University of Glamorgan

Research | Sustainability and Built Environment

The teaching of Built Environment courses at Glamorgan is underpinned by a vibrant research culture. The Faculty has state-of-the-art teaching and research facilities, following a recent multi-million pound investment programme. There are around 160 research students across the Faculty, which has an international reputation for high quality research across all areas. In the most recent Research Assessment Exercise, research-active staff in the Faculty received a Grade 4 rating – equivalent to national excellence.

The Sustainability and Built Environment Research Unit represents the major research effort of the Department. It is established to replace the Built Environment Research Unit after the RAE2008 to reflect the expanded research fields with the integration of QUENSH and Build Environment research group. The research focuses of the unit are in the fields of Construction, Real Estate, Urban Regeneration Sustainability and Advanced Technology in the construction industry. It works closely on collaborative projects with colleagues from the Civil Engineering Department and the Centre for Engineering Research and Environmental Applications (CEREA), on applied research that supports economic regeneration in the local area and beyond.

The PONT Community to Community Development Centre grew out of a multi-disciplinary volunteer group of Glamorgan academics aiming to build support for the work of PONT-Mbale This is a north-south community to community project that links Rhondda Cynon Taf in South Wales and the Mbale district of Uganda.

During 2010, its first year as a centre, C2C began to research more broadly on issues to do with community, land, ecology, climate, resilience, livelihood and health in Sub Saharan Africa. It is directly involved in capacity building in Uganda with partners and is engaged in various development projects. It has won funding from prestigious bodies like RICS Education Trust and has engaged broadly with Welsh society to demonstrate the importance of global citizenship.

Links with Industry

Our Built Environment department has excellent industrial links, and we have a proud tradition of
collaboration with the commercial sector through projects that support technology transfer and applied research work.

Companies we have worked with recently include:

• Wales Environment Trust
• Sir Robert McAlpine
• Nuttall Civil Engineering
• The Carbon Trust
• Cardiff County Council
• The British Research Establishment

Further Information

For general enquiries about research in the Division of Built Environment and the research unit, or if you are interested in studying for a PhD with us, contact:

Dr Ren Zhaomin,
Research Coordinator,
01443 654301
email zren@glam.ac.uk