Dr Kavinda Isuru Nanayakkara (he/him)

My research interests are guided by the following broader themes:

Identifying the current climate crisis as the prime focus of the building and structural engineering practise, will be looking at potential fundamental changes to the role of engineer and the processes in construction industry. Drawing from philosophy and other allied fields, will explore and investigate how structural engineering and architecture professionals can adapt their professional practices so that its negative climate impacts can be effectively managed. On this, moving from a client-centred industry to a human-centred industry is identified as a path to be explored.

On technically addressing the issue of decarbonising the construction industry, a lot can be learned from building traditions from across the world, from different cultures. It is of importance to investigate both the technologies and materials, and the role played by the variability of climate across the globe. Due recognition shall be given to the local availability of resource, as well as social, economic, and political challenges in different parts of the world. Rich traditions of local construction exist which are sustainable and common sense solutions—e.g. earthen technologies in South Asia; bamboo in South America and East Asia. However, transfer of technologies across borders has largely failed as local cultures, climate, and challenges were not faithfully accounted for—e.g. failures of Catalan shells in Africa.

A climate emergency centred research goal has the potential of being impactful to the immediate future of the humanity. Having faith in that it will be achieved, it is important to think about the grander challenges in pursuit of knowledge, beyond the immediate crisis. What technology innovations looks like in a climate change and sustainability centred world? What are the grand problems worth solving?