- School of Environmental Sciences
- University of East Anglia
- Norwich
- NR4 7TJ
- UK
Email alice.moncaster ‘at’ uea.ac.uk
Current work
I have EPSRC funding for a PhD on Sustainable Schools: an investigation into the factors which determine the whole life energy cost of school buildings. I am supervised by Professor Jacquie Burgess at the School of Environmental Science, University of East Anglia, and by Dr Minna Sunikka at the Department of Architecture at the University of Cambridge.
There is an urgent need for the construction industry to reduce carbon emissions and other medium to long-term impacts on the global environment. To do so we need to increase our understanding of the decision making process during procurement, design and construction, rather than continuing to focus solely on the economic and technical factors.
Background and experience
I am a chartered civil engineer with a combination of industrial and academic research experience. I have worked for Mott MacDonald and for the Babtie Group on the structural and geotechnical design of several new buildings and on the refurbishment and restoration of historic buildings, and as a project manager for public and government infrastructure projects. I have also worked as a research assistant at Bristol University looking at design parameters for foundations for building in earthquake zones, and I have tutored structural design at Cambridge University.
With the Institution of Civil Engineers and Constructing Excellence I started and sit on the steering group for a sustainable construction group for the East of England, to disseminate information within the construction industry and to influence policy.
I am a vice chair of governors for a local primary school and the chair of the buildings committee, looking at innovative ways to refurbish the Victorian buildings in a sensitive and energy-conscious manner. I am also (slowly) designing and managing my own ‘green’ two-storey extension.
Research Affiliations
School of Environmental Science, University of East Anglia
Department of Architecture, University of Cambridge
Last updated on 10/12/2007 by Alice Moncaster