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The School of the Built Environment comprises Construction Management and Engineering and Architecture.
We recognise the value of knowledge-sharing and innovative collaboration across disciplines. When you embark on a PhD with us, you'll study as part of the wider School of Built Environment, so you'll benefit from wider interdisciplinary expertise.
PhD opportunities
Discover our PhD opportunities in architecture, energy and environmental engineering, and construction management.
Why study with us?
The University of Reading has been ranked 6th in the UK for research power in Architecture, Built Environment and Planning (Times Higher Education, Institutions Ranked by Subject, based on its analysis of the latest REF 2021).
Fees and funding
The University allocates around 150 entry awards each year in PhD studentships and bursaries, so there are many ways to access PhD funding.
How we support you
Meet our experts
Our talented and internationally diverse team in the School of the Built Environment is actively involved in research, contributing directly to your teaching and supervision.
Our team in Construction Management and Engineering
Our team in Architecture
Our research
Our research makes a case for a better built environment as part of an interdisciplinary centre of excellence.
Life in the School
Find out more about day-to-day life as a PhD student in the School of the Built Environment.
Take the next step
- How to apply
- Get a prospectus
- Ask us a question
- Learn about the Doctoral and Researcher College
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- Accessibility help
PhD Construction Management and Innovation
Research and Knowledge Exchange Support Team (EGIS)
+44 (0)131 451 3130
The overarching aim of our research in this area is to help construction professionals improve both the efficiency of the delivery process and the quality and sustainability of the built environment.
The built environment is fundamental to shaping our cities and regions and plays a pivotal role in achieving a wealthier, fairer, healthier and safer society. The provision of well-designed, functional and energy-efficient buildings is now an essential pre-requisite within today’s society. The construction process is complex, as it requires collaboration of multiple organisations and specialists over the whole life cycle of the built asset. It is influenced by client requirements and expectations, government policies and regulations, the development of new technologies, economic and social trends, as well as the demands of sustainable development. The aim of Construction Management and Innovation research is to come up with new solutions to address these challenges facing the construction sector.
The expertise of our research team spans a wide range of areas, including management, procurement, ICT applications, sustainability, training and skills, construction materials, and building technology. They carry out industry relevant research in the following six themes:
- Construction Project Management
- ICT in Construction
- People and Organisation
- Procurement
- Sustainability, Building Resilience & Climate Change
- Megaproject Management
Entry requirements
- Fees and funding
Research projects
Controlled and Immersive Environment (CIE) to support construction training.
(ConstructionSkills)
Apprenticeships are at the heart of the government skills policy and are regarded as a plausible route for youth employment particularly in the construction industry which is a key contributor to the economy. Training in construction trades such as painting and decorating, roofing, and bricklaying, has not yet benefited from the latest developments in information and communication technologies.
This project thus aims to develop a ‘Controlled Immersive Environment’ (CIE) for supporting construction trade apprenticeship training. The CIE is both a controlled and immersive environment which uses state-of-the-art sensing and information technologies in the context of training for construction trade occupations. Within the CIE, trainees perform actual tasks like they currently do in college laboratories, but the environment enables the objective and comprehensive control of both the delivery and output of the apprentice’s work. Simultaneously, the CIE immerses the apprentice within virtual and varying environments, enabling simulation of work conditions closed to those experienced in real construction sites.
The CIE has the potential to enhance the training experience of construction workers, thereby contributing to better performance in terms of health and safety practice, and productivity. The CIE, which is unique in Europe and beyond, is developed as a pilot project in collaboration with ConstructionSkills.
Additional information
Staff contributing to this research area include:
- Professor Stephen Ogunlana
- Dr Mohamed Abdel-Wahab
- Dr Graeme Bowles
- Dr Zhen Chen
- Dr Bilge Erdogan
- Dr Roshani Palliyaguru
- Dr Adekunle Oyegoke
- Dr Alan Forster
We welcome applications from suitably qualified candidates. Please visit our How to apply page .
Fees for this course can be found on the tuition fees page.
Scholarships and bursaries
We aim to encourage well-qualified, ambitious students to study with us and we offer a wide variety of scholarships and bursaries to achieve this. Over £6 million worth of opportunities are available in fee and stipend scholarships, and more than 400 students benefit from this support.
View our full range of research scholarships .
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