UCL’s Energy Institute is seeking applications for a fully funded Studentship on topic in ‘Well performing heat pumps for the mass market’
Heat pumps are a key decarbonisation technology for domestic buildings. Recent evidence has shown that domestic heat pumps perform worse than expected on average and that there a huge spread in performance. This research will investigate how to ensure that heat pumps work reliably well in real homes while keeping the installation cost down.
Supervisors: Dr Jenny Crawley, Professor Tadj Oreszczyn of UCL Energy Institute, and Dr Eleni Oikonomou of UCL Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering.
Funding: The studentship will cover UK course fees and an enhanced tax-free stipend of approx. £22,000 per year for 4 years along with a substantial budget for research, travel, and centre activities.
Fees: ERBE CDT has very limited funding for applicants requiring coverage of overseas fees. We advise all interested applicants to be familiar with the changes to EU and International Eligibility for EPSRC/UKRI funded studentships
Dates: 4 years from September 2023
Context and Project description:
Heat pumps are one of the key technologies planned to decarbonise heat in homes. But a major barrier to their widespread adoption is cost: high capital costs are not offset by low running costs. Recent evidence shows that heat pumps are not performing as well as expected on average and that there is a large spread of performance; this must be improved to reduce running cost. However, if good performance is only achieved through a time consuming installation process and high-end heat pump units, this will drive up cost. Mass market solutions are needed which are inexpensive to install yet perform reliably well.
This PhD project will address the following questions:
To what extent can well performing heat pumps be inexpensively installed by mass market suppliers in existing homes?
- What are the characteristics of well performing heat pumps?
- What are the trade offs between installation cost, technology cost and performance which occur in reality?
Under realistic budget constraints, what changes to installation and handover practices can most improve heat pump performance?
Studentship aims:
The aims of the studentship are:
- Understand heat pump performance and the factors which affect it, using theory and literature.
- Understand financial models of heat pump installation, through interviews with heat pump installation firms
- Undertake socio-technical case studies of heat pump installations from mass market installers, including analysing performance data from 6-12 months in use.
- If time allows, use action research to trial changes to installation and handover practices.
Person specification:
We are seeking a candidate with a technical background (e.g. a degree in physics, maths, engineering or other science) and an interest in socio-technical research.
A minimum of an upper second-class UK Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard, in a relevant subject, is essential. Exceptionally: where applicants have other suitable research or professional experience, they may be admitted without a Master’s degree; or where applicants have a lower second-class UK Honours Bachelor’s degree (2:2) (or equivalent) they must possess a relevant Master’s degree to be admitted.
Applicants must also meet the minimum language requirements of UCL
Applicants should be familiar with the changes to EU and International Eligibility for UKRI funded studentships.
How to apply
All CV’s and Cover Letters must be completely anonymised and not contain any references to protected characteristics, such as gender, ethnicity or race.
Please submit your application by email to the UCL ERBE Centre Manager (bseer.erbecdt@ucl.ac.uk) with Subject Reference: 4-year PhD studentship in ‘Well performing heat pumps for the mass market’
The application should include each of the following:
1) An anonymised Cover Letter clearly stating why you are applying and how your interests and experience relate to this project, and your understanding of eligibility according to these guidelines: EU and International Eligibility for EPSRC/UKRI funded studentships
2) An anonymised CV
3) Complete the CDT EPSRC Eligibility Questionnaire and EDI Questionnaire via the linked Microsoft Forms.
Only shortlisted applicants will be invited for an interview.
• For the interview shortlisted candidates will be asked to show proof of their degree certificate(s) and transcript(s) of degree(s), and proof of their fees eligibility.
• The interview panel will consist of the project’s academic supervisors at UCL, industry supervisors at Hoare Lea and a representative of the ERBE CDT Academic management. The interview will include a short presentation from the candidate on their ideas of how to approach this PhD project.
Following the interview, the successful candidate will be invited to make a formal application to the UCL Research Degree programme for ERBE CDT.
Deadline for applications: 31st May 2023 @ 23:59 (UK time)
Interviews week commencing: TBC
For further details about the admission process, please contact: bseer.erbecdt@ucl.ac.uk
For any further details regarding the project, contact Dr Jenny Crawley, jenny.crawley@ucl.ac.uk
You will be undertaking this project:
- In UCL at the main (Bloomsbury) campus as part of the new EPSRC-SFI Centre for Doctoral Training in Energy Resilience and the Built Environment (ERBE CDT). This is a collaboration between UCL, Loughborough University and Marine and Renewable Energy Ireland (MaREI). For more information please see http://erbecdt.ac.uk