Brussels, 04 October 2024 — Richard Dean Morales, a built environment professional with over a decade of combined experience in building research and industry, has been honored with the prestigious FWO Strategic Basic Research Funding. This significant achievement recognizes Dean's commitment to advancing urban sustainability and addresses critical challenges posed by climate change.
About FWO
The Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO) is a leading organization dedicated to supporting and promoting high-quality research in Flanders. FWO provides funding to researchers across various disciplines, fostering innovation and excellence in both fundamental and applied research.
Understanding the Strategic Basic Research Funding
The Strategic Basic Research Funding by FWO is designed to support groundbreaking research initiatives with the potential for significant mid- to long-term impact. This funding targets projects that bridge the gap between theoretical research and practical applications, ensuring that innovative solutions can be effectively implemented in relevant industries.
Dean's Project: Advancing Urban Building Energy Modeling for Assessment of Overheating Risks
As one of seven selected researchers by the Construction and Architecture, Spatial Planning expert panel of FWO, Dean will lead a project focused on advancing urban building energy modeling to assess indoor overheating risks. This research is critical in the context of rising global temperatures due to climate change and the exacerbating effects of the urban heat island phenomenon in metropolitan areas.
Dean will be collaborating with Dr. Stijn Verbeke and Prof. Dr. Amaryllis Audenaert from the Energy and Materials in Infrastructure and Buildings research group of University of Antwerp.
"Receiving the FWO Strategic Basic Research Funding is a testament to the hard work and dedication invested in this project. I am excited to collaborate with Dr. Verbeke and Prof. Audenaert to create sustainable and resilient urban environments."
Significance and Impact
This strategic project aims to significantly enhance urban building energy modeling (UBEM) from a methodological standpoint, advancing the knowledge base in urban physics. By developing more robust and sophisticated models, the research aims to provide potential valuable tools for engineers and architects to assess and mitigate indoor overheating risks in urban settings.
A key outcome of this project will be the production of city-wide indoor overheating maps, offering detailed insights into temperature distributions and hotspots. These maps will not only directly benefit the case study city by informing targeted climate adaptation strategies but also hold the potential for replication in cities globally.
Furthermore, the comprehensive data on urban overheating will facilitate the creation of climate adaptation actions aimed at mitigating indoor overheating. This information will also stimulate business opportunities focused on heat resilience, promoting the development of innovative cooling solutions at both the building and urban levels.
In addition to practical applications, the research will provide critical insights for policymakers. By understanding the dynamics of urban overheating, policymakers can formulate informed strategies to achieve climate resilience and reduce heat-related mortality.
A Blend of Industry Experience and Research Excellence
With background in the industry, Dean brings a unique perspective to the research project. This blend of practical experience and academic rigor ensures that the research is not only theoretically sound but also practically applicable, addressing real-world challenges faced by urban planners and construction professionals.
Looking Ahead
The funding from FWO marks the beginning of an exciting journey for Dean with the EMIB research group. Over the coming years, the team will embark on comprehensive studies, model development, performance simulations and design urban adaptation solutions to achieve their research objectives.
Dean's appointment as a Research Fellow with FWO Strategic Basic Research Funding underscores the importance of innovative research in addressing pressing urban challenges. By leveraging industry experience and academic collaboration, this project aims to pave the way for more sustainable and resilient urban environments.