Overview
Profile summary
I am a lecturer in the Built Environment discipline within the School of Art, Design and Architecture at the University of Plymouth. My research focuses on how urban microclimates affect buildings, indoor environments and the people who use them.
This matters because cities are becoming hotter, energy systems are changing, and buildings are increasingly expected to protect health and well-being while reducing carbon emissions. These pressures are not experienced equally: vulnerable occupants and communities may face greater exposure to overheating, poor indoor environmental quality and limited opportunities to adapt.
Before joining Plymouth, I was a Research Associate at the Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University, and completed my PhD at the University of Reading. My current research includes urban microclimate-aware retrofit, urban heat exposure and vulnerability in the Global South, and the climate implications of electrified heating and cooling. I currently lead the UMAR project, which develops a framework for climate-resilient energy demand reduction in urban neighbourhoods. Through this work, I aim to support healthier, lower-carbon and more inclusive indoor environments.
I welcome enquiries from prospective students and collaborators interested in urban climate, building energy modelling, climate-resilient design and vulnerable occupant exposure.
Professional memberships
- Elected ECR Secretary (2026-2028) of International Association of Urban Climate (IAUC)
- Member of International Building Performance Simulation Association (IBPSA)
- Graduate Member of Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE)
- Interim CEng
Roles on external bodies
- Building and Environment
- Journal of Building Engineering
- Building Simulation
- Scientific Data
- Architectural Engineering and Design Management
Teaching interests
- BLDG511 Building Services Engineering
- BLDG608 Building Control and Commissioning
- BLDG611 Research Methods
Additional information
Academic qualifications
PhD Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Reading
2018 → 2023
MSc Architectural Engineering Design, University of Sheffield
2017 → 2018
BEng (Hons) Building Services Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University
2013 → 2017
External positions
Research Associate, Cardiff University
2023 → 2024
Research Interests
- Climate-responsive indoor environments
- Urban microclimate impacts on building performance
- Multi-scale urban-building modelling
- Climate-resilient retrofit
- Vulnerable occupant exposure and environmental inequality
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
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SDG 4 Quality Education
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SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
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SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Projects
- 1 Active
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Urban microclimate-aware retrofitting framework for climate-resilient energy demand reduction (UMAR)
Goodhew, S. (CoI - Co-Investigator), Alencastro, J. (CoI - Co-Investigator), Oladinrin, O. (CoI - Co-Investigator) & Xie, X. (PI - Principal Investigator)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
1/10/25 → 30/09/26
Project: Research
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Gap filling crowdsourced air temperature data in cities using data-driven approaches
He, M., Luo, Z., Xie, X., Wang, P., Wang, H. & Zapata-Lancaster, G., 1 Mar 2025, In: Building and Environment. 271, 112593.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile37 Downloads (Pure) -
Making intra-urban monitoring ‘a walk in the park’: A mobile monitoring approach for assessing pedestrians’ environmental conditions
Lam, C. K. C., Alnaqshabandy, H., Lewin, S., Morewood, J., Xie, X. & Goodhew, S., 31 Jul 2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Building and Environment. 284, 113487.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile3 Downloads (Pure) -
Could residential air-source heat pumps exacerbate outdoor summer overheating and winter overcooling in UK 2050s climate scenarios?
Xie, X., Luo, Z., Grimmond, S., Liu, Y., Ugalde-Loo, C. E., Bailey, M. T. & Wang, X., 15 Nov 2024, In: Sustainable Cities and Society. 115, 105811.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile27 Downloads (Pure) -
Spatial and temporal variation of anthropogenic heat emissions in Colombo, Sri Lanka
Blunn, L., Xie, X., Grimmond, S., Luo, Z., Sun, T., Perera, N., Ratnayake, R. & Emmanuel, R., Mar 2024, In: Urban Climate. 54, 101828.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Impact of building density on natural ventilation potential and cooling energy saving across Chinese climate zones
Xie, X., Luo, Z., Grimmond, S. & Sun, T., 1 Oct 2023, In: Building and Environment. 244, 110621.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access
Prizes
Media stories
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Study Data from Cardiff University Update Knowledge of Information Technology (Gap Filling Crowdsourced Air Temperature Data In Cities Using Data-driven Approaches)
27/02/25
1 item of Media coverage
Media story
Datasets
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Could residential air-source heat pumps exacerbate outdoor summer overheating and winter overcooling in UK 2050s climate scenarios? - dataset
Xie, X. (Creator), Luo, Z. (Creator), Grimmond, S. (Creator), Liu, Y. (Creator), Ugalde Loo, C. E. (Creator), Bailey, M. (Creator) & Wang, X. (Creator), ZENODO, 20 Aug 2024
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.13351764, https://zenodo.org/records/13351764
Dataset