Research Fellow in Energy Geostructures

Heating and cooling of buildings is a key priority for global decarbonisation due to the scale of the demand and the current reliance on fossil fuels. Energy geostructures, where civil engineering substructures are connected to ground source heat pump systems, offer a novel solution to this challenge. Appropriate design of energy geostructures requires consideration of the thermal behaviour and associated energy assessment. At the University of Leeds, our dynamic energy geotechnics team are leading research in this growing area.

As part of an exciting EPSRC-FAPESP project, Efficient Ground Energy Systems in Diaphragm Walls in Challenging Conditions, led by Prof Fleur Loveridge, you will lead innovative research into the design and analysis of energy retaining walls used as ground heat exchangers. The project aims to encourage the adoption of energy retaining walls through provision of better guidance. It includes a mixture of laboratory and field scale testing and a range of computational techniques carried out across three Universities – University of Leeds, University of Dundee and University of Sao Paulo.

In particular the project will:

- Understand the impact of temporary and spatial variation in ground properties on heat transfer and stress/strain conditions in the walls;
- Develop and test models of heat flow around the walls, as well as implement them for routine use;
- Develop and test new approaches for geotechnical design for energy retaining walls.

As a Research Fellow in Energy Geostructures you will lead research in delivering new knowledge on the thermal design and performance of energy walls to facilitate rapid implementation of embedded retaining walls for widespread application.

Responsibilities:

- Undertake numerical simulations of energy walls, and understand which modelling and ground condition simplifications are acceptable with reference to field data as appropriate;
- Develop, test and implement analytical models for planar heat flow around energy walls;
- Work closely with project partners at University of Sao Paolo and University of Dundee to integrate their inputs and outputs into your analysis;
- Collaborate with other University of Leeds researchers on development of energy systems modelling tools for energy walls;
- Take a leading role in production of project outputs including journal papers and accessible guidance for practice.

Requirements:

- Expertise in ground energy systems and energy geostructures, especially their thermal analysis and design;
- Experience appropriate to a research fellow level position in this field.

What we offer:

- 26 days holiday plus approximately 16 Bank Holidays/days that the University is closed by custom (including Christmas) – 42 days a year;
- Generous pension scheme plus life assurance – the University contributes 14.5% of salary;
- Discounted staff membership options at The Edge, our state-of-the-art campus gym, with a pool, sauna, climbing wall, cycle circuit, and sports halls;
- Access to courses run by our Organisational Development & Professional Learning team;
- Access to on-site childcare, shopping discounts and travel schemes.