Research and expertise
I am a PhD Student in Energy Resilience and the Built Environment (ERBE) CDT at º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ. My PhD research area focusses on Comfort, Health, and Wellbeing with a major thrust on understanding how Personal Environmental Comfort System (PECS) can support the psychological adaptive mechanisms of the occupants to remain comfortable during sleeping. My research aims to quantify the potential of cooling bed system for sleep (thermal )comfort and sleep quality in UK bedrooms, deemed as overheated.
My research interests include personal comfort systems, adaptive thermal comfort, passive or low-energy cooling/heating technology, and innovative policies & programs for transitioning to net-zero (energy and carbon) built-environment. I have experience in conducting occupant’s thermal comfort survey, primary data collection, and whole-building energy modelling and simulation. I have demonstrated my skills in conducting measurement and experiments in the built environment, including data analytics. As a part of my Master’s thesis, I developed a tool for early-design stage decision making that quantifies the potential of passive cooling strategies for a climate, which aims to help architects and designers select the right strategy from the design phase, responding to the climate.
I have spent two years in the construction industry (2013-2015) as Senior Architect, supporting the on-site management and execution of work. After my MTech, I worked in PwC India, as a Consultant in the Energy Efficiency team, where I supported projects in developing and implementing policies (building codes, energy labelling) along with enforcement at state and local levels. Thereafter, I worked in the Building and Communities vertical at Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE), with a prime focus on policy research related to building energy efficiency, low-carbon residential development, capacity building, roadmap to implement policies, and writing research proposals and strategy. I provide staregic advisory to the organisation and execution of Solar Decathlon India, a net-zer-energy-water building design challenge for collegiate teams in India.
Current research activity
- PhD research: “Evaluation of cooling bed systems for sleep (thermal) comfort and sleep quality in overheated UK bedrooms”
Recent publications
undere construction
Teaching
I contribute to learning and teaching activities including advisory to Solar Decathlon India in developing learning modules, webinars and other contents for capacity building of students in various courses related to the built-environment.
In my past role as Teaching Assistant at CEPT University, I supported and contributed to delivery of modules in the MTech – Building Energy Performance program.
I contribute to learning and teaching activities including lectures, hands-on demonstration of equipment, marking and evaluating coursework across the Schools programmes including:
Undergraduate
- CVB117 – Indoor Environment
- CVC093 – The Business of Architecture
- CVB077 – Advanced Technical Investigations
Enterprise
Short Courses
- Essential Teaching Skills
- ASHRAE YEA Leadership International 2022
- ThinkWrite™ workshops
- Respecting Diversity
Profile
I am a Doctoral Researcher in Energy Resilience and the Built Environment (ERBE), at the School of Architecture, Building, and Civil Engineering, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ. I am interested in data-driven and evidence-based research which can potentially solve practical problems in combating Climate Change impacts.
I am a Chartered Engineer from Institution of Engineers (India) with over six years of professional experience, working in the construction industry, consultancy, and policy think-tanks. Before starting my PhD at º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ, I worked in the energy-efficiency sector, with a focus on low-carbon development of the urban residential sector, assessment of not-in-kind passive/low-energy systems, analysis and assessment of residential building energy use, identifying energy-efficient and low-carbon development pathways for residential buildings while ensuring thermal comfort, passive & low-energy cooling/heating technology, policies, and data analytics for energy efficiency, to drive policy formation and/or adoption.
I am a member of ASHRAE, IEI, and engaged in Technical Committees of ASHRAE and IEA Annex 87. I am actively involved in volunteering activities. I am currently serving as the Chair of the DR Experience Board, Loughborugh University, and I am a Hall-subwarden at Towers Hall, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ. In the past, I have served as the Doctoral Researcher (DR) Rep for the Building Energy Research Group in 2020/21, and was Vice-President in the Doctoral Researcher Presidential Team 2021/22.
I completed my MTech in Building Energy Performance from CEPT University, India, and BTech in Architectural Engineering from SRM University, India. In the past, I have worked in Larsen & Toubro, PwC India, Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE) over the span of six years. Currently, I serve as the Strategic Advisor for Solar Decathlon India, which is a net-zero-energy-water building design challenge for collegiate teams in India.
Professional Affiliations
- Chartered Engineer (CEng), India
- Associate Member - ASHRAE
- Associate Member – Indian Institute of Engineers (IEI)
- Member – IBPSA England
- Student Member, CIBSE
Awards
- Fully funded PhD studentship: EPSRC funded Doctoral Researcher in ERBE CDT, Building Energy Research Group, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ
- Academic Excellence Award: Ranked 1st (Academic Excellence) in Post-Graduation (Building Energy Performance) at CEPT University in 2017
- President’s Scholarship: Received President’s Scholarship from CEPT University in 2015 and 2016
- University Topper: Ranked 1st (Gold Medallist) in Under-Graduation (Architectural Engineering) at SRM University in 2013
- Excellence in Academic Performance: Received Scholarship for Excellence in Academic Performance from SRM University in 2010, 2011, and 2012
External Activities
- Chair, Doctoral Researcher Experience Board, Loughborugh University
- Chair, Research Promotion, ASHRAE UK Chapter
- Strategic Advisor, Solar Decathlon India
- IEA Annex 87
- Young Engineers in ASHRAE (India Chapter)
- Provisional Corresponding Member of Technical Committee of ASHRAE (T-TAC-TC07.01, TC07.04, TC07.06)
- Corresponding Member of Technical Committee of ASHRAE (T-TAC-TC04.02)
Key Collaborators
My research and enterprise activities are conducted with a range of academic and stakeholder partners, including:
- The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
- Chilisleep™, Kryo Inc.
- Outlast Technologies GmbH