PhD - MOBILISE Measures to Improve Energy Efficiency and Ensure a Low Carbon Future for Irish Traveller, Direct Provision and Displaced Communities Living in Mobile Homes

Outline

Irish Travellers, particularly those living in mobile dwellings, experience disproportionally high energy poverty rates compared with the general Irish population. While a significant uptake of energy efficiency upgrades has been seen in the national housing stock, the same trend is not observed for mobile dwellings. This trend is mirrored for emergency mobile accommodation used for asylum seekers and displaced individuals. Space limitations, lack of knowledge and supporting structures, and the inability of mobile dwelling populations to benefit from current home upgrades funding schemes, has hampered any potential energy efficiency measures being applied to mobile homes, leading to higher-than-average electricity consumption and reliance on fossil fuels for mobile dwelling families. Importantly, Travellers living in mobile homes, are not captured in any existing low (or no) carbon just transition scheme put forward by the Irish Government and thus no mechanism to ensure accessibility of affordable, greener energy and more energy efficient dwellings for this community is in place.

This research in collaboration with Munster Technological University and Atlantic Technological University will using mobile homes donated by Sligo County Council will create  a digital twin of mobile homes fabric and systems and carry out initial modelling to gain insight into the most impactful measures i.e. RES vs fabric improvements.  Informed by the model, this research will test potential solutions in practice using a test bed of old mobile home donated by Sligo County Council to recommended cost-optimal and practical integrated energy efficiency upgrade solutions for mobile homes accounting for operational and embodied carbon. Essential information to include in your CV:

•    Degree(s), Your final Grade in each, University Name & University International Ranking
•    Proof of English proficiency (see essential criteria)
•    List of any English Publications and/or links to examples of your writing in English (e.g. thesis)
•    Details of any experience in: energy use in buildings, monitoring, modelling, writing/conducting/analysing surveys or interviews, other research experience. 
NOTE FOR NON-EU APPLICANTS: Typically PhD student Visas do not allow for spouses to work in Ireland. The stipend is designed to support the PhD Student living in Ireland, it is not sufficient for the addition of a partner and / or children to live on.

What is funded

Student Stipend               € 25,000 p.a.
Materials/ Travel etc         € 7,200 

Fees                                EU fees covered 

Duration

3 year 

Eligibility

Essential (must outline how you meet these criteria in your application):
Minimum 2.1 in Level 8 BSc (or equivalent) in mechanical, building services, building physics, structural engineering, or other relevant field. [note that on their own: geotechnical/water/transport engineering or construction management are not considered relevant]
AND 
Postgraduate Research Experience e.g Level 9 or Equivalent Masters Degree which includes skills development or topics relevant to the project.
AND 
High proficiency in spoken and written English – minimum IELTS 7 or equivalent English test and/or educated through English.
AND
Dynamic Simulation Modelling experience of buildings and building systems

Preferred (in order of importance):
Experience/knowledge in; Writing of journal or conference papers, use of sensors and loggers and the interpretation of their outputs, interview or survey experience.   
 

Submission Deadline: March 15th
Project Start Date: April 8th
 

If you are interested in submitting an application for this project, please complete an Expression of Interest.

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