The School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment at Nottingham Trent University has an ambitious development strategy which allows us to offer an exciting opportunity for a PhD Studentship. The studentships will pay UK/EU fees and provide a maintenance stipend linked to the RCUK rate (£13,590 per annum for 2011/12) for up to three years. Whilst there is an established need to improve the efficiency and sustainability of buildings the adoption of innovative products and processes supporting this need appears to be at a relatively low level. There seems to be very little incentive in the supply chain to encourage innovation without regulation.
Compared with manufacturing industries investment in research and development in the construction industry is relatively small and appears to be restricted largely to the engagement by product manufacturers in product improvement. Whilst there appears to be an increasing range of valuable and impressive innovative products and/or processes which are developed, the level of integration of these products in new buildings seems limited. Many of these products relate to the work usually carried out by specialist firms who have limited access to, or engagement with, the design team for a project.
Scholarship Application Deadline: 15 April 2011
