Developing a meta controller for building automation

3 Year Industry-led Funded PhD: Ref. No. CGE23

This PhD project is about investigating the opportunities to develop smarter, cheaper and more efficient systems of controlling our buildings and developing methods to address energy use, reduce cost and change the way in which we manage our building systems.

The aim of this project is to develop a Meta-Controller for building automation. The purpose of a Meta-Controller is to integrate existing building automation systems and to enable definition of control and automation tasks spanning multiple existing building automation systems.

One promising application area of a Meta-Controller is energy management of commercial buildings.
A demonstrator for this application scenario will be implemented and trialled during this project.

Applicants should hold a minimum of a first-class or 2.1 (Hons) degree, or Masters degree (or equivalent) in computing, electronics, control systems or closely associated subject.

Industry Partner
This doctoral research project will be supervised by Lancaster University and Demopad Software Ltd, which specialises in residential and commercial control systems. Demopad is a high tech business which trades internationally, the business is positioned at the leading edge of developments in the Internet of Things. Their software is used to construct a single unified Graphical User Interface on smartphone or tablet to control disparate systems. Demopad has an office on the University campus and has worked with the University on a range of award-winning collaborative research projects for several years.

Why Apply?
By joining the Centre for Global Eco-Innovation you will:

- Receive £15,000 tax free per year
- Have your postgraduate tuition fees paid for by your partner business, worth c£4,200/year (fees for Non EU/UK graduates are subsidised from £17,085/year to £12,964/year at 2016 rates)
- Become part of a cohort of graduates working with an award-winning team on business-led R&D
- Finish in a strong position to enter a competitive job market in the UK and overseas.

www.globalecoinnovation.org

Application Deadline
Application deadline: Sunday 26th March 2017
Provisional interview date to be confirmed.
Start date: Autumn 2017, date to be confirmed. Preference may be given to candidates who can start at the earliest opportunity.

How to apply
To apply for this opportunity please email [Email Address Removed] with:

- A CV (2 pages maximum)
- PhD Application Form http://bit.ly/cgephdap
- Application Criteria Document http://bit.ly/cgephdapcr
- Funded PhD Reference Form http://bit.ly/cgephdref
- Reference number: CGE23