Dr Stefan Thor Smith
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Research Group Lead, Energy and Environmental Engineering Research Group
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Lead Coordinator, University of Reading Energy Research Network.
Areas of interest
Integrating energy system models with urban and regional scale meteorology, Stefan's research addresses questions on energy system dynamics, demand, and associated environmental impacts. More specifically, his research focuses on issues relating to energy demand and supply and the interplay between energy and environmental conditions.
Through his work, Stefan has had significant involvement in the development, use, and evaluation of models for the purpose of understanding how energy systems are influenced by environmental conditions and in turn, how energy use impacts on environment.
Stefan's research addresses understanding of energy systems through modelling at different temporal and spatial scales; issues relating to climate change (resilience and adaptation) in the context of the built environment; and weather-informed probabilistic decision making. His research predominantly centres on the dynamics of energy systems and meteorology in an urban context.
Postgraduate supervision
- Josie G Lloyd-Papworth (first year) - weather delays, uncertainty and decision making for infrastructure projects
- Isabella Capel-Timms (third year) - agent-based modelling of anthropogenic heat flux in cities
- Alan Halford (fourth year) - impacts of weather and climate on telecommunications (BT and TSBE Centre)
- Mitchell Curtis (fourth year) - energy demand response modelling and metering data disaggregation (Kiwi Power and TSBE Centre)
- Thomas Chung (fourth year) - radiative performance of urban trees (Forest Research and TSBE Centre)
- Ana Rodriguez Arguelles (fourth year) - on energy auditing and uncertainty (AECOM and TSBE Centre).
Research centres and groups
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Reading Energy Research Network
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University of Reading Energy and Environmental Engineering Research Group
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Centre for Research into Energy Demand Solutions (CREDS).
Research projects
- APEx: An Air Pollution Exposure model to integrate protection of vulnerable groups into the UK Clean Air Programme. NERC award to King's College London and Benjamin Barratt, February 2019 – February 2022
- EP/P023819/1 – InfruTreeCity: Understanding Infrared radiative performance of urban trees for better future city (Co-I), January 2018 – January 2021
- NE/R008876/1 – Weather-wise: working with the weather to improve construction productivity (PI), October 2017 – October 2018
- Climate-KiC – Smart and Sustainable Districts Programme (Reading PI), 2013 – December 2016
- UKCRED – UK Centre for Research on Energy Demand (Co-I on Flexibility theme), April 2018 – April 2023.
Background
- Associate Professor in Energy Systems and the Built Environment, University of Reading (2019–present)
- Lecturer in Energy Systems and the Built Environment, University of Reading (2012–2019)
- Research Fellow Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development, De Montfort University (2008–2012).
Academic qualifications
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BSc (Hons) Physics, University of Nottingham
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MSc, Glasgow University
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PhD, University of Nottingham
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Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice.
Professional bodies/affiliations
- Environmental Physics Group Committee Member, Institute of Physics
- Member of the Institute of Physics
- Member of the Energy Institute
- Fellow of the Higher Education Association
Publications
- Capel-Timms, I. , Smith, S. , Sun, T. , Grimmond, S. (2020) Dynamic anthropogenic activitieS impacting heat emissions (DASHv1.0): development and evaluation. Geoscientific Model Development ISSN: 1991-9603 | doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/gmd-2020-52
- Habitzreuter, L. , Smith, S. , Keeling, T. (2020) Modelling the overheating risk in an uniform high-rise building design with a consideration of urban context and heatwaves. Indoor and Built Environment , 29 (5). pp. 671-688. ISSN: 1423-0070 | doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1420326X19856400
- Deng, J. , Pickles, B. , Smith, S. , Shao, L. (2020) Infrared radiative performance of urban trees: spatial distribution and interspecific comparison among ten species in the UK by in-situ spectroscopy. Building and Environment , 172 ISSN: 0360-1323 | doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2020.106682
- Brayshaw, D. , Halford, A. , Smith, S. , Kjeld, J. (2020) Quantifying the potential for improved management of weather risk using subseasonal forecasting: the case of UK telecommunications infrastructure. Meteorological Applications , 27 (1). ISSN: 1469-8080 | doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/met.1849
- Deng, J. , Pickles, B. , Kavakopoulos, A. , Blanusa, T. , Halios, C. , Smith, S. , Shao, L. (2019) Concept and methodology of characterising infrared radiative performance of urban trees using tree crown spectroscopy. Building and Environment , 157 pp. 380-390. ISSN: 0360-1323 | doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2019.04.056
- Moss, J. , Doick, K. , Smith, S. , Shahrestani, M. (2019) Influence of evaporative cooling by urban forests on cooling demand in cities. Urban Forestry and Urban Greening , 37 pp. 65-73. ISSN: 1618-8667 | doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2018.07.023
- Curtis, M. , Torriti, J. , Smith, S. (2018) A comparative analysis of building energy estimation methods in the context of demand response. Energy and Buildings , 174 pp. 13-25. ISSN: 0378-7788 | doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2018.06.004
- Barlow, J. , Shao, L. , Smith, S. (2018) Climate change, resilience and the built environment. Sustainable Future in the Built Environment to 2050: A Foresight Approach to Construction and Development. Wiley ISBN: 9781119063827
- Curtis, M. , Torriti, J. , Smith, S. (2018) Demand side flexibility and responsiveness: moving demand in time through technology. Demanding Energy. Palgrave pp. 283-312. ISBN: 9783319619903 | doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61991-0_13
- Ballesteros-Pérez, P. , Smith, S. , Lloyd-Papworth, J. , Cooke, P. (2018) Incorporating the effect of weather in construction scheduling and management with sine wave curves: application in the United Kingdom. Construction Management and Economics , 36 (12). pp. 666-682. ISSN: 0144-6193 | doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01446193.2018.1478109
- Barlow, J. , Best, M. , Bohnenstengel, S. , Clark, P. , Grimmond, S. , Lean, H. , Christen, A. , Emeis, S. , Haeffelin, M. , Harman, I. , Lemonsu, A. , Martilli, A. , Pardyjak, E. , Rotach, M. , Ballard, S. , Boutle, I. , Brown, A. , Cai, X. , Carpentieri, M. , Coceal, O. , Crawford, B. , Di Sabatino, S. , Dou, J. , Drew, D. , Edwards, J. , Fallmann, J. , Fortuniak, K. , Gornall, J. , Gronemeier, T. , Halios, C. , Hertwig, D. , Hirano, K. , Holtslag, A. , Luo, Z. , Mills, G. , Nakayoshi, M. , Pain, K. , Schlünzen, K. , Smith, S. , Soulhac, L. , Steeneveld, G. , Sun, T. , Theeuwes, N. , Thomson, D. , Voogt, J. , Ward, H. , Xie, Z. , Zhong, J. (2017) Developing a research strategy to better understand, observe, and simulate urban atmospheric processes at kilometer to subkilometer scales. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society , 98 (10). pp. ES261-ES264. ISSN: 1520-0477 | doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-17-0106.1
- Ballesteros-Pérez, P. , Kabiri, S. , Smith, S. , Hughes, W. (2017) Dealing with weather-related claims in construction contracts: a new approach. Resilient Structures and Sustainable Construction. ISEC Press pp. 1-6. ISBN: 9780996043748 | doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14455/ISEC.res.2017.221
- Moss, J. , Doick, K. , Smith, S. , Shahrestani, M. (2017) Evaporative cooling by urban forests: quantifying and valuing this ecosystem service for three UK cities.
- Rodriguez, A. , Kiff, A. , Smith, S. , Potter, B. (2017) Sensitivity analysis of calculation approaches for post occupancy estimation of small power loads in office buildings under the TM22 energy assessment methodology umbrella.
- Rylatt, R. , Snape, J. , Allen, P. , Ardestani, B. , Boait, P. , Boggasch, E. , Fan, D. , Fletcher, G. , Gammon, R. , Lemon, M. , Pakka, V. , Rynikiewicz, C. , Savill, M. , Smith, S. , Strathern, M. , Varga, L. (2016) Exploring smart grid possibilities: a complex systems modelling approach. Smart Grid , 1 (1). pp. 1-15. ISSN: 2299-1107 | doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/sgrid-2015-0001
- Rodriguez, A. , Smith, S. , Kiff, A. , Potter, B. (2016) Small power load disaggregation in office buildings based on electrical signature classification. pp. 1-6.
- Chung, T. , Smith, S. , Shao, L. , Doick, K. (2015) Understanding the radiative performance of urban trees.
- Rylatt, M. , Gammon, R. , Boait, P. , Varga, L. , Allen, P. , Savill, M. , Snape, R. , Lemon, M. , Ardestani, B. , Pakka, V. , Fletcher, G. , Smith, S. , Fan, D. , Strathern, M. (2013) CASCADE: An Agent Based Framework For Modeling The Dynamics Of Smart Electricity Systems. Emergence: Complexity and Organization , 15 (2). pp. 1-13. ISSN: 1521-3250 (Special Issue: Complexity and the Smart Electricity Grid)
- Hanby, V. and Smith, S. (2012) Simulation of the future performance of low-energy evaporative cooling systems using UKCP09 climate projections. Building and Environment , 55 (1). pp. 110 - 116. ISSN: 0360-1323 | doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2011.12.018
- Smith, S. and Hanby, V. (2012) Methodologies for the generation of design summer years for building energy simulation using UKCP09 probabilitic climate projections. Building Service Engineering Research and Technology , 33 (1). pp. 9 - 17. ISSN: 1477-0849 | doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0143624411429183
- Zhang, X. , Zhao, X. , Smith, S. , Xu, J. , Yu, X. (2012) Review of R&D progress and practical application of the solar photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) technologies. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews , 16 (1). pp. 599 - 617. ISSN: 1364-0321 | doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2011.08.026
- Zhan, C. , Duan, Z. , Xudong, Z. , Smith, S. , Jin, H. , Riffat, S. (2011) Comparative study of the performance of the M-cycle counter-flow and cross-flow heat exchangers for indirect evaporative cooling - paving the path towards sustainable cooling of buildings. Energy , 36 (12). pp. 6790 - 6805. ISSN: 0360-5442 | doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2011.10.019
- Zhan, C. , Zhao, X. , Smith, S. , Riffat, S. (2011) Numerical study of a M-cycle cross-flow heat exchanger for indirect evaporative cooling. Building and Environment , 46 (3). pp. 657 - 668. ISSN: 0360-1323 | doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2010.09.011
- Smith, S. , Hanby, V. , Harpham, C. (2011) A probabilistic analysis of the future potential of evaporative cooling systems in a temperate climate. Energy and Buildings , 43 (2-3). pp. 507 - 516. ISSN: 0378-7788 | doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2010.10.016
- Hanby, V. , Smith, S. , Harpham, C. (2010) The potential for the use of evaporative cooling in the context of a changing maritime climate.
- Smith, S. , Goodess, C. , Hacker, J. , Hanby, V. , Harpham, C. , Jones, P. , Wright, A. (2009) Influence of probabilistic climate projections on building energy simulation.