My PhD

My PhD explores how we can better connect what people think and feel about their homes — and the stories they draw on to shape and make home — with action to reduce environmental impact.

Homes are responsible for a significant share of the UK’s carbon footprint, yet progress in reducing emissions from the domestic sector continues to lag behind what climate science demands. Technical solutions are advancing, but translating ambition into everyday action remains complex.

This research starts from the premise that “home” is not simply a building. It is emotional, cultural, historical and deeply personal. Drawing on psychology, anthropology, history and design, I am exploring how a richer understanding of home might help guide more effective and meaningful environmental action.

The work builds on nearly two decades of experience in climate policy and programme delivery. Many of the challenges I encountered in practice — where well-designed initiatives struggled to connect with lived reality — sit at the heart of my research questions.

I am studying at London South Bank University, where I was awarded a Chancellor’s Fellowship. I was drawn to its long-standing, multidisciplinary work on retrofit and environmental action, which closely aligns with my interests. Alongside the formal research, I use this site to explore related ideas more openly and experimentally.