Lecturer in Architecture and Design
Haval is a Lecturer in Architecture and Design with a profound passion for sustainability and environmental design. Prior to joining UCA in 2023, he taught at the Kent School of Architecture and Planning and the University of Duhok.
Bio
Haval is a Lecturer with over 9 years of research, teaching and industry experience. His academic journey encompasses a BSc in Architectural Engineering (First Class Honours) from the University of Duhok, Iraq, and an MSc in Architecture and the Sustainable Environment (Distinction) from the University of Kent, Canterbury. He recently earned a PhD in Architecture from the University of Kent, with a thesis entitled ‘Exploring Challenges and Opportunities of Fabric First Principles as an Alternative to Active Climate Control Technologies Within the Developing World Context’.
Beyond academia, Haval is a registered architect in Iraq. He has worked for various architectural practices and contributed to the design and construction of numerous architectural projects, notably several Fabric First-based buildings. His research within the area of sustainability has inspired him to adopt an eco-friendly approach in building design. Recently, he has collaborated with practitioners, professional bodies, educational institutions, policymakers, and NGOs in Northern Iraq to drive progressive changes in construction practices and promote environmentally conscious building design and construction.
LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/haval-abdulkareem-0ba4aa175
Research statement
Haval’s research is focused on the housing stock in Iraq and examines the application of well-insulated and airtight building envelopes as an alternative to a predominantly technological approach to thermal comfort. Firmly guided by the principles of Passivhaus/Fabric First approach along with the socio-technical and socio-economic conditions in Iraq, it develops a range of building envelope upgrading interventions for a sample of residential buildings using locally available construction materials and components. The research explores the potentiality the interventions have in terms of reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions and meeting thermal comfort criteria.
- Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
- Registered Architect, Kurdistan Engineers Union
- Vice Chancellor’s Research Scholarship from the University of Kent
- HCDP Scholarship from Kurdistan Regional Government