Projects per year
Personal profile
Expertise & Capabilities
Based in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE), Energy Systems Research Unit (ESRU), I am a Reader in Energy Systems with over 30 years research, teaching and KE experience in energy and the built environment. My areas of research are focused on the decarbonisation of our buildings and communities, with over 100 related peer-reviewed publications. My areas of expertise include building modelling and simulation, simulation tool development, energy efficiency, building integrated renewable technologies, heat pumps, solar photovoltaic and solar thermal energy conversion, probabalistic modelling of climate, building occupancy and energy use, thermal energy storage, flexible demand, monitoring of building performance and model predictive control.
I am happy to supervise MPhil and PhD students in any area linked to energy in buildings and communities.
I have an extensive funded research track record spaning some 30 years. My Current research projects include leading the modelling and data Thematic Working Group (TWG4) in the £10M Centre for Net Zero in High Density Buildings (CENZ-HighDB) funded by UKRI, the £3M DESNZ-funded GreenShed project, focused on the decarbonisation of beef farming, and validating the UK's new Home Energy Model (HEM) £3M, again funded by DESNZ.
I have a long track record of collaborating with industry, leading or contributing to 8 Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) with companies including SSE, SPEN, K J Tait, Sgurr Energy (now Wood Group) and Anderson Bell Christie. I regularly lead and contribute to expert consultancy - modelling the energy performance of all types of buildings and systems and the assessment of indoor/outdoor air quality. Recent projects include investigating performance inprovement and cost reduction strategies for heat pumps with Scottish Power and assessing the potential for cross-contamination in communal hospital treatment areas.
I deliver classes to a wide range of students, developing and delivering classes in Energy Resources and Policy, Electrical Power Systems and Engineering Artificial Environments.
I am MAE Deputy Head of Department (Research), co-direct ESRU and co-ordinate the Strathclyde Energy Theme. I represent Strathclyde at board level on the International Building Performance Association (IBPSA) and East Ayrshire Council £20M CORE project. I am the current chair of IBPSA-Scotland and sit on the Power Networks Demonstration Centre (PNDC) Strategic Advisory Board.
I was awarded the title of IBPSA Fellow in 2025 by my peers for my contributions to the field of Building Performance Simulation.
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):
Education/Academic qualification
Doctor of Philosophy, Towards a design environment for building integrared energy systems: the integration of electrical power flow modelling with building simulation, UNIVERSITY OF STRATHCLYDE
Award Date: 1 Jan 1998
Master of Science, Energy Systems and Environment, UNIVERSITY OF STRATHCLYDE
Award Date: 1 Jan 1993
Bachelor of Engineering, Environmental Engineering, UNIVERSITY OF STRATHCLYDE
Award Date: 1 Jan 1992
Keywords
- Energy
- Simulation
- Buildings
- Communities
- Renewable energy
- Energy efficiency
- Heat
- Modelling
- Modelling Softwares and Tools
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Centre for Net Zero High Density Buildings (UKRI - Accelerating the Green Economy Centres)
McElroy, L. (Principal Investigator), Kelly, N. (Co-investigator) & Farooq, M. Z. (Researcher)
NERC (Natural Environment Research Council)
1/10/24 → 30/09/28
Project: Research
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Digital Dairy Value-Chain for South-West Scotland and Cumbria (Strength in Places Fund)
Michie, C. (Principal Investigator), Wagner, B. (Academic), Wilson, J. (Academic), Andonovic, I. (Co-investigator), Atkinson, R. (Co-investigator), Bellekens, X. (Co-investigator), Galloway, S. (Co-investigator), Kelly, N. (Co-investigator), Lengden, M. (Co-investigator), Revie, M. (Co-investigator), Stewart, R. (Co-investigator), Tachtatzis, C. (Co-investigator) & Ward, A. (Co-investigator)
1/02/22 → 31/01/27
Project: Research
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Digital twinning of a novel cattle enclosure for control of methane emissions
Kelly, N. J., Flett, G., Lavery, G., Duthie, C. A. & Farquhar, J., 1 Nov 2025, In: Journal of Physics: Conference Series. 3140, 4, 7 p., 042016.Research output: Contribution to journal › Conference article › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
ML-driven thermal prediction for cyber-physical energy testing: an ESP-r–based benchmarking study for Kuwait
Alajmi, A. R. E., Rida, M. & Kelly, N., 21 Sept 2025, (Accepted/In press) 2025 IEEE 19th International Conference on Application of Information and Communication Technologies (AICT). Piscataway, NJ: IEEE, (International Conference on Application of Information and Communication Technologies (AICT)).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution book
Datasets
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Data for: "Assessing the Ability of Electrified Domestic Heating in the UK to Provide Unplanned, Short-Term Responsive Demand"
Kelly, N. (Creator), Cowie, A. (Creator) & Flett, G. H. (Creator), University of Strathclyde, 9 Sept 2021
DOI: 10.15129/8fd0350e-2f2f-44e2-bd39-c59b7274baa0
Dataset
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Programme to generate statistically-based occupancy and occupant driven electrical demand profiles.
Flett, G. H. (Creator) & Kelly, N. (Contributor), University of Strathclyde, 8 Mar 2019
DOI: 10.15129/ef54ba37-354a-40b6-9ec0-8d21cce92263
Dataset
Prizes
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Best Paper Award - World Renewable Energy Congress X
Kelly, N. (Recipient), Ete, A. (Recipient), Ulleberg, O. (Recipient) & Hoffheinz, G. (Recipient), Jul 2008
Prize: Other distinction
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Activities
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East Ayrshire - CORE - Workshop
McElroy, L. (Participant) & Kelly, N. (Organiser)
25 Mar 2025Activity: Presenting or Organising an Event › Conference, workshop, seminar or course
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Strategic Themes - EPSRC (Critical Mass) - IES Workshop
Kay, T. (Organiser), Kelly, N. (Participant), Ivaturi, A. (Participant), Oterkus, E. (Participant), Oterkus, S. (Participant), Tapinos, E. (Participant), Costola, D. (Participant), Bellingham, R. (Participant), Mariotti, D. (Participant), SARKER, S. (Participant), Henderson, K. (Participant), Gangasa Walvekar, R. (Participant), Patelli, E. (Participant), Burnside, N. (Participant) & Flett, G. H. (Participant)
7 Feb 2025Activity: Presenting or Organising an Event › Conference, workshop, seminar or course
Impacts
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Building performance simulation with computational modelling software enables practitioners to realise a low carbon built environment.
Clarke, J. (Participant), Kelly, N. (Participant) & Strachan, P. (Participant)
Impact: Impact - for External Portal › Environment and sustainability - natural world and built environment, Professional practice, training and standards
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