PhD Artificial Intelligence for the Built Environment

Artificial Intelligence (AI) already contributes in many ways to improve the built environment in all its life-cycle stages: design, build, operate, decommission. But AI is used in fragmented, specialist, proprietary ways which is preventing the delivery of joined-up outcomes expected by society from the built environment. The lack of integrated information thinking has led to failures in built environment solutions and holds back the potential to create adaptive solutions that can flex based on changing contexts.

The AI4BE Loughborough Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) will develop AI-skilled, future global leaders who embrace systems thinking, collaborative sharing, and inter-disciplinary pluralism. These skills are essential for AI-informed solutions to a range of built environment challenges, from climate change, globalisation and localisation, to security and resilience, and value for money.

Research will explore ways in which AI can be developed and used in critical ways that use continuous, dynamic self-measurement and evaluation of multiple impacts. Projects will be wide ranging but will apply AI to solve challenges in:

• energy efficiency
• data centre neutral environmental impact;
• sustainable buildings
• automation and robotics
• adaptation and mitigation
• future-proof urban development
• systemic governance and regulation
• public trust and responsible AI
• materials and resources
• measuring uncertainty
• interoperability and federation
• integrated mobility

The AI4BE is a new centre straddling Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering, Loughborough Business School, and the School of Science. Your supervisors are likely to come from different disciplines. The centre will be led by Professor Liz Varga who has a chair in complex systems and leads globally on research into infrastructure and buildings. You will be part of a cohort and offered a stimulating programme of participative learning, collaborative problem solving and skills development. Your focus will be to establish and maintain research integrity ensuring your outputs are relevant for stakeholders to solve real world challenges.