UNIVERSITY NEWS LAST UPDATED : 23 JUNE 2014
Professor Ljubomir Jankovic will be discussing his approach to interdisciplinary problem solving, at his inaugural lecture on Wednesday 25 June.
The talk, titled ‘Solving hard problems with interdisciplinary ideas’ will address how taking inspiration and ideas from seemingly unrelated disciplines can help to solve complex problems.
Lubo Jankovic, Professor of Zero Carbon Design at Birmingham City University, said: “I will be taking the audience on a journey of how my research into designing zero carbon buildings was informed – by connecting the dots between various disciplines including nature, complexity science, computer science, engineering, building science and architecture.”
He challenges the traditional ‘top-down’ approach in science and explains how a ‘bottom-up’ approach to problem solving blurs boundaries between disciplines and takes us further in our journey of discovery.
Professor Jankovic has worked as an academic, researcher and practitioner on instrumental monitoring, dynamic simulation and environmental design of buildings over a career spanning over three decades. He joined Birmingham City University’s School of Architecture in 1989 and is a member of the Centre for Low Carbon Research, which co-ordinates research across a range of disciplines, faculties and external partners. He is also a member of the Centre for Design and Creative Industries, a well-established, interdisciplinary research centre that encompasses a broad range of creative design practices, innovation and external engagement.
His work includes the creation of a learning simulation model for buildings, a patent for an expandable and contractible building, research into nature’s zero carbon designs and research into zero carbon retrofit of buildings.
His research resulted in the publication of his book, “Designing Zero Carbon Buildings Using Dynamic Simulation Methods”. Part of his research was based on the work done to evaluate the Birmingham Zero Carbon House, a ground-breaking carbon-neutral building based on a 170-year-old redbrick Victorian house. His work showed how best to convert existing buildings into zero carbon homes of the future - and how home-owners could eliminate energy bills and fuel poverty, and potentially achieve a “lucrative” return on investment.
The inaugural lecture will take place on Wednesday 25 June, 5.30pm, in the Lecture Theatre at The Parkside Building.