Digital Twins for Sustainable Indoor Built Environments: Enhancing Occupant Wellbeing and Environmental Performance

About the Project

With people spending the vast majority of their lives indoors, the quality of our homes, offices, and schools has a profound impact on our health, wellbeing, and productivity. Simultaneously, the energy used to heat, cool, and light these spaces is a major contributor to global carbon emissions. This creates a critical challenge for the built environment: how to achieve substantial energy reductions without compromising the health and comfort of building occupants. Traditional, static approaches to building design and operation often fail to dynamically balance these competing priorities.

This PhD project will investigate an innovative solution to this challenge: the application of Digital Twin technology. A Digital Twin is a dynamic, virtual replica of a physical building that is continuously updated with real-time data from sensors and systems. This research posits that these evolving digital models offer a transformative way to understand and optimise indoor environments, moving beyond static design to active, responsive management.

The project aims to develop and test a framework for using Digital Twins to enhance both sustainability and occupant wellbeing. Key research questions will include: How can real-time data on air quality, temperature, and occupancy be used to optimise energy use while maintaining comfort? Can we predict and prevent conditions that lead to poor health outcomes or high energy consumption? How can occupant feedback be integrated into building operations to create more responsive and satisfying environments?

The research will explore the practicalities of implementing this technology, addressing challenges such as integrating data from diverse building systems, ensuring data privacy, and defining the new skills required for facility managers. By combining case studies of real buildings with simulation-based analysis, this project will produce a robust evidence base and a practical roadmap for industry adoption.

This project offers an exciting opportunity to work at the intersection of sustainability, digital innovation, and human-centred design. The successful candidate will contribute to a growing field that is essential for creating future-proof buildings that are not only energy-efficient but also actively promote the health and wellbeing of their occupants.

Academic qualifications

A first degree (at least a 2.2) ideally in Building/Architectural Engineering or Construction Management or any other relevant degree.

English language requirement

IELTS score must be at least 6.5 (with not less than 6.0 in each of the four components). Other, equivalent qualifications will be accepted.

Essential attributes:

• Good fundamental knowledge: Building performance and energy management, Indoor environmental quality (e.g., thermal comfort, air quality)
• Sustainability principles in the built environment
• Data analysis techniques
• Digital tools used in construction or facility management (e.g., BIM, BMS)
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication abilities.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• A keen interest in sustainability, building performance, and occupant wellbeing.
• Motivation to engage with both technical systems and human-centred research

Desirable attributes:

• Experience or familiarity with building performance simulation software (e.g., EnergyPlus, DesignBuider).
• Knowledge of smart building technologies or IoT sensors.
• Basic programming or data analysis skills (e.g., Python, R, MATLAB).
• An understanding of green building standards (e.g., LEED, BREEAM, WELL).

APPLICATION CHECKLIST

• Completed application form
• CV
• 2 academic references, using the Postgraduate Educational Reference Form (download)
• Research project outline of 2 pages (list of references excluded). The outline may provide details about:
  1. Background and motivation of the project. The motivation, explaining the importance of the project, should be supported also by relevant literature. You can also discuss the applications you expect for the project results.
  2. Research questions or objectives.
  3. Methodology: types of data to be used, approach to data collection, and data analysis methods.
  4. List of references.
• The outline must be created solely by the applicant. Supervisors can only offer general discussions about the project idea without providing any additional support.
• Statement no longer than 1 page describing your motivations and fit with the project.
• Evidence of proficiency in English (if appropriate)

To be considered, the application must use

• the advertised title as project title

For informal enquiries about this PhD project, please contact Dr Timothy Olawumi - t.olawumi@napier.ac.uk