Dr Cheng Zeng

Dr Cheng Zeng

Lecturer in Renewable Energy & Sustainable Technologies

Faculty and Department

  • Institutes
  • Energy and Environmental Institute

Qualifications

  • BEng (CHONGQING UNIVERSITY)
  • MSc (Coventry University)
  • PhD / DPhil (Coventry University)

Summary

Cheng Zeng is an innovative and dedicated academic specialising in sustainable building services, renewable energy, energy-efficient technologies, and low-carbon solutions aimed at reducing carbon emissions and driving net-zero ambitions for a sustainable future. With a PhD in Thermal Energy Storage from Coventry University, an MSc in Construction Management (Distinction), and a BEng in Building Environment and Services Engineering, Cheng has a strong foundation in sustainable built environment research and engineering practices.

Throughout his career, Cheng has played a significant role in innovative, multidisciplinary research and engineering consultancy projects addressing critical sustainability and decarbonisation challenges. His expertise spans energy-efficient design, renewable energy integration, energy storage technologies, and building retrofitting. He has worked across diverse sectors, including residential, commercial, public institutions such as schools, industrial facilities, holiday and park homes, data centres, and greenhouses. The technologies he has worked on include heat pumps, evaporative dew point cooling systems, thermochemical energy storage, solar energy solutions, advanced air-conditioning systems, and more.

Notable achievements include managing an £814k EPSRC project on near-zero-carbon cooling systems, pioneering cooling solutions for data centres with electrical energy savings of up to 90%, and developing the first energy-efficient holiday homes. Cheng’s projects have collectively delivered significant carbon and energy savings, reinforcing his commitment to impactful, industry-relevant research.

As a Lecturer in Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technologies at the University of Hull, Cheng bridges cutting-edge research with teaching. He designs and delivers high-quality teaching modules, supervises dissertation projects, and mentors students, equipping the next generation of engineers with the skills to address global energy challenges. His dedication to teaching excellence is reflected in outstanding module evaluations and positive feedback from a series of successful graduates.

A Chartered Engineer (CEng) and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), Cheng combines professional expertise with academic leadership, contributing to a sustainable future through innovation, collaboration, and education. He is also a Domestic Energy Assessor under training to become a Retrofit Assessor in line with PAS2035 standards.

Cheng is keen to collaborate on low-carbon solution projects for buildings and industry. He looks forward to partnering with you to deliver impactful and innovative initiatives.

For collaborative research and engineering consultancy projects, Cheng specialises in:

• Low carbon technologies in buildings and industry

• Thermochemical energy storage

• Renewable energy integration

• Novel heating and cooling systems

• Building retrofitting

For MSc dissertations, Cheng provides guidance on diverse projects, such as:

• Advanced low-carbon technologies for building applications

• Integration of distributed energy systems in urban settings

• Community energy management and decarbonisation

For PhD projects or PhD applications, Cheng welcomes discussions on novel ideas, including opportunities to develop groundbreaking applications in renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Renewable Energy Technologies

MSc Dissertation

Solar Energy Technologies and Systems

Energy Storage Technologies and Systems

Applied Renewable Energy

Advanced Heating / Cooling Systems

Recent outputs

View more outputs

Journal Article

Time-series machine learning for predictive optimisation of a highly efficient evaporative cooling system

Wang, Z., Zeng, C., Zhu, Z., Li, Y., Ma, X., & Zhao, X. (online). Time-series machine learning for predictive optimisation of a highly efficient evaporative cooling system. Building services engineering research & technology : BSER & T, https://doi.org/10.1177/01436244251315047

Investigation of a Novel Thermochemical Reactor for Medium- and Low-Temperature Heating Applications in Buildings

Han, X., Zeng, C., Zhu, Z., Sun, Y., & Zhao, X. (2024). Investigation of a Novel Thermochemical Reactor for Medium- and Low-Temperature Heating Applications in Buildings. Buildings, 14(10), Article 3192. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14103192

Maximizing Thermal Performance in Triangular Honeycomb Thermochemical Reactors: Structural and Operating Parameter Studies

Han, X., Zeng, C., Liu, S., Cheng, Y., & Zhu, X. (2024). Maximizing Thermal Performance in Triangular Honeycomb Thermochemical Reactors: Structural and Operating Parameter Studies. Energy, 308, Article 132743. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2024.132743

Real life test of a novel super performance dew point cooling system in operational live data centre

Ma, X., Zeng, C., Zhu, Z., Zhao, X., Xiao, X., Akhlaghi, Y. G., & Shittu, S. (2023). Real life test of a novel super performance dew point cooling system in operational live data centre. Applied energy, 348, Article 121483. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2023.121483

Experimental investigation of a novel two-stage heat recovery heat pump system employing the vapor injection compressor at cold ambience and high water temperature conditions

Li, Y., Li, Z., Fan, Y., Zeng, C., Cui, Y., Zhao, X., Li, J., Chen, Y., Chen, J., & Shen, C. (2023). Experimental investigation of a novel two-stage heat recovery heat pump system employing the vapor injection compressor at cold ambience and high water temperature conditions. Renewable energy, 205, 678-694. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2023.01.101

Research interests

I have several research interests:

1. Low-Carbon Heating and Cooling Technologies: My research focuses on developing innovative low-energy solutions for residential, commercial, and industrial applications. Current projects include the development of a highly efficient dew point evaporative cooler for data centres, aimed at reducing carbon emissions and improving energy efficiency.

2. Thermal Energy Storage Systems: I am actively engaged in exploring advanced energy storage technologies, particularly thermochemical energy storage for buildings. My work includes the design and testing of novel storage systems that enhance the integration of renewable energy sources into residential and industrial energy grids.

3. Building Energy Efficiency and Decarbonisation: I am committed to improving the energy performance of buildings through innovative modelling and simulation techniques. My work involves detailed analysis of building physics, energy-efficient techniques, renewable energy integration in both new constructions and retrofits.

Committee/Steering group role

CIBSE Energy Performance Group (EPG) Main Committee Elected Member

2025

Conference presentation

A Novel Approach to Energy Efficiency in Data Centre Cooling, World Sustainable Energy Days

2024

Presented the latest findings of using an innovative method for data centre energy efficient cooling at World Sustainable Energy Days 2024

A super performance dew point cooler for data centre, CIBSE Technical Symposium

2022

Journal peer reviewer

Nature Reviews Clean Technology

2025

Sustainability

2024

Energies

2024

Buildings

2024

Membership/Fellowship of professional body

Domestic Energy Assessor

2024

Member of Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (MCIBSE)

2023

Chartered Engineer (CEng)

2023

Fellow of Advance HE (FHEA)

2023

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