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Prof Robert Hairstans' Outputs (86)

Timber MMC Retrofit Case Study Analysis of Embodied Carbon Impact (2025)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Jiar, S., Hairstans, R., Livingstone, A., Saint, R., & Stinson, J. (2025, July). Timber MMC Retrofit Case Study Analysis of Embodied Carbon Impact. Paper presented at International Retrofit Conference 2025, University of Salford Energy House Labs

The demand for energy efficient retrofitting in residential buildings is rising, particularly in the UK, which has some of the oldest housing stock in Europe. Existing retrofit strategies primarily focus on operational energy savings while overlookin... Read More about Timber MMC Retrofit Case Study Analysis of Embodied Carbon Impact.

Sunamp Heat Battery as a Pre-heating Solution for Domestic Hot Water Heating: A Case Study Evaluation (2025)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Dobas, C., Ernest, G., Hairstans, R., Irfan Abbas Gani, M., Livingstone, A., Stinson, J., & Keyworth, A. (2025, July). Sunamp Heat Battery as a Pre-heating Solution for Domestic Hot Water Heating: A Case Study Evaluation. Paper presented at International Retrofit Conference 2025, University of Salford Energy House Labs

To meet the UK Government’s net-zero target by 2050 requires a radical rethink around how existing households optimise and manage energy. Therefore, to accelerate the path to net-zero ‘Clean Heat’ homes, the research focuses on transitioning from car... Read More about Sunamp Heat Battery as a Pre-heating Solution for Domestic Hot Water Heating: A Case Study Evaluation.

Developing Sustainability Competencies through Extra-Curricular Interdisciplinary Challenges (2025)
Journal Article
Hitt, S. J., Seminara, P., Binding, T., & Hairstans, R. (online). Developing Sustainability Competencies through Extra-Curricular Interdisciplinary Challenges. European Journal of Engineering Education, https://doi.org/10.1080/03043797.2025.2481965

Educators are being challenged to develop transformational learning experiences that link student attainment of sustainability competencies to professional skills required in specific industries. However, these efforts can sometimes be hamstrung by t... Read More about Developing Sustainability Competencies through Extra-Curricular Interdisciplinary Challenges.

Measuring Mass Timber - Deriving A Mass Timber Whole Life Carbon & Quality Of Life Method By Evaluating Five Mass Timber UK Buildings (2025)
Report
Scott, K., & Charleson, F. (2025). Measuring Mass Timber - Deriving A Mass Timber Whole Life Carbon & Quality Of Life Method By Evaluating Five Mass Timber UK Buildings. Built by Nature

This report is the primary outcome of the Measuring Mass Timber research project. The study was led by dRMM, with collaborating partners Edinburgh Napier University and the Quality of Life Foundation. The project was awarded funding by Built by Natur... Read More about Measuring Mass Timber - Deriving A Mass Timber Whole Life Carbon & Quality Of Life Method By Evaluating Five Mass Timber UK Buildings.

Volumetric Modular Construction research (2024)
Report
Brennan, J., Vokes, C., Massey, T., Duncheva, M., Plowas, W., Livingstone, A., Reid, A., Bros Williamson, J., & Hairstans, R. (2024). Volumetric Modular Construction research. Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government

Building on a pledge to support Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) in its Autumn Budget of 2017, the 2019 Conservative party manifesto reaffirmed the target of 300,000 homes a year by the mid-2020s and made explicit commitment to support MMC. The n... Read More about Volumetric Modular Construction research.

Developing modern construction professionals with a focus on timber – a UK case study (2024)
Journal Article
Hitt, S. J., Hairstans, R., Oloke, D., Bertasso, S., Tamagnone, G., & Shirley, B. (2025). Developing modern construction professionals with a focus on timber – a UK case study. Proceedings of the ICE - Management, Procurement and Law, 178(1), 32-40. https://doi.org/10.1680/jmapl.24.00040

The Centre for Advanced Timber Technology (CATT) was established in 2021 at the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE) in Hereford, UK, to be a catalyst for expanding the use of sustainable timber in modern construction and changi... Read More about Developing modern construction professionals with a focus on timber – a UK case study.

Global Policies Influencing the Greater Adoption of Timber in Construction (2024)
Report
Hairstans, R., Ridley Ellis, D., Cramer, M., Plowas, W., Hart, S., Rogers, L., Connell-Skinner, K., & Seminara, P. (2024). Global Policies Influencing the Greater Adoption of Timber in Construction. Forest Industries Ireland

This report prepared on behalf of the Timber in Construction Steering Group and Forest Industries Ireland and authored by Built Environment – Smarter Transformation (BE-ST) and Edinburgh Napier University (ENU), emphasises the critical role of increa... Read More about Global Policies Influencing the Greater Adoption of Timber in Construction.

Local resources inform design mid-point results from the Building from England's Woodlands project (2024)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Tamagnone, G., Charleson, F., Cramer, M., Seminara, P., Plowas, W., Ridley-Ellis, D., & Hairstans, R. (2024, August). Local resources inform design mid-point results from the Building from England's Woodlands project. Presented at International SEEDS Conference 2024, Leeds Beckett University, UK

Considering the energy consumption and carbon equivalent emission of the construction industry, a massive shift towards more sustainable and less carbon intensive materials and building techniques is desirable. In this regard, wood and timber product... Read More about Local resources inform design mid-point results from the Building from England's Woodlands project.

Establishing A Timber-Focused Competency Framework To Up- And Re-Skill Built Environment Professionals To Meet Sustainability Goals Sustainability Goals (2023)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Hitt, S. J., Hairstans, R., & Connell-Skinner, K. (2023, September). Establishing A Timber-Focused Competency Framework To Up- And Re-Skill Built Environment Professionals To Meet Sustainability Goals Sustainability Goals. Presented at 51st Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI) 2023, Dublin, Ireland

Engineers equipped with skills for a sustainable built environment have never been more critical, as government and industry sustainability goals such as the 2050 net zero target have significant implications for the construction sector. Concurrently... Read More about Establishing A Timber-Focused Competency Framework To Up- And Re-Skill Built Environment Professionals To Meet Sustainability Goals Sustainability Goals.

Transforming Timber (2023)
Digital Artefact
Hairstans, R., Plowas, W., Livingstone, A., Connell-Skinner, K., Cramer, M., Ridley-Ellis, D., & Seminara, P. Transforming Timber. [Website content]

The construction materials used since the industrial revolution now dominate the sector. This is one of the leading causes of our current climate crisis. We need alternative solutions.

Transforming Timber is collaborative knowledge hub promoting... Read More about Transforming Timber.

Modern Methods and Offsite Timber Construction (2023)
Other
Hairstans, R. (2023). Modern Methods and Offsite Timber Construction

Build Modern methods of construction focus on offsite construction techniques, including factory production and pre-assembly of components, to build faster and more efficiently than traditional construction approaches.

Theorising a new educational agenda for sustainable built environment professionals: timber technology, engineering, and design (2023)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Al-Attili, A., Hairstans, R., Belden, T., Tamagnone, G., Hitt, S., Binding, T., & Walters, J. (2023, June). Theorising a new educational agenda for sustainable built environment professionals: timber technology, engineering, and design. Presented at World Conference on Timber Engineering 2023, Oslo, Norway

The paper reports on the most recent activities undertaken on the local and national levels to create a competency framework for timber engineering in an effort to change the traditional construction methods into more sustainable and environment frie... Read More about Theorising a new educational agenda for sustainable built environment professionals: timber technology, engineering, and design.

The New Centre for Advanced Timber Technology: A Living Lab for Designers, Industry and Education (2023)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Tamagnone, G., & Hairstans, R. (2023, June). The New Centre for Advanced Timber Technology: A Living Lab for Designers, Industry and Education. Presented at World Conference on Timber Engineering 2023, Oslo, Norway

To meet the net zero requirements, UK industry will need to change how it operates, relying on more sustainable resources and practices. Within this scheme, the construction industry must move, when possible, from carbon-intensive material to more en... Read More about The New Centre for Advanced Timber Technology: A Living Lab for Designers, Industry and Education.

Timber in Construction: Skills Action Plan (2023)
Report
Duncheva, M., Vokes, C., Connell-Skinner, K., & Hairstans, R. (2023). Timber in Construction: Skills Action Plan. Hereford: New Model Institute for Technology & Engineering (NMITE)

The UK needs to increase the use of timber in construction to achieve its Net Zero targets. But strengthening timber supply chains and boosting use of homegrown timber needs a workforce able to make best use of this renewable resource.

The Timber... Read More about Timber in Construction: Skills Action Plan.

Developing Strategic Partnerships through a Sustainability Enrichment Week (2022)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Hitt, S. J., Hairstans, R., Leitch, K., & Connell-Skinner, K. (2022, September). Developing Strategic Partnerships through a Sustainability Enrichment Week. Presented at SEFI Annual Conference, Barcelona

This paper describes the development of a mini-module focused on sustainability and timber engineering as a component of a strategic partnership designed to broaden Transnational Education, increase staff/student mobility, and further develop industr... Read More about Developing Strategic Partnerships through a Sustainability Enrichment Week.

Manufacturing A Biogenic Built Environment (2022)
Book Chapter
Hairstans, R. Manufacturing A Biogenic Built Environment. In Timber Industry Yearbook 2022 (77-81). BM TRADA

Robert Hairstans discusses the Biogenic Built Environment Framework: collaborative projects where research, innovation, commercialisation and education work in concert.

Offsite Ready Booklets (2020)
Report
Duncheva, M., Calcagno, C., Henquel, V., Leitch, K., Stinson, J., Plant O'Toole, E., Bros-Williamson, J., Livingstone, A., De Saint-Sernin, A., Hairstans, R., Hillier, J., Bentley, A., Barran, R., Avins, L., Setiati, D., Richards, L., & Ferriz-Papi, J. A. (2020). Offsite Ready Booklets. Edinburgh: Construction Industry Training Board

Refocusing modern methods of construction on the climate emergency: a 'five capitals' model for action (2020)
Journal Article
Campbell, A., Hairstans, R., & Jones, G. (2020). Refocusing modern methods of construction on the climate emergency: a 'five capitals' model for action. The structural engineer : journal of the Institution of Structural Engineers, 98(9), 22-28

Adrian Campbell, Robert Hairstans and Giulia Jones explain how natural, human, social, manufactured and economic capital can all benefit from a sustainability-focused approach to off -site manufacturing.

Increasing offsite housing construction in Scotland: An evidence base to support new policy and systems (2020)
Report
Mora, L., Deakin, M., Reid, A., Hairstans, R., Duncheva, M., Calcagno, C., Smith, M., Smith, P., & Lang, V. (2020). Increasing offsite housing construction in Scotland: An evidence base to support new policy and systems. Construction Scotland Innovation Centre, Scottish Enterprise. and the Scottish Government

The purpose of this project is to provide evidence of the potential contribution offsite construction offers to address the challenges faced by the affordable housing sector in Scotland. Funding for the project is drawn from the Construction Scotland... Read More about Increasing offsite housing construction in Scotland: An evidence base to support new policy and systems.