Profile

I graduated from Aston University in 1977 with an Honours degree in Physics, and then pursued research that led to the award of a PhD in 1983 for an investigation into the role of conventional roofs as collectors in a solar-assisted heat pump system. This was followed by a lectureship in Building Physics at Sheffield City Polytechnic (now Sheffield Hallam University) from 1983 -1987. I moved to Loughborough University in 1988 as lecturer in Building Services Engineering, subsequently holding the positions of Senior Lecturer and Reader, with the award of a personal Chair in Building Physics in 2001. Positions held over the years have included Programme Director, leader of the Building Services Engineering Group, and Director of the Sustainability Research School from 2006-2013. Former roles have also included Deputy Director of the London-Loughborough Centre for Doctoral Research in Energy Demand, and E.ON/RAEng Research Chair in Low Carbon Energy Technology. I now work part-time with flexibly retired status, but continue to be active in my research field and professionally.

Professional affiliations

  • Chartered Physicist and Member of the Institute of Physics
  • Chartered Engineer and Member of the Energy Institute
  • Member of the American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineers
  • Member of the International Solar Energy Society

Awards

  • Best Paper Award 2018 of the journal ‘Building & Environment’ (Foldvary et al, 2018), as one of a body of international co-authors
  • CIOB Best Academic Paper Award (Jack et al, 2015), by the International Sustainable Ecological Engineering Design for Society (SEEDS) Conference, 2015
  • CIBSE Carter Bronze Medal for academic paper (Loveday et al, 1995), by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers, October 1995
  • Project ‘CALEBRE’ awarded the Loughborough University Energy Medal for Outstanding Research Project, 2015
  • Financial Times Climate Change Challenge 2009, low energy space cooling innovation achieves equal second place against international field of entries (co-inventors: Prof H Salt and Prof DL Loveday)
  • Certificate awarded for contributing to authorship of CIBSE Guide C: Reference Data, in 2001
  • Highly Commended Teaching Stars award for Small-sized Class category, Semester 1, 2017-2018

External activities

  • Member of the Research Administration Committee of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), 2017-2021, evaluating research proposals submitted for funding
  • Chair of ASHRAE Technical Committee TC 2.1 ‘Physiology & Human Environment’, 2013-2016
  • Memberships of advisory bodies/review committees over the years have included: International Advisory Panel for E.ON Energy Research Centre, Aachen, Germany; UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC); EPSRC College
  • External examiner for taught Masters and undergraduate programmes over the years, at: University of Technology Mauritius; Heriot Watt University; Brunel University; Northumbria University

Key collaborators

My current research and enterprise activities are conducted with a range of academic and stakeholder partners, including:

  • CEPT University, India, and industrial partners
  • ASHRAE
  • UK Government Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS)
  • British University of Egypt
  • Jim Atack and Janet Taylor Philanthropic Donation