Led by Professor Zhao, the Centre for Sustainable Energy Technologies (CSET) is at the forefront of developments in renewable energy and sustainable technologies. Particularly solar power, low carbon heating and cooling, and green building design.
The CSET has recently secured funding from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. This will help Professor Zhao and his team to research and develop low carbon heating systems for UK public build
ings.
“Industries in the UK and China have developed very fast, and the economy is booming. But the environment is suffering.
“These technologies can provide heating and cooling to buildings alongside extremely low energy bills and near-to-zero carbon emissions. Thus creating comfortable room conditions, reduced air pollution, and improved health and living standards.” - Professor Xudong Zhao
Innovate UK’s Newton Fund: China Guangdong Programme has also pledged their support to the CSET. Their funding will help to develop an advanced, cloud-computing platform for carbon management and eco-design on an urban level.
Both projects have the potential to make massive improvements to the consumption of fossil fuels and overall carbon footprint.
Professor Zhao teaches Renewable Energy Technologies for Buildings at the University of Hull. He is a globally-recognised energy researcher in the fields of sustainable building services, renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.
Over a 30-year career, Professor Zhao has led or participated in 57 research projects worth £18m, 40 engineering consultancy projects worth £5m, and claimed eleven patents. He is one of only five UK-based academics to be included in the engineering category of the Highly Cited Researchers Report 2017, compiled by Clarivate Analytics.