International collaboration program between the Labeee and the WSA

This collaboration aims to promote research initiatives between the Building Energy Efficiency Laboratory at the Federal University of Santa Catarina – Brazil (Laboratorio de Eficiencia Energetica de Edificacoes – Labeee, UFSC Brazil) and the Welsh School of Architecture (WSA) – Cardiff University.

It is part of an ongoing research partnership between the Labeee and the WSA which started on 2014 through joint research grant applications (CNPq – INCT, Newton Fund, etc. ). Currently supported by an MoU currently being signed between both institutions, the partnership aims to expand its research activities by supporting research grant applications from individuals interested in working in different areas related to the themes described below.

Research areas

1) Sustainable and environmental social housing in developing countries (Affordable housing and sustainable access to energy in Brazil)

  • Identification of drivers, barriers and benefits of building sustainable and environmental social housing in developing countries (governmental and private stakeholders)
  • Developing climate and cultural responsive directives for designing and building sustainable and environmental social housing in developing countries
  • Exploring evolutionary systems for building sustainable and environmental social housing in developing countries (including not only residential expansion but also expansion for small commercial activities)
  • Exploring mass customization systems for building sustainable and environmental social housing in developing countries (e.g. ZEMCH http://www.zemch.org/)
  • Exploring efficient construction systems and/or components for building sustainable and environmental social housing in developing countries (structure, opaque panels and fenestration)
  • Improving the design of sustainable and environmentally low income houses taking advantage of Brazil’s regional climatic and cultural differences
  • Developing and testing kits of energy efficient appliances and renewable energy sources among residents of social housing in Brazil (analysing appliances, users wish-lists and financial schemes for using renewable energy sources)
  • Exploring combinations of guidelines, appliance kits and residents interaction with their houses to make design directives and design proposals more flexible. 

2)  Bringing simulation into practice

  • Simulation knowledge management
  • Input / output customization
  • Management of uncertainties in practice
  • Calibration to reality
  • Meta-models development
  • Simulation in the creative process

3) Operational building energy consumption data

  • Exploring the use of detailed operational energy consumption data in the management of Brazil’s energy supply and demand in buildings and the wider community
  • Using operational data to inform design and modelling in practice

 

Who can apply?

Preferable backgrounds: Architecture, Engineering, Computer Science with very good knowledge of the English Language (IELTS 7.0 or above in each category)

  • Post-docs

Support for EU Marie Sklodowska Curie Actions – Research Fellowship Program. Researchers shall be in possession of a doctoral degree or have at least four years of full-time equivalent research experience. At the time of the deadline for submission, they shall not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc) in the country of their host organisation for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to the reference date. European Fellowships: If you are a researcher who would like to come to Cardiff University for a period from 12 to 24 months, this action aims to support your career development. Global Fellowships: If you would like to carry out your research project in two different countries (both outside and inside Europe), this is the right action for you: it is based on a secondment to a third country (from 12 to 24 months) and a mandatory 12 month period to Cardiff University. Further information and eligibility criteria can be found in: http://ec.europa.eu/research/mariecurieactions/about-msca/actions/if/index_en.htm OR contact Debbie Taylor (taylord4@cardiff.ac.uk) from Cardiff University European Office.

Support for Brazilian citizens and permanent residents via Brazilian Government Science without Borders applications – Post-doc scheme. For researchers coming to the WSA, the grant provides an allowance to cover your living, travel, family and health insurance costs for a period of 12 months with potential to renew it for extra 12 months. Further information and eligibility criteria can be found in: http://www.cienciasemfronteiras.gov.br/web/csf/pos-doutorado

  • PhDs

Support for Brazilian citizens and permanent residents via Brazilian Government Science without Borders applications – PhD sandwich scheme. For researchers coming to the WSA, the grant provides an allowance to cover your living, travel, family and health insurance costs for a period of 12 months. Further information and eligibility criteria can be found in: http://www.cienciasemfronteiras.gov.br/web/csf/doutorado-sanduiche

Support for Brazilian citizens and permanent residents via Brazilian Government Science without Borders applications – Full PhD scheme. For researchers coming to the WSA, the grant provides an allowance to cover your living, travel, family and health insurance costs for a period of 3 years with potential to renew it for extra 12 months. Further information and eligibility criteria can be found in: http://www.cienciasemfronteiras.gov.br/web/csf/doutorado-pleno

 

  • UGs

Support for Brazilian citizens and permanent residents via Brazilian Government Science without Borders applications – Undergraduate scheme. For researchers coming to the WSA, the grant provides an allowance to cover your living, travel and health insurance costs for a period of 12 months for a candidate to undertake an Undergraduate year taught course in the WSA and undertake some research activity in parallel with it (short summer project). Further information and eligibility criteria can be found in: http://www.cienciasemfronteiras.gov.br/web/csf/graduacao

How to apply?

  1. Check if you are eligible to apply for one of the schemes above (links provided with all necessary information for you to check this)
  2. You must provide proof of English Language IELTS test with a minimum of 7.0 points in each category undertaken at a maximum of 2 years ago (PhD, MSc, UG)
  3. Prepare a 2 page CV which shows why you are the best candidate to apply for the scheme
  4. Prepare a research proposal using one of the topics above as a guideline and providing a list of references containing between 10 to 20 scientific academic papers.
  5. Fill in the relevant application form:

For Marie Curie applications:

For PhD applications: http://www.cf.ac.uk/for/prospective/pg/apply/sendingapplication/index.html

For UG applications:

http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/regis/general/Study%20Abroad/study-abroad.html

  1. Contact Katrina Lewis (LewisK2@cardiff.ac.uk) in the WSA to submit your application if you are a Post-Doc or PhD applicant and Drew Lewis-Robson (Lewis-RobsonD@cardiff.ac.uk) if you are an Undergraduate student.