Dr Alejandro Moreno-Rangel

Lecturer

Architecture

Personal statement

Alejandro is the Director of Technology Studies (UG & PG) & Lecturer in Building Performance Evaluation and Net Zero Design. Alejandro’s main research interests are sustainable architecture and the indoor environment – indoor air quality (IAQ) and thermal comfort –, particularly Passivhaus buildings. Ultimately, the connections between sustainable architecture to health and human behaviours to create healthy homes through design research methods. Recently, Alejandro has developed an interest in using low-cost sensors as research tools and their effect on residential behaviour, design, and human health & well-being. Alejandro is also a certified Passivhaus Designer.

Publications

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Publications

Ten questions concerning the future of residential indoor air quality and its environmental justice implications: Booker Douglas, Petrou Giorgios, Chatzidiakoud L, Darpan Das, Farooq Faisal, Ferguson L, Jutila OE, Milczewska Kaja, Modlich Manlina, Moreno-Rangel Alejandro, Thakrar S, Yeoman A, Davies M, Mead MI, Miller Mark, Wild OE, Shi Z, Mavrogianni Anna, Doherty R; Building and Environment Vol 278 (2025); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.112957
Impact of indoor environmental quality on health and wellbeing in a warming climate: Al-Khatri Hanan, González Lezcano Roberto Alonso, Toledo Linda, Moreno-Rangel Alejandro; Building Research and Information Vol 53, pp. 1-2 (2025); https://doi.org/10.1080/09613218.2025.2460001
Perspectives on developing skills and competencies through Education for Sustainable Development : how do we do it, and who is responsible?: Strachan Scott, Lefever Joan-Emilie, Wesolowska Ksenia, Vaughan Helen, Moreno-Rangel Alejandro; (2024)
The housing environment and its effect on Hispanic children with asthma: Carrillo Genny, Mendez-Dominguez Nina, Moreno-Rangel Alejandro; BMC Environmental Science Vol 1 (2024); https://doi.org/10.1186/s44329-024-00010-6
Impact of outdoor air quality on indoor air quality in educational buildings : a case study of the Royal College Building and engaging with children: Moreno-Rangel Alejandro, Mohamed Sara, Sharpe Tim,; 2024 Clean Air Conference (2024)
Balancing energy-efficiency and health in retrofitted dwellings to the EnerPHit standard : achieving optimal indoor environmental quality: Moreno-Rangel Alejandro, Sharpe Tim; PLEA 2024 WROCŁAW PLEA 2024, pp. 1002-1007 (2024)

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Research

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Research Interests

Dr Alejandro Moreno-Rangel is a Lecturer in Building Performance Evaluation and Net-Zero Design at the University of Strathclyde. Alejandro’s research interests include natural material construction, building performance evaluation, building’s energy consumption, net-zero carbon buildings and their impact on health – particularly on asthma and other respiratory diseases –, the indoor environment – indoor air quality (IAQ) and thermal comfort. These research foci help him to understand the occupants’ health and behaviour to create healthy homes, particularly through the Passivhaus Standard. Alejandro is also interested in low-cost sensors and technologies for building performance evaluation and housing retrofit energy with a particular focus on deep energy retrofit. Alejandro is also a certified Passivhaus Designer.

Professional Activities

Indoor Air Quality engagement event with children: Recipient; 15/1/2025
Scotland’s response to COP29: A call to action: Invited speaker; 10/12/2024
Meet the Expert - See your Indoor Air Quality: Host; 9/11/2024
Electric Wallpaper TV news: Recipient; 17/10/2024
2024 Clean Air Conference: Participant; 2/10/2024
Ice Box Challenge in Paraguay: Advisor; 1/10/2024

More professional activities

Projects

Human-Centric, Healthy, Net-Zero Housing and the Role of Digitisation: McGill, Grainne (Principal Investigator) Dragojlovic-Oliveira, Sonja (Co-investigator) Moreno-Rangel, Alejandro (Co-investigator); 02-Jan-2024 - 02-Jan-2025
Optimising Environmental Sensor Placement in Residential Settings: AICO Ei1025 Environmental Sensors: Moreno-Rangel, Alejandro (Principal Investigator) Sharpe, Tim (Co-investigator) Farooq, Muhammad Zaeem (Researcher); The project will involve conducting real-world experiments and statistical analysis. To achieve this, multiple sensors will be placed strategically within a controlled residential room environment in the living room, bedroom and kitchen for one week at a time in each room. A maximum of 22 sensors (5 ceiling, 1 centre of the room and 16 walls) will be placed in each room. A maximum of 4 dwellings will be targeted. The data collected from these sensors will be analysed to identify trends and discrepancies in environmental readings based on the sensor's location. The monitoring would be carried out during a 3 to 4 week period within an agreed seasonal period.; 01-Jan-2024 - 31-Jan-2025
Electric Wallpaper Evaluation via Cyber-Physical Systems for Clean Heating: A Pilot Study: Taha, Ahmad (Principal Investigator) Moreno-Rangel, Alejandro (Principal Investigator); The UK's homes are among the oldest in the world and the worst insulated in Europe, which contributes to their high carbon footprint. The average UK home loses heat three times faster than, e.g., a German property. Heating in homes and buildings is a major contributor to carbon emissions in Scotland and the UK. In the UK, heating accounts for about 37% of the total carbon emissions, with three quarters of that coming from homes. In Scotland, occupied buildings account for 13% of the country's total greenhouse gas emissions, and around 30% of its total energy consumption. Gas central heating is the most common type of heating in Scotland, with 84% of households using a gas or oil boiler as their primary source of heat. Mains gas is the most common fossil fuel used for heating homes. However, more than one million homes in Scotland are not connected to the gas grid and use electric heating or other alternative fuels. The Scottish New Build Heat Standard (NBHS) requires new buildings and limited conversions that apply for a building warrant from April 1, 2024, to use climate-friendly heating systems.
Electric Wallpaper (EWP) is gaining significant attention as an innovative replacement to gas central heating, Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP), and alternative clean heating mechanisms. West of Scotland Housing Association (WSHA) are piloting the use of NexGen EWP technology in 12 tenemental properties to test the effectiveness of this innovative new clean heating product. This project therefore aims to conduct a pilot study to evaluate the performance of EWP technology in pre 1919 tenements in Glasgow using cutting edge monitoring technology empowered by the Internet-of-Things and AI-enabled data analytics. Data will be collected via a smart sensor system from 12 tenemental properties, owned by WSHA, that already have EWP installed and advanced analytics and forecasting will be applied to generate insights on heating levels, heat retention, and energy consumption taking into account tenants’ comfort level and feedback.; 01-Jan-2024 - 31-Jan-2025
Low Carbon Passport Programme: McElroy, Lori (Principal Investigator) Moreno-Rangel, Alejandro (Co-investigator); 15-Jan-2024 - 31-Jan-2025
U-value in situ test - Old Shettleston tenement buildings: Moreno-Rangel, Alejandro (Principal Investigator); 01-Jan-2024 - 31-Jan-2024
An integrated typology-based approach to guide the future development of European historic buildings towards a clean energy transition (FuturHist): Sharpe, Tim (Principal Investigator) McElroy, Lori (Co-investigator) Moreno-Rangel, Alejandro (Co-investigator) Farooq, Muhammad Zaeem (Researcher); 01-Jan-2024 - 31-Jan-2027