Digital Commons Network^™

Building Services Engineering September/October 2026

Building Services Engineering

This issue of Building Services Engineering explores Ireland's net-zero transition, highlighting AI data centre liquid-cooling innovations, critical energy infrastructure updates, ASHRAE and CIBSE safety insights, commercial heat pump selections, decarbonising elevators, and examples of engineering innovation and leadership across the building services sector.

Assembling A Vignette Of Irish Police Masculinities Through Socio-Historical Rural Crime Research, Clay Darcy

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

This paper assembles a vignette of Irish police masculinities from the 1940s and 1950s. Based on historical analysis of a volume of crimes compiled by members of An Garda Síochána (Ireland’s police and security service), and Irish newspaper records, this paper reveals how policing practices and masculinities converged through the detection and recording of rural crimes. An Garda Síochána was exclusively male at the time, and police officers were dominant instrumental figures in rural communities, operating within a tight culture of Catholic religiosity and state censorship. These circumstances allowed them to maintain an assemblage of masculinity that was built on …

The Role Of Women In A Da’Wah: Mitigating The Bio-Psycho-Socio Problems Of Elderly Pilgrims Who Cancel Hajj, Hasyim Hasanah, Lukmanul Hakim

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The Hajj pilgrimage is the most sacred da’wah ritual and has resilience against global crises and the impact of COVID-19. The cancellation of the 2020-2021 Hajj pilgrimage has implications for the length of the waiting list and the bio-psycho-social conditions of elderly Hajj pilgrims. This study aims to identify the role of female Hajj pilgrims who failed to depart in overcoming bio-psycho-social problems. This study is a field study with a socio-psychological da’wah approach. Data were collected through a Google Form questionnaire, in-depth interviews, and documentation studies of 203 elderly Hajj pilgrims who failed to depart from the Semarang area. …

Alchemy Today! Critical Perspectives On Digital Hermeneutics: The Fifth Annual Conference Of The European Culture And Technology Laboratory., Connell Vaughan, Ioana Cecălășan, Mick O'Hara, Noel Fitzpatrick

Books/Book Chapters

The 5th Annual Conference organized by the European Culture and Technology Laboratory ‘ECT Lab+’ and this year hosted by Baltan Laboratories, Eindhoven, Netherlands aims to bring together experts from the Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Technology, and other fields exploring ways of enquiry that enrich (non-)positivist ways of knowing as well as post-structuralist critiques. The digital age is transforming the nature and practice of interpretation raising questions that range from the status of digital objects to the challenges of ethical practice.

Informed by the attitude of the alchemist as a proto-scientist, bridging disciplinary boundaries as well as the mystical and the …

Bayesian Network: An Explainable Artificial Intelligence (Xai) Approach To Human Performance Modelling For Control Room Operations, Houda Briwa

Theses

Alarm systems in process industry control rooms routinely exceed the performance targets set by standards such as EEMUA 191, placing operators under conditions where reliable performance is most difficult to achieve. Predicting how operators respond under such conditions is central to risk management, yet current Human Reliability Assessment (HRA) methods depend on expert judgement that is rarely tested against operational evidence, assume independence among factors known to interact, and do not explicitly represent the cognitive processes through which performance emerges. In Resilience Engineering terms, these methods encode Work-as-Imagined with limited means to assess how far expectations hold when work is …

Enhancing Cybersecurity With Explainable Artificial Intelligence: Technical Framework And Applications In Training Labs, Ahmad Almufarreh, Ashfaq Ahmad, Muhammad Arshad, Choo Wou Onn, Yegon Michael Kiplangat

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Cyberattacks are growing in complexity, and machine-learning-based intrusion detection systems (IDS) are increasingly adopted to support scalable threat monitoring. However, high-performing models can be operationally difficult to deploy when their decisions are not interpretable or auditable. This paper studies explainability as a decision-support component in an IDS workflow rather than as a purely visual add-on. Using the UNSW-NB15 benchmark, we compare three widely used classifiers—Random Forest (RF), Decision Tree (DT), and Support Vector Machine (SVM)—and then analyse the strongest performer (RF) with post-hoc explainability tools: Local Interpretable Model-Agnostic Explanations (LIME) and Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP). RF achieved 95.3% accuracy (precision …

Building Services Engineering July/August 2026

Building Services Engineering

This issue of Building Services Engineering features heat pumps, propane usage, solar power, and ventilation for indoor air quality. Features include district heating, HVACR optimisation, lift retrofitting, EU water policy, and an interview with WiBSE Ireland Chair Heather Holt.

Optimizing Few-Shot Learning In Pruned Large Language Models With Task-Specific Prompts, Danyal Aftab

Dissertations

Few-shot learning enables large language models to efficiently perform tasks given only a limited number of labeled examples. However, training these models entirely from scratch requires substantial computational resources, making it challenging for many organizations to fully leverage their potential. This thesis explores how structured pruning, task-specific prompting, and parameter-efficient fine-tuning can be combined to preserve few-shot learning capabilities in compressed LLMs, while also extending their utility to real-world recommendation systems.

In this research, we propose the Tailored LLM framework, which first reduces model size through structured pruning and then enhances few-shot learning performance using carefully designed prompts. We experiment …

Genwriter 2.0: A Hybrid Case-Based And Llm Rewriting Approach For Mitigating Implicit Gender Cues In Text, Shweta Soundararajan, Sarah Jane Delany

Conference papers

Gendered language is the use of words or phrases that indicate an individual's gender. Although useful in some contexts, gendered language can reinforce gender stereotypes and introduce bias, particularly in machine learning models for tasks involving people such as recruitment or occupation classification. When textual content about individuals, such as biographies, contain gender cues, models can learn spurious associations between gender and other characteristics of individuals, such as profession, potentially resulting in unfair outcomes such as reduced hiring opportunities for women.

To address this challenge, we propose GenWriter 2.0, a hybrid approach that integrates Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) with Large …

Healthcare Or Gold? Comparative Safe-Haven Dynamics During The Covid-19 Market Crisis, Stephen Omoya

Critical Letters in Economics & Finance

This paper examines whether the US healthcare sector serves as a reliable defensive equity investment during periods of severe macroeconomic stress. Grounded in the Flight-to-Safety market phenomenon. The study investigates how extreme market uncertainty prompts capital reallocation into safer assets. Using daily data from LSEG Workspace for the Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT), Gold, and the S&P 500, the research analyses a 25-month window from March 31, 2020, to May 31, 2022, yielding 567 observations. The Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) was implemented to measure short-term market risk (β), while the Engle-Granger methodology tested for a long-run relationship between VHT …

The Data-Schema Bottleneck: Benchmarking 16 Deep Learning Architectures For Real-Time Starlink Leo Telemetry Management, Tanmoy Debnath, Sourabhi Debnath, Miroslaw Narbutt, Maumita Bhattacharya

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Effective management of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite networks depends on data pipelines capable of predicting link-layer quality metrics (e.g., round-trip time (RTT), throughput (TP), and jitter etc.) at timescales suitable for real-time distributed data routing, handover, and congestion management. This study systematically benchmarks sixteen deep learning (DL) architectures representing four inductive-bias families to evaluate two formally stated hypotheses using 30 days of real Starlink telemetry comprising 417 million observations. Firstly, the Spectral Alignment Hypothesis (Research Question (RQ) 1) investigates whether architectures possessing inductive biases that explicitly decompose the quasi-periodic orbital structure of LEO dynamics systematically outperform those processing the …

Synthesis, Characterization, And In Vitro And In Silico Antibacterial Evaluation Of 5-(3-Nitrophenyl)-1, 3, 4-Thiadiazol-2-Amine, Abdelghani Sehmi, Farouk Boudou, Ahcene Keziz, Amal Belakredar, Huda Alsaeedi, Mikhael Bechelany, Gemma K. Kinsella, Ahmed Barhoum

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Introduction – This study reports the synthesis, structural characterization, and antibacterial evaluation of 5-(3-nitrophenyl)-1, 3, 4-thiadiazol-2-amine (NPTA), a commercially available thiadiazole derivative with potential antimicrobial activity. Methods – NPTA was synthesized through a green, one-pot condensation reaction between thiosemicarbazide and 3-nitrobenzoic acid in absolute ethanol, affording a pale-yellow crystalline solid with a melting point of 110 °C–112 °C. The compound was characterized using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, confirming its structure. In vitro antibacterial assays, in silico ADMET and toxicity profiling, molecular docking, frontier molecular orbital (FMO) analysis, and 200 ns molecular dynamics simulations were performed. …

Beyond Step Counts: Dual Perspectives On Designing Interactive Technologies To Support Outdoor Movement In Older Adults, Fatima Badmos, Emma Murphy, Peterson Jean, Damon Berry

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Outdoor movement supports older adults' health and wellbeing, yet participation is constrained by environmental, physical, and social barriers. Existing technologies often prioritise clinical risk management and quantified functional metrics, and rarely integrate older adults' lived experience alongside physical activity experts' perspectives in early design. We conducted four focus group workshops with 24 urban dwelling older adults (63 to 91 years) and semi structured online interviews with 11 physical activity experts. Data were analysed using thematic analysis and grounded theory coding, then triangulated to identify convergent themes, divergent perspectives, and complementary views. Key tensions concerned risk management versus independence, clinical benchmarks …

Analysis Of Emerging Pfas Contaminants In Water: Review And Future Perspectives, Baljit Singh, Zina Fredj, Rangasamy Savitha, Abhijnan Bhat, Gayathree Thenuwara, Isha Dahiya, Suneha Goswami, Simrjit Singh, Xolile Fuku

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used in numerous industrial and consumer products. These compounds exhibit remarkable environmental persistence which allows them to accumulate in ecosystems and pose serious risks to water quality, the environment and human health, thereby underscoring the urgent need for effective monitoring and control. To mitigate the long-term impacts of PFAS contamination, robust and reliable advanced analytical methods and sensor technologies are essential. This review critically examines current analytical methods, including coupled chromatographic techniques, emerging sensor-based (optical and electrochemical sensors) methods and separation-based electrophoresis for PFAS detection. Recent progress in device miniaturisation coupled with integration …

Adaptive Solar Energy Collection Fenestration Systems; Measured Performance On Test Cell Under Real Weather Conditions., Noel O’Neill

Doctoral

Buildings account for a significant share of global energy use, and improving façade performance is critical to achieving nearly zero-energy building targets. This research addresses the challenge of integrating multiple adaptive functions into a single façade system to reduce heat loss, harness solar energy, and provide dynamic environmental control. The aim was to design, construct, and evaluate an adaptive Multi-Functional Façade (MFF) that integrates vacuum glazing, switchable opacity glazing, and a ventilated cavity with active airflow control to provide façade insulation, heated fresh air, recirculated air, or exhaust ventilation.

A Solar Thermal Test Cell (STTC) designed to Passive House standard, …

Monitoring And Short-Term Forecasting Of Atmospheric Air Pollutants Using Deep Neural Networks, Prasanjit Dey

Dissertations

Accurate forecasting of near-surface atmospheric air pollutants such as PM2.5, NO2, SO2, CO, and O3 remains a critical scientific and societal challenge. This difficulty arises from several factors, including nonlinear pollutant dynamics, sparse ground monitoring net works, heterogeneous satellite observations, and strong cross-pollutant interdependencies. Substantial advances have been achieved in temporal deep learning, probabilistic modeling, satellite-based estimation, physics-informed methods, and foundation models. However, these paradigms have largely evolved in isolation. As a result, existing systems are often station-dependent or pollutant-specific and optimized for a single forecasting task. This limits their robustness and generalizability across regions and heterogeneous data regimes.

This …

Ai-Powered Synthetic Biology: Current Situation, Challenges, And Future Perspectives, Izem Olcay Sahin, Nuriye Gokce, Duygu T. Yildirim, A. Baki Yildirim, Hilal Akalın, Donald Martin, Tommaso Beccari, Oscar Vicente, Iza Radecka, Fideline Tchuenbou-Magaia, Robert S. Marks, Ratnesh Lal, Satya Prakash, Adam Mechler, Mario Petrov Milkov, Svetlana Fotkova Georgieva, Ilia Iliev, Kosi Gramatikoff, Ed Judge, Milica Markovic, Radka Kaneva, Galina Aleksieva Yaneva, Nadya Vasileva Agova, Nikoleta Dobromirova Ivanova, Mariya Kiryakova Tsvetkova, Ivelin Rosenov Iliev, Michel Salzet, Kisung Ko, Michele Maffia, Chiara Coppola, Matteo Bertelli

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Synthetic biology has evolved from a set of engineering aspirations to an operationally sophisticated discipline, and artificial intelligence (AI) is its fastest-growing accelerant. This review traces that convergence across six interlocking domains: systems-level biological modeling, de novo protein engineering, metabolic and microbial programming, multi-omics data integration, regulatory element design, and clinical translation. For each domain, we survey established results, integrate findings from 2010–2026 literature, and articulate the trajectories that will define the next decade. Emerging themes include physics-informed neural networks for mechanistically constrained biological modeling, drug design, and federated learning architectures that allow global omics collaboration without centralizing sensitive data, …

Socio Ecological Theory And Apprenticeship Systems, Eoghan Murchadha, Róisín Murphy

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Apprenticeship as a paradigm may be regarded as a system consisting of inter-related stakeholders in a relatively complex but collaborative relationship. Societal phenomena such as this are suitable for analysis through the application of the theory of socio-ecology. While such studies have been undertaken to an extent in the past, the analyzes conducted have been limited in terms of socio-ecological strata used. Furthermore, such studies have generally analyzed apprenticeship within jurisdictions where training is extensive with few social partners involved. Conversely, this study analyzes apprenticeship in the context of the standardized Irish craft model where the number of key stakeholders …

Contested Bodies, Reconfigured Selves Rethinking Identity And Embodiment In Genai-Mediated Education, Anslem Böhmer

Journal of Academic Research and Innovation

No abstract provided.

The Ghostly Cyborg Author And The Living Reader Wonder, Supervision, And Scholarly Formation In The Age Of Ai, Connie Morrison, John L. Hoben

Journal of Academic Research and Innovation

No abstract provided.

Supervising In The Age Of Ai Cognitive Authenticity, And Reframing Integrity Through Neurodiversity-Responsive Perspective, Precious Nwanze

Journal of Academic Research and Innovation

No abstract provided.

From Gatekeeping To Cognitive Stewardship Rethinking Postgraduate Supervision In The Age Of Artificial Intelligence, Jon-Hans H. Coetzer Un, Erman Akilli Dr

Journal of Academic Research and Innovation

No abstract provided.

Introducing Artificial Intelligence To The Metaverse, John O'Connor

Journal of Academic Research and Innovation

No abstract provided.

Artificial Intelligence - A Threat To Natural Intelligence? Fears, Concerns And Uncertainties Facing Educators In The 21st Century, Ivaylo Peev, Murat Gülmez, Anna Zherdeva, Lia Pop, Lucia Morales

Journal of Academic Research and Innovation

No abstract provided.

Contextualized Classroom Management For Local Philippine Higher Education: A Faculty-Driven Framework, Jestoni Pueblos Babia

Irish Journal of Academic Practice

Higher education classroom management is now recognized as an essential policy and pedagogical issue, especially in the Philippines, where local universities serve the diverse needs of Generation Z students. Participatory Action Research with 50 faculty members from a local university supports this study in developing a faculty-driven classroom management framework. Guided by Bandura's social learning theory, this framework emphasizes student involvement, restorative discipline, inclusion, digital integration, teacher leadership and institutional support. It draws on learning theory, Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, Deci and Ryan's self-determination theory, and Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, among others. Results indicate that systems combining faculty creativity with consistent …

Developing Competencies For Sustainable Development In Future Maritime Leaders, Anne Pazaver, Momoko Kitada, Inga Bartuseviciene

Irish Journal of Academic Practice

Sustainable maritime development requires training for competences to meet the needs of the rapidly evolving maritime industry. In particular, critical sustainability issues, such as decarbonization of shipping and responsible and sustainable use of oceans, require a sustainability mindset and related competencies at all levels of the maritime and oceans sectors, from top-level decision makers to individual seafarers working on board ships. Future maritime leaders must be equipped with knowledge, skills, attitudes and mindsets that enable and empower them to deal with sustainability challenges and cope with uncertainties in the context of the maritime and oceans sector.

We Are The Future, Educators And Students As Co-Creators In Conversation, Chrissi Nerantzi, Zachary Chai, Alexandra Poradowska, Maria Pavlopoulou

Irish Journal of Academic Practice

This reflective paper presents a collective autoethnography through which we explore our lived experiences as coauthors and coresearchers on the postgraduate module Education in a Digital Society at the University of Leeds. Working together, we reimagined the existing module by integrating an AI enabled curriculum design approach and Problem Based Learning to create more dialogic, collaborative spaces for examining the challenges educators face and the futures they hope to shape. To support this exploration, we engaged in a structured reflective conversation within a digital collaborative space, guided by a question instrument informed by established frameworks. This enabled us to examine …

Melomove: Self Paced, Movement-Music Tangible Interaction For Older Adults In Public Outdoor Space, Fatima Badmos, Emma Murphy, Peterson Jean, Paula Kelly, Damon Berry

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Designing interactive outdoor technologies for older adults often emphasises tracking and exercise, which can conflict with enjoyment, autonomy, and the realities of public space. Previous work on tangible systems for older adults have largely focused on indoor, supervised, or therapeutic contexts, leaving limited guidance for outdoor community settings. We present Melomove, a 3D printed handheld dumbbell shaped device that maps movement to real-Time musical feedback for self-paced exploration. We report an exploratory outdoor workshop with 16 older adults (63-93) in a campus bandstand, using structured observations and interviews to examine how a tangible movement music interface can scaffold agency, affective …

Leveraging A Vintage Radio Interface To Explore Media Recommender Systems, Paula Kelly, David Powell, Frank Duignan, Emma Clarke, Damon Berry

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Older adults often face significant barriers to engaging with and critically evaluating complex, AI-driven systems, leading to potential exclusion and marginalisation. This paper introduces a novel approach leveraging a nostalgic vintage radio platform as a familiar and accessible "bridge"to provoke and facilitate meaningful participatory design discussions about such a system. We present a multidisciplinary design project that utilises the tactile and accessible metaphor of an old-fashioned, table-top wood-cased radio to engage older adults in conversations about the ethical impact and accessibility of contemporary media systems. The platform is used as a discussion toolkit to explore the pros and cons of …

Skuarewave: Play Music With Holograms, Bryan Duggan

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Skuarewave is a holographic musical instrument built in Godot, running on Meta Quest 3 with hand tracking and a gesture-based interface. A musician composes and performs music by waving and pinching inside holographic skuares (squares) in mixed reality. There are three instrument sequencers and a drum sequencer, each supporting variable-length sequences up to 64 steps. Key, mode, and octave can be changed in real-time with gestures as the composition plays live. There are real-time audio effects and a 3D waveform visualiser. The demo features a live performance incorporating live looping on Bb flute with holograms, with the performer's view projected …