Engineering Commons^™

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.

Gis Cpd Geospatial Skills, Niamh O'Reilly

Case studies: Digital Education

The GIS CPD programme is delivered to people from industry wishing to develop their Geospatial skills in GIS. For many this is an important skill. Many organisations and companies encourage and pay for their staff to attend the programme and get the CPD Students gain important skills for managing, analysing and presenting geospatial data in a GIS environment. certificate. Students come from many different industries including local authorities, semi state bodies, National mapping agency, transport consultant practices, cable companies, environmental companies. The programme has been running for almost 30 years by my former colleague Eamonn Donnelly. Up until the pandemic …

How Will Ai Impact Knowledge Sharing Within Construction Clustering? Bringing Back The Conversation On Social Contagion Within Construction Clusters, Oluwasegun O. Seriki, Mark Mulville, Ruairi Hayden

Conference Papers

Construction clusters and innovation systems play a crucial role in enhancing competitiveness and fostering sustainable development in the construction sector. These clusters facilitate knowledge sharing, interactive learning, and collaborative innovation among firms, institutions, and other stakeholders. The success of construction clusters depends on numerous factors, including firm size, economic climate, and attitudes towards innovation. While some clusters transform into innovation systems by becoming tacit-knowledge intensive, there is not much data or investigation into how they may adapt to changing demands spurred by advances in artificial intelligence (AI). There is some preliminary research highlighting the lack of dispersed innovation networks within …

Towards An Iot-Enabled Digital Earth For Sdgs: The Data Quality Challenge, Msb Syed, Paula Kelly, Paul Stacey, Damon Berry

Articles

Digital Earth (DE), a technology offering real-time visualisation of Earth's processes, has shown promising results in aiding decision-making for a sustainable world, raising awareness about individual impacts on our planet, and supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) agenda. However, both DE and SDGs face a common obstacle: Data Quality (DQ). This review investigates the challenge of DQ in the context of DE for SDGs and explores how IoT can address this challenge and extend the reach of DE to support SDGs. Furthermore, the study discusses three core aspects; first, the potential of IoT as a data source …

Building Services Engineering May/June 2024

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Ai And 6g Into The Metaverse: Fundamentals, Challenges And Future Research Trends, Muhammad Zawish, Fayaz Ali Dharejo, Sunder Ali Khowaja, Saleem Raza, Steven Davy, Kapal Dev, Paolo Bellavista

Articles

Since Facebook was renamed Meta, a lot of attention, debate, and exploration have intensified about what the Metaverse is, how it works, and the possible ways to exploit it. It is anticipated that Metaverse will be a continuum of rapidly emerging technologies, usecases, capabilities, and experiences that will make it up for the next evolution of the Internet. Several researchers have already surveyed the literature on artificial intelligence (AI) and wireless communications in realizing the Metaverse. However, due to the rapid emergence and continuous evolution of technologies, there is a need for a comprehensive and in-depth survey of the role …

Responses To A Century Of Housing Crisis: Problem, Politics And Policy, Paul Umfreville

Doctoral

The Irish housing system is reportedly in crisis. Homelessness, a lack of affordable housing to rent or buy, and limited security of tenure mean that the housing opportunity available to previous generations is not available to many of the current one. Problems with housing in Ireland are not, however, purely recent phenomena. Reports of inquiry and Census data have catalogued recurring housing crises and failings in housing policy over the last century, but whilst systemic shocks provided the impetus for historic housing policy transformation, inertia in the political system now appears to dampen momentum for effective change. Significant events seemingly …

Building Services Engineering September/October 2023

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

The Doctoral Symposium In Engineering Education Research At Sefi 2023, Jonte Bernhard, Shannon Chance, Tinne De Laet, Kristina Edström

Plenary Presentations and Doctoral Symposium

The 7th SEFI Doctoral Symposium in Engineering Education Research, held at the campus of Technological University Dublin on Sunday, September 10th, preceded the SEFI 2023 Annual Conference. In all, 37 Ph.D. researchers attended, which is a record number for this event. They came to share and further probe their Ph.D. research topics and plans of study and to strengthen and extend their professional networks. During this full and intense day, 27 established scholars provided the Ph.D. researchers with personal feedback and ideas regarding their research. The highlight, according to the Ph.D. student participants, was the warm and enthusiastic reception they …

Taking Curriculum Reform To The Next Level: The Need For Decolonising Work In Engineering Education, Gabrielle Orbaek White

Research Papers

As humanity is faced with unparalleled challenges, from the climate emergency to rising inequality, there is a renewed emphasis on the role of engineering professionals to contribute solutions to global problems. However, there is increasing recognition that the way that engineers are trained through higher education is inadequate to prepare them to address these grand challenges. This paper aims to deepen theoretical perspectives on why the engineering education status quo is falling short. Taking a British perspective, I outline how the epistemology and cultural ideologies, or the “episteme,” of engineering continues to shape our discourses within modern day engineering education, …

How Diverse Are Global Perspectives On Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion In Engineering Education?, Jan Van Maele, Becky Bergman, Inês Direito, Homero Murzi

Workshops

The SEFI Special Interest Group on Gender & Diversity has recently been renamed as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, broadening the definition from a focus on gender to embrace a wider range of diverse identities – such as language and cultural background, religion, physical ability, and socioeconomic status – and to promote and support equity and inclusive practices within SEFI and beyond. In the process of redefining the Special Interest Group’s mission, it has become clear that definitions of diversity, equity and inclusion may vary considerably between different contexts and institutions. Therefore, it is relevant for the engineering education community to …

Employment Pathways For Emerging Talent: Evaluating The Certificate In Computer And Data Science (Cds), Andres Felipe Salazar Gomez, Aikaterini Bagiati, Gillian Walsh, Lana Cook, Admir Masic

Research Papers

This research paper presents the results of the first evaluation of the learning experience, challenges and opportunities of the Certificate in Computer and Data Science (CDS). Specifically, it evaluates two different real-life experiential learning opportunities (ELOs): supervised internships and self-guided projects.

MIT Emerging Talent, an initiative that expands upon the efforts of the MIT ReACT (Refugee Action Hub), provides talented learners a platform to advance their skills, leverage their expertise, access a professional career, and become leading change agents in their communities. The CDS is a 12 month-long online learning program that opens education to employment pathways for emerging talent, …

What Do Engineers Do With What They Know: Observing Specialized Technical Knowledge In Practice, Zach Simpson, Corrinne Shaw, Nicky Wolmarans

Research Papers

The gap between engineering education and practice has been subject to considerable research attention. We look at studies of engineering practice with a view to informing education. Our interest is in identifying technical knowledge and how it is used in practice, as well as what kind of technical knowledge is used but not taught. This paper seeks to systematically review the existing literature on engineering practice, drawing from and adding to a prior data set developed by Andrea Mazzurco and colleagues, who found that there was a gap in studies of specialised technical knowledge in practice. Investigating their dataset we …

Who Funds Engineering Education Research? Content Analysis Of Funding Sources Described In Three Top-Tier Engineering Education Research Journals, Andrew Valentine, Natalie Wint, Bill Williams

Research Papers

Engineering education research (EER) is becoming a globally connected field of inquiry but there is a lack of sustained funding opportunities available. Currently, it is not quantitatively known which entities are most prolific for providing funding for EER globally. This study attempted to map which entities were most commonly cited as providing funding for EER. Three top-tier EER journals were chosen, articles published in the journals during 2021 were identified. Metadata about each publication was downloaded from Scopus. Funding information for each publication was qualitatively analysed, then synthesised to provide a quantitative understanding of EER funding sources. There was a …

A Cultural-Historical Activity Theory Approach To Studying The Development Of Students' Digital Agency In Higher Education, Lilian Ganduri, Brandon Collier-Reed, Corrinne Shaw

Research Papers

Researching classroom practice requires theoretical resources that can explain the variety inherent in such an activity as well as the dynamic nature of classroom practice. Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) offers the possibility of accounts of social, cultural, and historical aspects of the context and of how students adapt and transform in these contexts. This conceptual paper engages with the relevance and utility of CHAT for researching student practices in a course as an activity system.

First-Generation Engineering Students' Identity Development: Early Forays Into The Workplace, Renee Smit

Research Papers

In the context of global shortages of engineering professionals, research into factors that impact on training and retention of qualified engineers is important – this includes first-generation engineering students, a largely under-researched group of students. Research has shown that an elaborated, well-developed engineering identity is important for the retention of both engineering students at university, and for engineers in practice. Professional identities are fluid, emerging and develop over the lifetime of the professional. However, we still know little about the nature of a professional engineering identity, and how it develops.

Drawing on insights from the philosophy of science, I make …

Towards Sustainability - Fostering Gender Dimensions For Inclusiveness In Science Technology Engineering And Production (Step) Fields, Ann Sharon Lourens, Nicole Truter

Research Papers

Statistics from the Engineering Council of South Africa indicate that a large number of women who enter the engineering sector leave their careers in the early stages because they felt isolated and experienced discrimination in this traditionally maledominated industry. Furthermore, research on global trends have highlighted the importance of an inclusive atmosphere as a result of the increase in the proportion of female decision-makers, racial and ethnic background differences, persons with disabilities and generation gaps with resulting different learning styles and needs. Literature also suggests that workforce diversity that maximises inclusion and minimises resistance, allows organisations to create change that …

The Experience Of Women In Engineering Apprenticeships | A Scoping Review, Joy Herron, Brian Bowe, Richard Gallery, Una Beagon

Research Papers

This scoping review aims to synthesise the existing literature on the experience of women in engineering and trade apprenticeships, discuss the common themes and highlight areas for future research. Apprenticeships are not only required to address the current skills shortage in the engineering profession which threatens to impede our ability to deliver on our sustainability goals and restrict economic growth they are also a proven pathway for women to enter engineering programmes. Despite growing social and political interest in increasing gender diversity in the workforce, data shows that women remain significantly underrepresented in engineering apprenticeship programs.

Sustaining Engineering Education Research: Sharing Qualitative Research Data For Secondary Analysis, Jennifer Case, Holly Matusovich, Marie Paretti, Susan Lord, Lisa Benson

Workshops

The need for secondary data analysis practices emerges from multiple sources. Qualitative researchers often have rich data sets that far exceed the time available for data analysis, and many of us wish that someone could spend more time with the data. We also recognize that local data sets would benefit from further analysis that linked our data with related data collected in different contexts. Many also grapple with increasing data sharing requirements from funding agencies that raise concerns about participant confidentiality and data integrity. This workshop provides a chance to explore potential responses to these concerns through a robust dialogue …

Assessment Of Online Accreditation Of Engineering Programs: A Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (Chat) Analysis, Kasongo Didier Nyembwe, Tajudeen Mojisola, Zach Simpson

Research Papers

This paper shows how Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) can provide a practical framework for online accreditation of engineering programmes in South Africa. Far from being inaccessible, CHAT can provide engineering accreditation bodies with a conceptual framework and theory of change for online accreditation of engineering programs. Within the context of program accreditation in South Africa, the paper leverages CHAT to comprehend the dynamic interplay of digital technologies as deployed during online accreditation including, amongst others, video conferencing, social media and cloud storage, and how these affect online accreditation of engineering programmes. It is concluded that theory-based research and practice …

Innovating Pedagogy, Space And Technology In A South African Engineering Classroom, Fatima Mohamed Darsot, Zach Simpson

Research Papers

The use of technology has become ubiquitous in higher education; however, many university teachers, particularly in the global South, are not confident with using technology when teaching. As a result, engineering curricula often maintain the predominance of “chalk and talk” modes of pedagogy, which often leave students disengaged from what they are learning. Technology offers access to new modes of teaching and learning, but needs to be used in pedagogically meaningful ways. Lecturers are required to teach in innovative ways, using innovative technologies, but are required to do so in classrooms designed and built many decades ago. This is problematic …

‘There’S A Machine On The Team’: Employers’ Perspectives On Graduate Employability In Digitised Workplaces, Chris. Winberg, Simon Winberg

Research Papers

The implementation of interconnected digital and cyber-physical technologies across engineering fields is changing the nature of professional work. These new forms of work present both technical and social challenges; it is therefore timely to consider the implications of the digital transformation of work for engineering education. In this study the focus is on the technical and social skills that employers have identified as desirable for productive work practices in digital/cyber-physical environments. The research question guiding the study is: What technical and social skills do employers in digitised/cyber-physical workplaces value in engineering graduates? The study drew on Legitimation Code Theory’s Specialization …

How To Characterise Performance In Engineering Freshmen’S Modelling Tasks?, Sophie Charles, Nicolas Peyret

Research Papers

This paper presents a study aiming at characterising engineering freshmen’s performance in modelling tasks, as well as the strategies they adopt to execute them, before and after taking a 3-D modelling course. 97 freshmen in a French engineering school were asked to produce 3-D models of a part, using three views and the product development platform Onshape. The accuracy of their models was assessed using geometrical, dimensional and functional criteria. The students’ performance was also investigated with regards to their modelling strategies. We characterised more specifically the strategies they adopted to constrain the overall length of the part, and pierce …

Overview Of Various Components Of Lateral Flow Immunochromatography Assay For The Detection Of Mycotoxins And Limit Of Detection In Food Samples: A Systematic Review, Vinayak Sharma, Thasmin Shahjahan, Bilal Javed, Furong Tian

Articles

The detection of aflatoxins is essential for the food industry to ensure the safety and quality of food products before their release to the market. The lateral-flow immunochromatography assay (LFIA) is a simple technique that allows the rapid on-site detection of aflatoxins. The purpose of this review is to evaluate and compare the limits of detection reported in the most recent research articles, published between the years of 2015 and 2023. The limits of detection (LODs) were compared against the particle type and particle size, as well as other variables, to identify trends and correlations among the parameters. A growing …

Sustainability Matchmaking: Exploration Into Using Excess Renewable Energy To Deliver ‘Free’ Energy To Fuel Poor Homes – A Preliminary Case Study In Ireland, Ciara Ahern, Ronan Oliver

Articles

The aggregated fuel cost of domestic hot water (DHW) generation in Ireland, in 2022, was €529M with associated emissions/load of 1.3MtCO₂/289GWh. The shadow price of carbon monetises the negative impact of emissions, rising with time; DHW generation has an associated shadow carbon cost of €13M in 2022, rising to €42M in 2030 and €335M in 2050.

In 2020, c12%/€441M of wind was curtailed or wasted as inter alia, there was no demand at times of high wind. Meanwhile, a ‘silent crisis’ is occurring in Ireland wherein one-in-two dwellings were considered in fuel poverty in 2022. Households in …

Barriers To Bim Implementation For Cost Management In The Irish Construction Industry, Uchenna Sampson Igwe Dr, Alan Hore Dr, Dermot Kehily Dr., David Colmenero Lechuga

Conference Papers

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is the foundation of digital transformation in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry that enables efficient collaboration and information sharing among stakeholders in the industry. It has been identified as a powerful tool for construction cost management because it provides accurate and timely information about the cost implications of design decisions. BIM development in Ireland is expected to continue growing in the coming years, driven by the proposed 2024 government mandate, continued state supports and the benefits that BIM brings to the construction industry, including improved collaboration, reduced errors and waste, and increased efficiency. Notable …

Housing In Kibera's Soweto East Informal Settlement, Kenya: A Socio-Technical Evaluation, Tiernan Brennan

Masters

In 2003, the Kenya Slum Upgrading Programme (KENSUP) was launched in partnership with UN-Habitat and the Government of Kenya (GoK) to improve the livelihoods of people in Kenya by 2020 through the provision of improved shelter, infrastructure, land tenure and income generation. Kibera is an informal settlement in Kenya where varying housing typologies and traditional vernacular-style designs coexist with modern housing units. Soweto East was one of eighteen villages located in Kibera selected for KENSUP’s first major housing development initiative. Soweto East was selected from a screening of several housing projects that could be subjected to a socio-technical (STE). The …

Fair4pghd: A Framework For Fair Implementation Over Pghd, Abdullahi Abubakar Kawu, Dympna O'Sullivan, Lucy Hederman, Mirjam Van Reisen

Articles

Patient Generated Health Data (PGHD) are being considered for integration with health facilities, however little is known about how such data can be made machine-actionable in a way that meets FAIR guidelines. This article proposes a 5-stage framework that can be used to achieve this.

A Three-Year Academic Track Towards Literacy In Sustainable Development - A Computer Science Study Program Case, Kamilla Klonowska, Marijana Teljega, Daniel Einarson

Practice Papers

The 3-year Bachelor Programme in Software Development study program at Kristianstad University, Sweden, aims to integrate not only academic competencies and skills in subject courses but also critical thinking skills on how Computer Science can contribute to achieving the sustainable development goals.

Starting from an understanding of the sustainable development goals, students begin a process of designing and implementing applications for some specific goals. Through participation in various activities, students exchange the ideas and perspectives, and are challenged to consider multiple solutions to complex problems. The students' critical thinking, communicative abilities, and the ability to solve problems both individually as …

Engineering Faculty And Staff Inclusive Excellence Training: Broadening Engineering Pedagogy For All, Mohammad Moin Uddin, Keith Johnson

Practice Papers

As our classrooms become more and more diverse, the need for cultural competency in engineering faculty is more important than ever. Cross-cultural competency has been named among the 10 most important skills for the future workforce. Historically there is a lack of cultural diversity at East Tennessee State University. The university did not offer any formal training opportunity for faculty and staff in cultural competency. As such, faculty effort in cultural pedagogy is minimal resulting in persistent achievement gaps among culturally diverse students. In this project we have developed and implemented an inclusive excellence cultural competency training program primarily for …