About the Project
Buildings use about a third of global energy consumption, and about 40% of the total operational energy in buildings worldwide is used for space heating and cooling. We require warmer and cheaper to run homes to tackle rising energy costs and to ensure net zero. Home retrofit for enhanced energy efficiency is one of the key pillars of the net zero strategy of the UK. The UK Government supports home retrofit programmes by funding local authorities and social housing providers to adopt a ‘fabric-first’ approach—prioritising insulation upgrades before installing low-carbon energy systems.
PIR, EPS, mineral wool and phenolic boards are commonly used for wall insulation. Whilst these insulations ensure significant progress towards lowering operational energy, the Embodied Carbon impact of the measures have been ignored by all parties involved. Furthermore, the current wall installation systems are designed mainly to limit the heat loss in winter months. However, recent years have seen a noticeable increase in both frequency and the intensity of summer heat waves. Homes with conventional wall insulation are more vulnerable to overheating in summer months.
Whilst low thermal conductivity ensures wall insulation, the thermal mass of the insulation materials acts as a thermal buffer, absorbing excess heat during the hottest parts of the day and preventing indoor air temperatures from rising. Natural fibre-based insulation, such as hemp, sheep wool, possess adequate thermal conductivity and high thermal mass making them suitable for wall insulation, regulating indoor moisture and preventing summer overheating. Furthermore, natural fibre insulation products are low carbon and more environmentally friendly compared to the conventional options. Whilst natural fibre-based insulation can offer several benefits, there are several technical, economic and practical challenges limit their widespread adoption in home retrofits and in new build homes.
The aim of this PhD project is to establish the practical viability of natural fibre-based insulation in residential buildings. This project investigates the development of natural fibre-based products, evaluating their thermal insulation and fire performance to ensure compliance with building regulations. The effects of hygroscopic absorption and vapor permeability of the insulation on regulating indoor moisture, and the thermal mass and thermal lag of the insulation on controlling indoor temperature will also be investigated. The output of the project is the validated knowledge of the safe and optimal use of fibre-based insulation materials in residential buildings.
Interested candidates must have a good understanding of construction materials, building regulations, embodied carbon, and residential construction and retrofitting.
The successful candidate will join the Department of Civil Engineering and Management at the University of Manchester.
This project is expected to start in September 2027.
For more information and to apply, please click here.
