Dr Alba Fuertes
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(0) 118 378 4717
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Associate Professor
Office
127Building location
Chancellor's BuildingAreas of interest
Originally trained in construction management and engineering, my research has often focused on improving construction processes for a more sustainable and healthier built environment. I am particularly interested in climate change adaptation in the construction industry. This includes understanding: the level of awareness amongst construction professionals; the ability of businesses to systematically analyse climate change risks and their impact on their processes and operations; and current and future adaptation actions. In addition to mitigation measures, the construction sector must take significant adaptation actions to minimise the effects of climate change, including higher temperatures, extreme weather events, flooding and poorer air quality. To do so, construction organisations will need to systematically identify the short-term and long-term vulnerabilities of their managerial practices and operational processes, and analytically assess climate change related risks (e.g. heat-related H&S risks on workers, supply chain reliability, project delays and profit) and provide actions to address these risks.
I am particularly interested in establishing research collaborations with industry and attracting research funding that can benefit both academia and construction organisations. Specific research areas of interest are:
- Climate change adaptation and resilience
- Effects of weather on construction workers’ H&S and wellbeing
- Effects of weather on construction productivity
- Climate change risk assessment in construction projects
Postgraduate supervision
- Ayoubi, Q.: Mitigating the effects of rising temperatures on construction labourers’ health and wellbeing in the UK.
- Ajanyi, A.: Climate change risks adaptation of construction organisations and on-site processes
- Jones, S.: An investigation of the association between construction, indoor air quality and health
- Akinbami, A.: Effects of daylight on health and productivity of healthcare personnel
- Ulrich de Alencastro, J.P.: Impact of quality management on the thermal performance of social housing in UK
- Dangana, Z.: A decision support framework for selecting innovative sustainable technologies for delivering low carbon retail buildings.
- Tamang, P.: Organisational implications of robotics and automation in construction supply chains
- Al Mazrooei, K.: Automation adoption readiness of Oman’s construction industry
Teaching
Convenorship:
- CE2CBT1 - Building Technology (UG Year 2)
- CE3CPE - BEM Project (UG Year 3)
- CE3CPM - Construction Management Project (UG Year 3)
Contributing to:
- CE3CCD - Dissertation Supervision (UG)
- CEM10A - Research Skills (MSc)
- CEM10/18/19B - Dissertation Supervision (MSc)
Research centres and groups
University of Reading Organisation, People and Technology Research Group
University of Reading Energy and Environmental Engineering Research Group
Research projects
- Climate change readiness of SMEs in the Spanish construction sector: Occupational health and safety under warm temperatures (Co-I). IAPRL, Institute for the Prevention of Occupational Risks, Government of Andalucia, 2024-2025
- Sustainability Hub: Low Carbon Devon (Co-I). European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), 2019 – 2023
- Energy Game for Awareness of energy efficiency in social housing communities (EnerGAware) (PI at UoP). European Commission Horizon2020, 2015 – 2018.
- Sustainable Energy Management for Underground Stations (SEAM4US) (Co-I). European Commission (FP7), 2011 - 2012
- Embedded Intelligent Controls for buildings with Renewable generation and Storage (ENCOURAGE) (Co-I). European Commission (JTI-CP-ARTEMIS), 2011 - 2012
- Development of an Homogenous Lifecycle Analysis (LCA) model for the evaluation of the energy consumption and emissions of buildings (Co-I). Ministry for Infrastructure and Buildings, Spanish Government, 2007 - 2010
Background
I obtained my MEng in Construction Engineering and MSc in Construction Project Management from the Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya (UPC, Spain), where I also completed my PhD studies and started my academic career as a Lecturer.
In 2012, I joined the University of Plymouth as an Associate Professor, where I was Programme leader and Built Environment Discipline leader, before progressing to the School of the Built Environment at the University of Reading in 2022.
Academic qualifications
- PhD 2012 (Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya (UPC), Spain)
- MSc 2007 (Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya (UPC), Spain, Construction Project Management)
- MEng 2006 (Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya (UPC), Spain, Industrial Engineering (Construction specialisation))
Professional bodies/affiliations
- Fellow of Higher Education Association (FHEA)
- Member of Scientific Association of Experts in Occupational Health and Safety, Spain.
- Member of Association of Researchers in Construction Management (ARCOM)