Dr Freya Wise

Professional biography

Freya's research focusses on carbon reduction from the building environment and in particular existing and heritage buildings. She is interested in both technical aspects such as the performance of vernacular construction and building energy simulation, as well as aspects relating to the views, values and behaviours of the people who use and occupy buildings. Her research seeks to combine and 'what' and 'how' of hard science with the 'why' of social science through mixed methods and an interdisciplinary approach.

Freya is particularly interested in the lifecycle impacts of efforts to reduce carbon from the built environment and the role and recognition of embodied carbon in decision making. She is also interested in all aspects of history, especially military and naval history up to the 18th century and her historical interests feed into her work on heritage buildings and retaining their values. 

Freya thinks it is important that researchers work to share their work in an accessible and useful manner with non-specialist audiences and the policy should be evidence based and informed by research. She has created various articles and award winning short videos aimed at sharing her work with the general public and regularly contributes material to government consultations and calls for evidence on the sustainable built environment. She has also participated in task groups with LETI (Low Energy Transformation Initiative) around creating professional guidance on retrofit and presented at events organised by Historic England, The Sustainable Traditional Buildings Alliance and The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings in addition to academic conferences.