Yueyue Wu

My PhD explores how housing retrofit technologies and occupant behaviour can work together to reduce carbon emissions and improve living conditions. Combining building energy modelling, life-cycle carbon assessment and future scenario analysis, the research will evaluate pathways towards net zero housing in the UK. It aims to identify effective retrofit strategies that account for how people use their homes, providing evidence to support decisions by policymakers, housing providers and households.

Before starting my PhD, I completed an MPhil in Architecture and Urban Studies at the University Of Cambridge. My research examined urban morphology and inequalities in heatwave exposure across Global South cities. I also hold a master’s degree in Urban and Rural Planning from Southeast University and a bachelor’s degree in the same field from South China University of Technology.

I decided to pursue doctoral research to deepen my understanding of how housing can become more sustainable and resilient to climate change. My previous research on urban carbon emissions and heatwave exposure motivated me to explore solutions that connect environmental goals with people’s everyday living conditions. A PhD offers the opportunity to develop as an independent researcher and produce evidence that can inform housing policy and practice.

I was attracted to CENTA’s interdisciplinary approach to environmental research and the opportunity to learn alongside researchers from different backgrounds.

Studying with CENTA will help me develop the technical skills, interdisciplinary perspective and professional networks needed for a research career. I hope to continue in academia and work with policymakers and practitioners to translate research into improvements in people’s living conditions globally.