Barah Rababa

PhD Student

Loughborough University

Barah, a qualified architectural engineer, holds a bachelor's degree from the Jordan University of Science and Technology. She advanced her expertise with a master’s degree in Environmental Design of Buildings from Cardiff University, where her dissertation was titled “Occupant Behaviours and Environmental Preferences in Home-Office Environments Versus Conventional Office Environments: Reflections from The Pandemic.” Barah is also certified as a BREEAM Associate and a Construction Life Cycle Assessment Specialist.

Assessing Energy Efficiency and Thermal Comfort in Converted Dwellings in the UK

A key focus of her research is involving occupants in both the research and design process, as they are considered the experts of their own experiences. The study emphasizes understanding the specific energy problems faced by vulnerable residents in repurposed buildings and gathering their views on retrofitting options.

Barah’s work also identifies obstacles preventing residents from adopting energy-efficient measures and explores pathways for transitioning to low-carbon retrofits to alleviate fuel poverty. Using a combination of literature reviews, building walk-through evaluations, resident interviews, participatory design workshops, and policy analysis, her research aims to deliver practical solutions that improve living conditions, reduce energy costs, and contribute to sustainable housing and energy efficiency.