Dr Alba Fuertes

Email:
a.fuertes@reading.ac.uk
Phone:
(0) 118 378 4717
Job title:
Associate Professor

Responsibilities:Organisations, People and Technology research group lead

Office

127

Building location

Chancellor's Building

Areas of interest

Quality management in construction
Industrialising energy efficient building retrofits
Building quality and indoor environment
H&S in construction sites

Postgraduate supervision

Mensah, M.: A conceptual framework for assessing PPP procurement models value performance for project stakeholders: A cross case study of PPP infrastructure projects
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

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

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

Climate change and the urge for a more sustainable built environment has led the construction industry to re-think how we build new buildings and accelerate the retrofit of the existing building stock. Improving buildings’ energy efficiency will contribute to a reduction in energy consumption and has the potential to increase occupants’ health, wellbeing and productivity by creating more comfortable indoor environments. However, these benefits can only be fully achieved by ensuring that construction projects deliver the required levels of quality and construction defects are avoided. My research generally focuses on construction project management and building performance issues, with a particular interest on the relationship of quality management with building energy efficiency and the indoor environment.

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.

Websites/blogs

https://uk.linkedin.com/in/alba-fuertes-a67a2127

Publications

Korsavi, S. , Jones, R. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 (2022) Factors influencing the state of blinds and lights in primary schools: behavioural models and opportunities to improve children's visual environment. Journal of Building Engineering , 61 ISSN: 2352-7102 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2022.105303
Korsavi, S. , Jones, R. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 (2022) Operations on windows and external doors in UK primary schools and their effects on indoor environmental quality. Building and Environment , 207 (Part B). ISSN: 0360-1323 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2021.108416

Korsavi, S. , Jones, R. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 (2021) The gap between automated building management system and office occupants' manual window operations: towards personalised algorithms. Automation in Construction , 132 ISSN: 0926-5805 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2021.103960
Butt, B. , Jones, R. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 (2021) Opportunities and barriers to business engagement in the UK domestic retrofit sector: an industry perspective. Building Services Engineering Research and Technology , 42 (3). pp. 293-305. ISSN: 1477-0849 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0143624420975640
Bruce-Konuah, A. , Jones, R. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 (2021) A method for estimating scheduled and manual override heating behaviour and settings from measurements in low energy UK homes. International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation ISSN: 2398-4708 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1108/IJBPA-05-2021-0074
Korsavi, S. , Jones, R. , Bilverstone, P. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 (2021) A longitudinal assessment of the energy and carbon performance of a Passivhaus university building in the UK. Journal of Building Engineering , 44 ISSN: 23527102 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2021.103353

Hafner, R. , Pahl, S. , Jones, R. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 (2020) Energy use in social housing residents in the UK and recommendations for developing energy behaviour change interventions. Journal of Cleaner Production , 251 ISSN: 0959-6526 ISBN: 9596526 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119643
Casals, M. , Gangolells, M. , Macarulla, M. , Forcada, N. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 , Hafner, R. , Jones, R. (2020) Assessing the effectiveness of gamification in reducing domestic energy consumption: lessons learned from the EnerGAware project. Energy and Buildings , 210 ISSN: 0378-7788 ISBN: 3787788 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2019.109753
Hafner, R. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 , Pahl, S. , Jones, R. , Boomsma, C. , Gangolells, M. , Casals, M. (2020) Results and insight gained from applying the EnergyCat energy-saving serious game in UK social housing. International Journal of Serious Games , 7 (2). pp. 27-48. ISSN: 2384-8766 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.17083/ijsg.v7i2.333

Bruce-Konuah, A. , Jones, R. ORCID: 0000-0002-2716-9872 , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 , de Wilde, P. (2019) Central heating settings and heating energy demand in low energy social housing in the United Kingdom. Energy Procedia , 158 pp. 3658-3663. ISSN: 1876-6102 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2019.01.895
Bruce-Konuah, A. , Jones, R. ORCID: 0000-0002-2716-9872 , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 , de Wilde, P. (2019) Central heating settings in low energy social housing in the United Kingdom. Energy Procedia , 158 pp. 3399-3404. ISSN: 1876-6102 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2019.01.941
Alencastro, J. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 , Fox, A. , De Wilde, P. (2019) The impact of defects on energy performance of buildings: quality management in social housing developments. Energy Procedia , 158 pp. 4357-4362. ISSN: 1876-6102 ISBN: 18766102 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2019.01.784
Bruce-Konuah, A. , Jones, R. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 (2019) Physical environmental and contextual drivers of occupants’ manual space heating override behaviour in UK residential buildings. Energy and Buildings , 183 pp. 129-138. ISSN: 0378-7788 ISBN: 3787788 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2018.10.043
Boomsma, C. , Jones, R. , Pahl, S. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 (2019) Do psychological factors relate to energy saving behaviours in inefficient and damp homes? A study among English social housing residents. Energy Research and Social Science , 47 pp. 146-155. ISSN: 2214-6296 ISBN: 22146296 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2018.09.007

Bruce-Konuah, A. , Jones, R. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 , Messi, L. , Giretti, A. (2018) The role of thermostatic radiator valves for the control of space heating in UK social-rented households. Energy and Buildings , 173 pp. 206-220. ISSN: 0378-7788 ISBN: 3787788 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2018.05.023
Alencastro, J. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 , de Wilde, P. (2018) The relationship between quality defects and the thermal performance of buildings. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews , 81 (1). pp. 883-894. ISSN: 1364-0321 ISBN: 18790690 13640321 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2017.08.029
Boomsma, C. , Hafner, R. , Pahl, S. , Jones, R. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 (2018) Should we play games where energy is concerned? Perceptions of serious gaming as a technology to motivate energy behaviour change among social housing residents. Sustainability , 10 (6). ISSN: 2071-1050 ISBN: 20711050 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su10061729
Giretti, A. , Vaccarini, M. , Casals, M. , Macarulla, M. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 , Jones, R. (2018) Reduced-order modeling for energy performance contracting. Energy and Buildings , 167 pp. 216-230. ISSN: 0378-7788 ISBN: 3787788 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2018.02.049

Jones, R. ORCID: 0000-0002-2716-9872 , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 , Goodhew, S. , de Wilde, P. (2017) The actual performance of aspiring low energy social houses in the United Kingdom. Energy Procedia , 105 pp. 2181-2186. ISSN: 1876-6102 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2017.03.615
Boomsma, C. , Pahl, S. , Jones, R. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 (2017) “Damp in bathroom. damp in back room. it's very depressing!” exploring the relationship between perceived housing problems, energy affordability concerns, and health and well-being in UK social housing. Energy Policy , 106 pp. 382-393. ISSN: 0301-4215 ISBN: 3014215 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2017.04.011
Jones, R. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 , Gregori, E. , Giretti, A. (2017) Stochastic behavioural models of occupants' main bedroom window operation for UK residential buildings. Building and Environment , 118 pp. 144-158. ISSN: 0360-1323 ISBN: 3601323 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2017.03.033
Alencastro, J. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 , De Wilde, P. (2017) Delivering energy-efficient social housing: implications of the procurement process. Procedia Engineering , 182 pp. 10-17. ISSN: 1877-7058 ISBN: 18777058 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2017.03.103

Jones, R. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 , Boomsma, C. , Pahl, S. (2016) Space heating preferences in UK social housing: a socio-technical household survey combined with building audits. Energy and Buildings , 127 pp. 382-398. ISSN: 0378-7788 ISBN: 3787788 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2016.06.006

Jones, R. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 , Lomas, K. (2015) The socio-economic, dwelling and appliance related factors affecting electricity consumption in domestic buildings. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews , 43 pp. 901-917. ISSN: 1364-0321 ISBN: 13640321 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2014.11.084

Macarulla, M. , Forcada, N. , Casals, M. , Gangolells, M. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 , Roca, X. (2013) Standardizing housing defects: classification, validation, and benefits. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management , 139 (8). pp. 968-976. ISSN: 1943-7862 ISBN: 7339364 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0000669
Forcada, N. , Macarulla, M. , Gangolells, M. , Casals, M. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 , Roca, X. (2013) Posthandover housing defects: sources and origins. Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities , 27 (6). pp. 756-762. ISSN: 1943-5509 ISBN: 8873828 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CF.1943-5509.0000368
Gangolells, M. , Casals, M. , Forcada, N. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 , Roca, X. (2013) Model for enhancing integrated identification, assessment, and operational control of on-site environmental impacts and health and safety risks in construction firms. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management , 139 (2). pp. 138-147. ISSN: 1943-7862 ISBN: 7339364 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0000579
Forcada, N. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 , Gangolells, M. , Casals, M. , Macarulla, M. (2013) Knowledge management perceptions in construction and design companies. Automation in Construction , 29 pp. 83-91. ISSN: 0926-5805 ISBN: 9265805 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2012.09.001
Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 , Casals, M. , Gangolells, M. , Forcada, N. , Macarulla, M. , Roca, X. (2013) An Environmental Impact Causal Model for improving the environmental performance of construction processes. Journal of Cleaner Production , 52 pp. 425-437. ISSN: 0959-6526 ISBN: 9596526 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.02.005
Morillas, R. , Rubio-Romero, J. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 (2013) A comparative analysis of occupational health and safety risk prevention practices in Sweden and Spain. Journal of Safety Research , 47 pp. 57-65. ISSN: 0022-4375 ISBN: 224375 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2013.08.005

Forcada, N. , Macarulla, M. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 , Casals, M. , Gangolells, M. , Roca, X. (2012) Influence of building type on post-handover defects in housing. Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities , 26 (4). pp. 433-440. ISSN: 0887-3828 ISBN: 8873828 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CF.1943-5509.0000225

Forcada, N. , Casals, M. , Roca, X. , Gangolells, M. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 (2011) Improving design competences: experiences in group-based learning based on icts in a blended learning environment. International Journal of Engineering Education , 27 (2). pp. 292-302. ISBN: 0949149X
Gangolells, M. , Casals, M. , Gassó, S. , Forcada, N. , Roca, X. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 (2011) Assessing concerns of interested parties when predicting the significance of environmental impacts related to the construction process of residential buildings. Building and Environment , 46 (5). pp. 1023-1037. ISSN: 0360-1323 ISBN: 3601323 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2010.11.004

Gangolells, M. , Casals, M. , Forcada, N. , Roca, X. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 (2010) Mitigating construction safety risks using prevention through design. Journal of Safety Research , 41 (2). pp. 107-122. ISSN: 0022-4375 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2009.10.007
Forcada, N. , Casals, M. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 , Gangolells, M. , Roca, X. (2010) A web-based system for sharing and disseminating research results: the underground construction case study. Automation in Construction , 19 (4). pp. 458-474. ISSN: 0926-5805 ISBN: 9265805 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2009.12.018

Gangolells, M. , Casals, M. , Gassó, S. , Forcada, N. , Roca, X. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 (2009) A methodology for predicting the severity of environmental impacts related to the construction process of residential buildings. Building and Environment , 44 (3). pp. 558-571. ISSN: 0360-1323 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2008.05.001

Forcada, N. , Casals, M. , Gangolells, M. , Roca, X. , Fuertes, A. ORCID: 0000-0002-6224-1489 (2008) Experiences of success in industrial plants projects. Revista Ingenieria de Construccion , 23 (2). pp. 82-93. ISSN: 0718-5073 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0718-50732008000200003

Dr Alba Fuertes

Office

Building location

Areas of interest

Postgraduate supervision

Teaching

Research centres and groups

Research projects

Background

Academic qualifications

Professional bodies/affiliations

Websites/blogs

Publications

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008