delivering consistently low heating demand and energy use, the lived experience and behavioural adaptations they entail remain under-explored—particularly in student accommodation and within the context of future climate scenarios.

This PhD studentship is centred on Purdown View, the UK’s largest Passivhaus-certified student accommodation, recently completed on UWE Bristol’s Frenchay Campus.

The project aims to investigate energy performance, environmental comfort, lifecycle impacts, and the lived experience of occupants during the post-occupancy stage. It will examine behavioural adaptations and their implications for health, wellbeing, and climate resilience, while drawing comparisons with conventional student housing and other relevant case studies.

Expected investigations or methodologies include, but not limited to:

• Post-occupancy evaluation
• Environmental monitoring: indoor air quality, thermal comfort (indoor temperature, humidity), acoustics, lighting,
• Energy performance: use monitored and BMS (Building Management System) data, explore if a performance gap exists.
• Qualitative data: explore the lived experience of the students, including behavioural and psychological adaptations, perception of sustainability.
• Lifecycle analysis (LCA), embodied and operational energy use, to correlate with comfort, material, understand the trade-offs, if any.
• Energy and scenario modelling based on current and future climate.
• Comparative analysis with other case studies
• Digital and AI-powered tools in assistance of data collection and analysis

The research is exploratory in nature. Successful candidate will have the opportunity to co-shape the research methodology with their skills and experiences. 

Intended outcomes include, but not limited to:

• Detailed understanding of Purdown View's indoor environmental and energy performance in relation to Passivhaus standards and how these compare in practice to conventional building designs
• Understanding of the lived experience and behaviour adaptation of end users and how this compares to end users in conventional building designs
• Understanding the health and co-benefits of Passivhaus student accommodation
• LCA result, implications and intercomparisons
• Climate resilience in future climate scenarios
• Lessons learned

This is an industry co-funded PhD. The candidate will be expected to engage with industry and the third sector to disseminate research findings. This might include:

• Collaboration with external stakeholders, and the UWE Bristol Estates team
• Reports of most relevant findings to participating stakeholders
• Industry-facing workshops, presentations, webinars  

For an informal discussion about the studentship, please email Dr Jill Zhao (jill.zhao@uwe.ac.uk).

The studentship is available from 1 April 2026 for a period of three and a half years, subject to satisfactory progress and includes a tax exempt stipend, which is currently £20,780 (2025/26) per annum.

In addition, full-time tuition fees will be covered for up to three years (Home). 

• Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2:1 honours degree (or equivalent) in Architecture, Architectural Technology, Environmental Engineering, or Building Service Engineering, or in another related field.
• A relevant master’s degree and/or experience is desirable. Successful candidate is expected to adopt an interdisciplinary approach.
• Knowledge and experiences in sociology, or science and technology studies, skills in energy modelling, lifecycle analysis, are desirable.

Please submit your application online.

When prompted, use reference number 2526-APRIL-CATE01.

Supporting documentation

Please submit:

• a cover letter, explaining your suitability
• your CV (no more than 2 A4 pages)
• a brief research proposal (including research questions, relevant literature, proposed methodology, and a brief timeline, no more than two A4 pages)
• a sample of written work (e.g. journal publication or conference paper)
• all your degree certificates and transcripts
• your portfolio (optional)

In addition, a recognised English Language qualification is required if English is not your first language.

References

You will need to provide details of two referees as part of your application. They will only be contacted if you progress to interview stage.

The closing date for applications is 18 January 2026.

It is expected that interviews will take place on the week commencing 26 January 2026. If you have not heard from us by 26 January 2026, we thank you for your application but, on this occasion, you have not been successful.