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Clarice Bleil De Souza  PhD, MSc, BArch

Professor Clarice Bleil De Souza

(she/her)

PhD, MSc, BArch

Chair in Design Decision-Making

Welsh School of Architecture

Email
BleildeSouzaC@cardiff.ac.uk
Telephone
+44 29208 75969
Campuses
Bute Building, Room Room T.09, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3NB
Users
Available for postgraduate supervision

Overview

Clarice is a Professor at the Welsh School of Architecture working in the interdisciplinary area of decision-making in the built environment.

She is interested in exploring interdisciplinary aspects of decision-making including models and modelling applied to the areas of conventional design, sustainable design and regenerative design. She has done extensive work in user-centric building performance simulation and its integration throughout the design process in her teaching and research. She has a particular interest in decision-making for urban regeneration, decision-making in emergency, disaster management and post-disaster relief as well as decision-making in designing for harsh climates and decision-making in participatory design processes including low-income communities. Her work is highly interdisciplinary, and she collaborates with other academics in the areas of Computer Science, Civil and Mechanical Engineering, Urban Planning and Business.

Publication

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2016

2015

2013

2012

2009

2008

2007

2006

2001

Articles

Book sections

Books

Conferences

Monographs

Other

Thesis

Websites

Research

Interests & Expertise

Clarice is interested in exploring interdisciplinary aspects of decision-making in the built environment.

Her research interests are in the areas of:

  • Computerized-evidence based decision making in building and urban design and development
  • Using digital tools for decision-making in Regenerative and Sustainable buildings and urban design
  • Decision-making in design methods
  • User-centric building and urban simulations and their integration in the design process 
  • Exploring the use of Machine Learning in decision-making
  • Decision-making in emergency, disaster management and post-disaster relief
  • Decision-making in participatory design processes & Co-design
  • Decision-making in designing for harsh climates and low income communities
  • Decision-making and argumentation in interdisciplinary technical collaborations

Clarice has an interdisciplinary research profile: She collaborates with other academics in the areas of Computer Science, Civil and Mechanical Engineering, Urban Planning, Geography and Planning, Social Sciences and Business.

She has experience in using different research methods mainly from the Social Sciences (thematic analysis, grounded theory, participatory action research, etc.), 'Classic' Engineering (simulation, experimental design, etc.) and Human Computer Interaction (surveys, diaries, etc.).

Recent Work 

  • EU HE-MSCA-PF-2022 Host for the project fellowship DECIDE: Decoding cities for informed decision-making: a digital twin approach for monitoring territorial disparities and enhancing urban liveability.
  • EU CHANSE / ESRC grant holder for the project Smart(ening up the modern) Home: Redesigning power dynamics through domestic space digitalization. 
  • EPSRC grant holder to represent the UK in the IEA EBC Annex 79: Occupant behaviour-centric building design and operation 
  • Ambassador for the EU BUILD UP portal – The European Project for Energy Efficiency in Buildings web portal.
  • Member of new IEA Annex 91 Open BIM for Energy Efficient Buildings
  • Member of the European Reserach Alliance Joint Programme Smart Cities (EERA JPSC)
  • Member of the EU COST Action Pesitive Energy Districts (PED-EU-NET) - CA19126
  • Member of the IEA Annex 79 Occupant Behaviour-Centric Design and Operation - recently finished

 

Teaching

Current teaching          

·         PhD supervisor and PhD examiner

·         MSc Supervisor and MSc examiner

·         Course designer and leader for BSc Architecture Technology 1 (20 ECTS)

Past teaching responsibilities

  • MSc dissertations module (module leader)
  • MSc Architectural Science Research (Research Methods) module (module leader)
  • BSc Architectural Technology 1a - module leader (learning fundamentals of building physics, site analysis and building construction)
  • BSc Architectural Technology 3 – module leader (learning fundamentals of modular coordination systems, framed structures, building thermal physics and building construction by engaging the students in a design activity, specifically tailored for them to experiments with the concepts learnt)
  • MSc Explorations in Modelling – module leader (undertaking a mini-research exercise to 'think outside the box' and explore a modelling aspect that either potentially provides insights into further developments on this field or shows an original approach to the solution of a practical problem)
  • MSc teaching of Building Performance Modelling – Co-leader (learning fundamentals of dynamic thermal modelling and applying them to a controlled design-refurbishment exercise)
  • BSc Design Studio Teaching Year 3

ERASMUS activities

  • Award holder for staff exchange with CESI Graduate School of Engineering La Rochelle (France) for 2 years
  • Award holder for staff exchange with DESTEC University of Pisa (Italy) for 4 years
  • Participant to the International Credit Mobility agreement with the Moscow Higher School of Economics HSE (Russian Federation)
  • Hoster for Chioni, C. an MSc student from the University of Pisa (Italy)
  • Past coordinator and implementer for student exchange with ENSA Paris Belle-Ville (France)
  • Past coordinator and implementer for student exchange with KU Leuven (Belgium)
  • Past coordinator for student exchange with the University of Madrid (Spain)
  • Past coordinator for student exchange with Technische Universität München TUM (Germany)
  • Past coordinator for student exchange with the University of Stuttgart (Germany)
  • Past coordinator for student exchange with the Stuttgart University of applied sciences (Germany)

Biography

Clarice is a Professor at the Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University. Prior to this, she worked as a researcher in the UK and as a practitioner and environmental consultant in Brazil. She has a PhD in architectural sciences (Cardiff University - UK), an MSc in civil engineering (Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul – UFRGS- Brasil) and is a qualified architect (Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul – UFRGS- Brasil). She supervises and examines PhD and MSc students and has participated in projects funded by the European Commission, the EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Science Research Council UK) and the BRE (Building Research Establishment UK).

She is researching, teaching and supervising PhD and MSc students in the area of interdsiciplinary decision-making in the built environment using multi-domain digital models in conventional design, sustainable design and regenerative design. She has more than seventy peer-reviewed publications covering the areas of user-centric building performance simulation and its integration throughout the design process, digital decision-making in disaster management and post-disaster relief, decision-making in designing for harsh climates and in participatory design processes, and on the use of machine learning techniques to aid design decision-making.

She sits in the editorial boards of the Journal of Building Performance Simulation (Taylor & Francis), Sustainable Design and Construction (Frontiers in Built Environment journal) as well as in the IBPSA England board apart from many international scientific conference committees, including the main Building Simulation (IBPSA – BS) conferences. She is an active reviewer for several Elsevier and Taylor & Francis journals and a member of the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC – UK) college, assessing research grant applications for British Government engineering research programmes. She has been a PhD external examiner and invited to lecture in several Universities in the UK, EU and Russia, including the University College London (UCL – UK), the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL – Switzerland), Moscow Higher School of Economics (Russia), University of Pisa (Italy) among others and has been involved in prestigious programmes, such as the EU Cost Actions RESTORE (CA16114), APPLY (CA17132), PED-EU-NET (CA19126), European Reserach Alliance Joint Programmed Smart Cities EERA JPSC, IEA Annex 79 Occupant Behaviour-Centric Building Design and Operation as well as the recent IEA Annex 91 Open BIM for Energy Efficient Buildings. She is also an Ambassador for the EU BUILD UP Portal, the European Project for Energy Efficiency in Building Design and Operation. 

Honours and awards

·   Publication featured in the EU Urban Nature Atlas (https://una.city/nbs/agege/building-community-driven-vertical-gardens), developed as part of the EU-funded Naturvation project and including more than 1100 examples from European cities and beyond (www.una.city): Akinwolemiwa, O., Bleil de Souza, C., De Luca, L. M., Gwilliam, J. 2018. Building community-driven vertical greening systems for people living on less than £1 a day: a case study in Nigeria. Building and Environment 131, pp. 227-287. (10.1016/j.buildenv.2018.01.022) 

·      Publication featured by the World Bank Global Program on Nature-Based Solutions’ report “A Catalogue of Nature-Based Solutions for Urban Resilience” (https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/36507): Akinwolemiwa, O., Bleil de Souza, C., De Luca, L. M., Gwilliam, J. 2018. Building community-driven vertical greening systems for people living on less than £1 a day: a case study in Nigeria. Building and Environment 131, pp. 227-287. (10.1016/j.buildenv.2018.01.022) 

·      Publication featured in the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) PreventionWeb global knowledge sharing platform: Pezzica, C., Cutini, V., Bleil de Souza, C. 2020. Mind the gap: state of the art on decision-making related to post-disaster housing assistance. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction Jan 2020 (#openaccess #DRR #decisionmaking #UN # 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2020.101975)

·    Award nomination for best Axiomatic Design paper 2019-2021 from the Axiomatic Design Research Foundation (ADRF) for publication: Dunichkin, I.V., Bleil de Souza, C. 2020. An integrated solution to urban and sea waste management systems: using Axiomatic Design to discuss urban development risks. Far East Conference – International Multi-Conference on Industrial Engineering and Modern Technologies, Vladivostok, Russia, 1-4 October 2019, Vol. 459. Vol. 5. IOP Publishing Ltd. pp. 62084., (10.1088/1755-1315/459/6/062084)

·     BS Cairo 2019 – best paper award 2019 for the publication: Alsaadani, S. and Bleil De Souza, C. 2019. Teaching BPS to architects: A clos er look at the building performance simulation 'consumer' and 'performer' training paradigms. Presented at: BS Cairo 2019: Simulation for a sustainable built environment, Cairo - Egypt, 28 - 30 November 2019.

·      Journal of Building Performance Simulation (Taylor & Francis) - best paper award 2014-15 for the publication: Bleil De Souza, C. and Tucker, S. 2015. Thermal simulation software outputs: a conceptual data model of information presentation for building design decision makingJournal of Building Performance Simulation 9(3), pp. 227-254. (10.1080/19401493.2015.1030450)   

Professional memberships

  • Board at-Large Director International Building Performance Simulation Association (IBPSA) from 2021.
  • Board Member of the International Building Performance Simulation Association - IBPSA England
  • Board Member of the International Association of Axiomatic Design (IAAD) executive committee.
  • Editorial board member of Sustainable Design and Construction, Frontiers in Built Environment
  • Editorial board member of Journal of Building Performance Simulation, Taylor & Francis
  • EPSRC Associate Peer Review College member (sitting on panels and reviewing funding applications).
  • Editorial board member of the brazilian journal 'Ambiente Construído' Revista da Associação Nacional de Tecnologia do Ambiente Construído ANTAC - Brasil.
  • Editorial board member of the Brazilian journal ‘PARC Pesquisa em Arquitetura e Construção’ Departamento de Arquitetura e Construção da Faculdade de Engenharia Civil, Arquitetura e Urbanismo da Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP) – Brasil.
  • Member of scientific committees of International Building Performance Simulation (IBPSA) Conferences, Building Simulation and Optimization (BSO) Conferences, Urban Energy in a Net Zero World (uSIM), International Conference on Axiomatic Design (ICAD), FORM-2019 and 2020 conferences.
  • Reviewer for: Automation in Construction (Elsevier), Journal of Building Performance Simulation (Taylor & Francis), Building and Environment (Elsevier), Energy and Buildings (Elsevier), Architectural Science Review (Taylor & Francis), Sustainable Cities and Society (Elsevier), Advanced Engineering and Informatics (Elsevier).
  • International Building Performance Simulation Association (IBPSA) Fellow.
  • Fellow of the Higher Education Academy UK.

 

Speaking engagements

·         Pezzica, C., Bleil de Souza, C., Marchesi, M., Applying Axiomatic Design in Architecture. Workshop delivered in the ‘Productive Disruptive’, Association of Architectural Educators Conference. Cardiff, July 2023.

·         O’brien, L., Berger, C., Bleil de Souza, C., Andrews, C., Gaetani, I., Tahmasebi, F., Agee, P., Gunay, B., Occupant-centric simulation aided building design: Theory, application and case studies. EU Build UP book launch webinar. Online - June 2023. https://build-up.ec.europa.eu/en/resources-and-tools/audio-visual-resources/webinar-book-launch-occupant-centric-simulation-aided

·         Bleil de Souza, C., Pezzica, C. “Combining multiple research perspectives to make integrated decisions for regeneration and resilience.” Keynote speech Architectural Humanities Research Association - AHRA Symposium ‘Research in Crisis’ Welsh School of Architecture – Cardiff – April 2023.  

·         Bleil de Souza, C. “Axiomatic Design applications in Positive Energy Districts”. EU Cost Action PED-EU-NET Positive Energy Districts European Network Training School on ‘Useful tools for characterization and simulation of Positive Energy Districts (PED)’ - Borlange, Sweden, October 2022.

·         Wagner, A., O’brien, L., Bleil de Souza, C., Abuimara, T., Rouleau, J., Gosselin, L. Topical session: IEA Annex 79 in the 5th International Conference on Building Energy and Environment COBEEE 2022, invited speaker for the topic ‘Occupants in the design decision-making process’ – Montreal, Canada, July 2022.

·         Arch+ Research Seminar #6 Decision-making for integrated design: Towards building a regenerative future. University of Hertfordshire (UK). April 2022.

·         Bleil de Souza, C., McElroy, L., Pezzica, C., Hensen, J., Beausoleil-Morrison, I. JBPS Special Issue: Multi-domain simulation workflows for ‘Sustainable Cities & Communities’ (UN SDG 11). Promotional webinar. February 2022 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T22199IC_ZM)

·         International Energy Agency IEA Annex 79 webinar on ‘Occupants in the building design decision-making process.’ Hosted by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory LBNL – USA. December 2021 (https://www.dropbox.com/s/aeqhhwm1rjmw84j/Annex%2079%20ST3%20OB%20seminar1.mp4?dl=0).

·         Charing at the Building Simulation 2021 (BS2021) session on “Practice industry related case studies” & “Ensuring high quality simulations & BIM”

·         Ricci, L., Tucci, F., Andreucci, M. B., Battisti, C., Brown, M., Marvuglia, A., Baltov, M., Heinonen, J., Bleil de Souza, C., Jimenez Pulido, C., Wahl, D. C.  – Webinar “Rethinking sustainability” for the launch of the book “Rethinking Sustainability Towards a Regenerative Economy” Ed. Andreucci, MB, Marvuglia, A, Baltov, M & Hansen, P; Springer International, 2021. Sponsored by EU COST Action RESTORE hosted in Roma La Sapienza 30th June 2021 (https://youtu.be/L_odmXRd20o).  

·         Charing at the International Conference on Axiomatic Design (ICAD 2021) session on “Designing for Industry”.

·         ASHRAE South Brazil & IBPSA Brazil Building Performance Simulation Conference – Keynote speech: “Simulations for decision-making in the built environment” 31st May & 1st June 2021 (https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/7286359519016847618).    

·         COST Action RESTORE Final Conference – Panel discussion: “Climate change & cities, circular economy approach from cities” (guest panellist) December 2020.

·         Laird, A., Robinson, AM., Bleil de Souza, C., Godefroy, J., Cheshire, D. AECOM / CIBSE webinar “Beyond Net-Zero” the launch of CIBSE: Sustainability Guide L (webinar delivered in 2020 to an audience of more than 1200 industry practitioners in the UK and worldwide - https://cibse.org/GuideL-Launch-webinar) September 2020.

·         Chairing at the Building Simulation and Optimization (BSO 2020) session on “Parametric Design”.

·         Leading Thematic Session “Computerized evidence-based decision making” (part of the International Conference on Computational Science and Its Applications – ICCSA 2020), In collaboration with the University of Pisa (Italy) and the University of Brescia (Italy).

·         IBPSA Education, Webinar Series 2, 2019  (2 webinars delivered in 2019 to an audience of around 200 people worldwide) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8Vguwsz4X8 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9yz7ss2H_0)

·         Guest lecturer at CESI LA Rochele (France), 2023

·         Guest lecturer at DESTEC University of Pisa (Italy), 2018, 2019, 2022.

·         Guest lecture at Moscow State University of Civil Engineering MGSU (Russia), 2019.

·         Guest lecture at State University of Land Management and Planning (Russia), 2019.

·         Guest lecture at Moscow Higher School of Economics – HSE (Russia), 2019.

·         Guest speaker in High Performance Buildings Seminar – University of Plymouth (UK)

·         Guest lecture at the University College London (UCL) EDE MSc course (UK)

·         Guest lecture at the Faculty of Architecture & Arts, Hasselt University, Belgium

·         Guest lecturer Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul UFRGS – Brazil

Committees and reviewing

Peer reviews:

  • Journal of Building Performance Simulation (Taylor & Francis)
  • Building and Environment (Elsevier)
  • Automation in Construction (Elsevier)
  • Energy and Buildings (Elsevier)
  • Architectural Science Review (Taylor & Francis)
  • Sustainable Cities and Society (Elsevier)
  • Energy and Buildings (Elsevier)
  • Advanced Engineering and Informatics (Elsevier)

Conference scientific committees:

  • International Building Performance Simulation (IBPSA) Conferences,
  • Building Simulation and Optimization (BSO) Conferences,
  • Urban Energuy in a Net Zero World (uSIM)
  • International Conference on Axiomatic Design (ICAD),
  • FORM-2019 and 2020 conferences.

Supervisions

Topics:

Areas of decision-making and modelling (urband and buildnig scale), including:

  • Computerized-evidence based decision making in building and urban design and development
  • Using digital tools for decision-making in Regenerative and Sustainable buildings and urban design
  • Decision-making in design methods
  • User-centric building and urban simulations and their integration in the design process 
  • Exploring the use of Machine Learning in decision-making
  • Decision-making in emergency, disaster management and post-disaster relief
  • Decision-making in participatory design processes & Co-design
  • Decision-making in designing for harsh climates and low income communities
  • Decision-making and argumentation in interdisciplinary technical collaboration

Current supervision

Reem Okasha Okasha

Reem Okasha Okasha

Research student

Shuye Wang

Shuye Wang

Research student

Jue Zhou

Jue Zhou

Research student

Monya Syam

Monya Syam

Research student

Past projects

Parlak, Gizem. Audit Design: a semi-automated method to scrutinize community involvement in heritage management plans. Co-supervisor:  Dr. Federico Cerutti (School of Computer Science and Informatics – Cardiff University).

Pezzica, Camilla. Temporary Housing and Transitional Urbanism: Planning for sustainable post-disaster recovery under uncertainty. Jointly supervised with Prof. Valerio Cuttini from the University of Pisa (Italy) awarded ‘Cum Laude’. 

Lorenz, Clara L. Daylight Design Exploration Using Parametric Processes and Artificial Neural Networks. Co-supervised by Prof. Benjamin Spaeth from Technical University of Lubeck (Germany)

Donovan, E. (collaboration – exchange student from Aarhus School of Architecture – Denmark) A Plurality of Sustainable Architectures: bridging the gap between theory and practice.  

Akinwolemiwa, O. (Completed 2018) Developing affordable vertical greening systems, their user acceptability and impact on thermal comfort for low-income groups in Lagos, Nigeria.

Al-Saadani, S. (completed 2013) A mixed-methods exploration of non-technical barriers in collaboration for building performance simulation use in architectural decision-making.