Each year, we appoint a Global North Chair to enhance RENEW’s international profile. Professor Arild Gustavsen talked to us about his research, the role, and the opportunities it has provided.

For more than two decades, I have studied how physics can be applied to create better-performing buildings and neighbourhoods. This role has provided the opportunity to work side-by-side with Bath’s Centre for Regenerative Design & Engineering for a Net Positive World (RENEW) and to push our shared ambition far beyond “net zero”.

From physics to sustainable buildings

I completed both my master’s degree (1996) and PhD (2001) at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, Norway. I started in physics, and later shifted into building physics because I wanted to apply physical principles to solve practical problems, particularly in the built environment.

Buildings are responsible for a large share of global energy consumption and emissions. My research addresses this directly, working on:

• Zero-emission neighbourhoods and innovative renovation strategies
• Integration of renewable energy and new materials
• Co-designing climate-positive communities

This research is critically important because the built environment is a major contributor to global energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. — Professor Arild Gustavsen, Global North Chair

Making an impact through research and relationships

International collaboration is essential because climate, culture, economics and construction traditions vary widely. This position has given me the chance to collaborate with one of the leading centres for regenerative research. It has allowed me to work directly with Bath’s researchers, share insights from my Nordic experience, and co-develop research that pushes the boundaries of what sustainable design can be.

As the Global North Chair, I have:

• Contributed to a joint EU project proposal on circular renovation practices
• Initiated new research collaborations between NTNU and Bath
• Participated in an international project focused on underserved communities in Asia, North America, and South America

We aim to sustainably increase their resilience to local climate change effects. — Professor Arild Gustavsen, Global North Chair

What I’ve enjoyed most about this position is working with Bath’s interdisciplinary team. Engineers sit beside ecologists, economists and designers, all focused on the same regenerative goal. Their approach to regenerative design has both aligned with and expanded my perspective. Their emphasis on giving back to ecosystems and society pushes my thinking beyond efficiency toward restoration. The Centre brings together committed researchers working across fields to address complex global problems through systems thinking and practical innovation.

Driving lasting impact through research and education

This role has helped create strong links between our institutions. Going forward, I hope to deepen these collaborations by working with Bath colleagues to

• translate pilot findings into policy language that building authorities can adopt
• extend full-scale demonstrations to cold, temperate and tropical climates so that solutions prove robust everywhere
• co-author high-impact papers that weave engineering results with social-science insights on user behaviour and equity

We are also exploring how to increase student exchange so that tomorrow’s professionals can carry regenerative and sustainable architecture principles into practice. This will ensure that local knowledge shapes every intervention. Technical excellence is necessary but not sufficient; the solutions must also be culturally accepted and economically viable.