Biomedical Engineering: Human Thermal Comfort and Behaviour, Human Thermoregulation, Infra-Red [...]

Infrared heating heats people and surfaces directly, without heating the air in between. Thus, it is claimed that radiant heating can provide thermal comfort at lower internal air temperatures, thereby saving home and industrial energy. Furthermore, rapid response rates could enable heating to be delivered only where and when a room is occupied. These factors have led to claims by manufacturers of IR efficiencies like heat pumps.

Currently, the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) attributes infrared heating the same CO2 equivalent as direct electrical heating. However, it is currently unclear if this is the case. As this is the methodology used by government to assess and compare the energy and environmental performance of dwellings, the current rating disincentivises developers from specifying the technology, hence there is a drive from the industry to address this.

To answer this question requires an interdisciplinary approach, combining Industry input alongside physical sciences and physiological assessment of human temperature. Indoor thermal comfort is perceived in humans with wide variance, by a variety of methods and does not have one industry standardised validated method. Equally, the current standard for testing the radiant efficiency of low temperature radiant heaters (BSEN 60675-3 (2021)) does not consider human thermal comfort.

Humans are radiant objects. More than 60% of the sense of comfort or discomfort is governed by their radiant heat gain or loss, only 15% by air temperature and movement. This means a human may express feelings of warmth if either they are absorbing heat from the environment or reducing the radiation of body heat to it. For most people, the body is either gaining or losing too much body heat if the environment is more than 26°C or less than 16°C, with associated feelings of discomfort.

At Swansea University we can monitor a range of perceptual, physiological and temperature parameters, alongside an array of other physiological monitoring tools to measure energy expenditure, and in blood sampling under thermoneutral or hyperthermic environments.

In addition, SPECIFIC is an Innovation and Knowledge Centre (IKC) based at Swansea University who focus on energy technology research particularly in developing "Active Buildings." These buildings are designed to generate, store, and release their own renewable energy, aiming to reduce carbon emissions and address energy challenges. SPECIFIC have constructed a climatically controlled room capable of measuring the flow of electrical inputs and thermal outputs accurately independent of outdoor conditions.

Finally, Herschel Infrared Ltd are a project partner who are a leading UK brand specializing in infrared heating solutions. They offer energy-efficient infrared heating panels for homes, commercial spaces, and outdoor areas. Their headquarters are in Bristol.

Combined, the ability to sensitively evaluate a human's perception of thermal comfort under well controlled environments offers an opportunity to develop protocols that seek to evaluate human thermal regulation and comfort in response to different infra‑red radiant heat environments.

English Language: IELTS 6.5 Overall (5.5+ each comp.) or Swansea University recognised equivalent.

PhD: Applicants for PhD must hold an undergraduate degree at 2.1 level (or non-UK equivalent as defined by Swansea University) in Engineering or similar relevant science discipline. We also welcome applications from graduates in computational science or mathematics.

This scholarship covers the full cost of tuition fees and an annual stipend at UKRI rate (currently £20,780 for 2025/26). Additional research expenses of up to £1,000 per year will also be available.