PhD Studentship: Modelling and Mitigating the Impacts of Climate Change in Historic Buildings

Primary Supervisor: Dr. Jack Panter

The southern/eastern UK climate is showing a rapid and significant increase in the prevalence, duration, and severity of hot, dry weather. One surprising impact is on our historic houses and cultural heritage: in the National Trust’s portfolio (a key example being Blickling Estate, Norfolk), interior temperatures

are placing significant heat-stress on staff and visitors, leading to site closures, and low humidity is degrading their collections. In response, Blickling Estate aims to become a pioneer in experimentally analysing and computationally modelling the climate impact on internal temperature and humidity, and developing new cooling and humidification interventions. A large research gap is ripe for exploring: while modelling buildings in urban environments is experiencing significant research interest, similar modelling in a historical context is almost wholly unexplored. Thus, this is a unique challenge at the intersection of engineering, climate science, culture, and health.

You will join UEA’s Thermofluids Laboratory, and use state-of-the-art experimental and computational techniques to understand, model, and propose solutions to the heat and humidity challenges at Blickling Estate. This project will also involve time on-site at Blickling gathering experimental data and testing solutions. The project has the following aims:

• Develop the first thermo-fluid digital twin of Blickling Hall to model how the local geography and climate, air flows, materials, and building layout influence internal temperatures and humidity; explain which factors impact internal conditions; and predict response to future weather/climate events.
• In collaboration with Blickling Estate, develop and explore a range of interventions aimed at cooling the building and maintaining appropriate humidity.
• Perform laboratory and on-site experimental testing of trial interventions, supported by the thermo-fluid model, to ultimately understand and explain efficacy.

Ultimately, the successful outcomes of this project will likely lead to national impact on the future of UK buildings heritage in the face of climate change.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement is a 2:1 bachelor's degree in Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Applied Physics, Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, Chemistry, or Environmental Science.

Mode of Study

Full time

Start Date

1 October 2027

Additional Funding Information

This PhD project is in a competition for a Faculty of Science funded studentship. Funding is available to UK applicants and comprises ‘home’ tuition fees and an annual stipend for 3 years. The current UEA / institutional PhD stipend rate is £21,805 and will be subject to any agreed inflationary uplift for 2027/28.

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