John Currie
John Currie

Prof John Currie CEng FEI MASHRAE EurIng

Professor

 0131 455 2253

  J.Currie@napier.ac.uk

  

Biography

John is a Chartered Engineer with over 35 years’ experience in teaching, research and practice. Formerly Chief Engineer with Carlsberg-Tetley Brewing, John has represented the Industry at national level to bring about significant reductions in energy utilisation. He is Director of the Scottish Energy Centre in the School of Engineering and Built Environment where he has secured significant levels of external funding (EPSRC, Innovate UK, FP7, ETP) helping to support innovative products, processes and supply chain initiatives across UK industry. The main focus of his research interests include monitoring and modelling building performance, process energy optimisation and the development of novel and innovative renewable energy systems and successfully directed 15PhD/MPhil completions and published over 100 refereed articles.

John retains strong professional links with external organisations and is a Fellow, Member of Council, and Past Chairman of the Energy Institute, Board Member of the Energy Technology Partnership, Chairman of the Energy Institute Accreditation Panel, and Member of the Engineering Council - Engineering Accreditation Board, Co-Chairman of Scotland’s 2020 Climate Group and founder of Retrofit Scotland. As well as chairing numerous academic accreditation panels, both in the UK and abroad, John holds current External Examination posts with London South Bank University and Heriot Watt University and has examined 14 PhD candidates.

School

Research Groups

Themes

Research Areas

Esteem

Advisory panels and expert committees or witness

  • Scottish Government Chair of the Scottish Industrial Energy Transition Fund
  • Member of Council - The Energy Institute
  • Wheatley Group - Pathway to Net-zero Advisory Group
  • Board Member - Energy Technology Partnership
  • CIBSE - Member of Solar Data Task Group
  • CIOB - Subject Examiner, Building Services Engineering
  • Chairman - The Institute of Energy
  • Member of Energy Institute Professional Affairs Committee
  • Co-Chairman of Scotland’s 2020 Climate Group for the Built Environment
  • Advertising Standards Agency - Expert
  • Chairman – The Energy Institute
  • Founder and Board Member – Retrofit Scotland
  • Chairman – Energy Institute Accreditation Panel
  • Member of the Engineering Accreditation Board, Engineering Council

 

Conference Organising Activity

  • Invited speaker on subject of “Energy for Craft Distillers”, UK Craft Distillers Conference, 5th and 6th October 2015, Pitlochry.
  • Invited speaker at Going4Growth 2010 Annual Conference, Newtown St Boswells
  • Paper presented on "Evaluation of Ventilation System Performance in Public Spaces", 17th AIVC Annual Conference, Gothenburg
  • Presented paper on "Air Quality in Public Houses - Monitoring and Modelling", Healthy Buildings ‘95, Milan
  • Keynote paper presented on "Evaluation of Ventilation Performance in Public Spaces", European Conference on Smoke Free Workplaces, Berlin
  • Invited speaker at All-Energy Conference on “How academia can help businesses improve their sustainability and energy efficiency”, Glasgow International Conference Centre, 5th May 2016
  • Paper presented on "An Integrated Approach to Street Canyon Pollution Modelling, Urban Air Quality: Measurement, Modelling and Management", International Conference on Urban Air Quality, Madrid, 1999
  • Presented paper on "Road Traffic Pollution and its Effect on the Internal Environment of Buildings", European Conference on Energy Performance and Indoor Climate in Buildings, Lyon 1998
  • Invited speaker at Going4Growth 2011 Annual Conference, Inverness
  • Invited speaker at BASE Glasgow Conference, SECC, 2013
  • Invited presentation to COST Action TU1205 “Building Integration of Solar Thermal Systems (BISTS)”, Barcelona, on 4th April 2016
  • Paper presented on "Breathing Sunshine into Scottish Housing", EuroSun’96, Freiburg.
  • "The Use of an Environmental Assessment Tool in Healthcare Buildings", World Sustainable Building Conference, Tokyo
  • Invited speaker at Historic Scotland Retrofit Conference, Glasgow, 2012
  • Paper presented on "Air Quality Problems in UK Public Houses - A strategy for improvement", 2nd International Conference on Indoor Air Quality, Ventilation and Energy Conservation in Buildings, Montreal.
  • Presented paper on "Indoor Air Quality - the Assessment of Public Spaces", CIB W70 International Symposium on Useroriented and Cost Effective Management, Maintenance and Modernization of Building Facilities, Helsinki.
  • Invited Speaker at Scottish Federation of Housing Associations Conference, Glasgow, 2012
  • Paper presented on "Investigation of Air Quality Problems in UK Public Houses", European Conference on Energy Performance & Indoor Climate in Buildings, Lyon.
  • Presented paper on "Sunspace Augmented Positive Input Ventilation of Buildings" at EuroSun, Glasgow, 2006
  • Presented papers on "Monitoring Pollutants in Occupied Spaces" and "Human exposure to particulate and gaseous pollutants in a bar", Healthy Buildings, Singapore, 2003

 

External Examining/Validations

  • UCL Bartlett School - Validation/Quality Review
  • Ulster University - Validation
  • External Examiner - Heriot Watt University
  • External Examiner – London South Bank University
  • External Examiner - Cork Institute of Technology
  • External Examiner - Glasgow Caledonian University
  • External Examiner - University of Highlands and Islands
  • External Examiner - University of Strathclyde

 

Fellowships and Awards

  • Principal's Award - Edinburgh Napier University
  • John Napier Memorial Medal
  • Award of Council - The Energy Institute
  • Runner-up and Highly Commended at the national Green Gown Awards the most prestigious recognition of sustainability best practice in the university and learning and skills sector, attracting over 175 entries
  • Fellow of the Energy Institute

 

Grant Funding Panel Member

  • Scottish Government Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme Panel Member

 

Grant Reviewer

  • Peer reviewer for AHRC
  • Peer reviewer for Research Council of Norway
  • Peer Reviewer for EPSRC

 

Invited Speaker

  • Interface Sustainable Design Retrofit and Resource Efficiency Measures Workshop
  • Asset Management and Maintenance Practice Exchange
  • Hong Kong British Consulate General and British Chamber of Commerce
  • Keynote Speaker, HILinks Small Business Seminar, “Small Scale Renewables and your Business”, Benbecula.
  • Invited Speaker, Greenspace Research, Low Carbon Campus Summer School, Lews Castle College, Stornoway.
  • Invited Speaker, HIE HIEnergy Seminar, Building Integrated Renewables, Ardfern.
  • Edinburgh International Science Festival on the topic of “Zero Carbon Buildings of the Future”
  • UK Craft Distillers Conference, “Energy for Craft Distillers”
  • All-Energy Conference on “How academia can help businesses improve their sustainability and energy efficiency”,
  • Interface Food & Drink Showcase – ‘Food from Thought’
  • Invited Speaker, Shanghai Normal University, simultaneously translated keynote speech to 350 undergraduate students.
  • Keynote Speaker, HILinks Small Business Seminar, Environment Research Institute, Thurso.

 

Media Activity

  • Chaired the 1999 Scottish Energy Lecture entitled “Energy Tax – Opportunity or Threat?” at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, which received widespread media coverage
  • Co-chaired the 2002 Scottish Energy Debate ‘The Energy Gap’ with Louise Batchelor and held at the Glasgow Science Centre
  • 2008 Korean Television documentary on Zero Carbon Housing featuring an interview and footage of the Scottish Energy Centre and the renewable energy technologies located at Merchiston Campus
  • Launch of Scottish Energy Centre joint venture with Windsave Ltd by Michael Russell MSP and University Principal at Craighouse Campus
  • Opening of ERACO (European Large-scale Retrofit Project) STAR (Sustainable Thermal and Acoustic Retrofit) test house with Scottish Minister Angela Constance MSP at BRE Ravenscraig on 21st May 2014
  • Chaired the 1989 Institute of Energy Young Engineers’ competition as part of the very 1st Edinburgh International Science Festival and adjudicated by Professor Heinz Wolff, the eminent bioengineering academic and presenter of “The Great Egg Race”.
  • Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards. Adjudicator and presenter of award for Green Business of the Year; sponsored by Edinburgh Napier University. 29th March 2012, Prestonfield House
  • Chaired “Energy Review 2014 - What should a set of energy New Year’s resolutions look like?”” event with invited keynote speaker Ian Marchant, Chief Executive of SSE and Chairman of Scotland’s 2020 Climate Group, to over 150 invited guests at Edinburgh Napier University on 14th January 2015
  • Hosted Government Fuel Poverty Forum at Edinburgh Napier University with Rt. Hon Michael Moore MP, Scottish Secretary, Rt. Hon Ed Davie MP, Minister for Energy, Margaret Burgess MSP, Housing Minister and representatives from all major utility companies on 24th January 2013

 

Membership of Professional Body

  • Fellow of the Energy Institute (FEI)
  • Member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (MASHRAE)
  • Ingènieur Europèen (Eur Ing) FEANI
  • Chartered Engineer (CEng) Engineering Council
  • Member of the Institute of Energy (MIoE)

 

Research Degree External Examining

  • PhD Examiner - Russell Pepper, University of Strathclyde, PhD
  • External Examiner - Ugonna Mbaezue, University of Strathclyde, MPhil
  • PhD Examiner - George Loumakis, Glasgow Caledonian University, PhD
  • PhD Examiner - Albert Kotawoke Awopone, Brunel University, PhD
  • PhD Examiner - Farajallah Abduallah Alrashed, Glasgow Caledonian University, PhD
  • External Examiner - Lucas Lira, University of Strathclyde, MPhil
  • External Examiner - Iain Macpherson, University of Highlands & Islands, MRes
  • PhD Examiner - Joseph Murray, Glasgow Caledonian University, PhD
  • External Examiner - Faisal F. Aljawabra, Heriot Watt University, MPhil

 

Reviewing

  • Peer reviewer for Journal of Building Engineering
  • Peer reviewer for Journal of Building Research & Innovation
  • Peer reviewer for AHRC Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) call
  • Reviewer for Journal articles submitted to Energy and Buildings
  • Reviewer for journal articles submitted to the Journal of Thermal Biology
  • Reviewer for journal articles submitted to Energies Journal
  • Reviewer for journal articles submitted to International Journal of Sustainable Built Environment

 

Spin-outs and Licences

  • Patent No. 02745632.6-2301-GB0203247

 

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Date


99 results

Digital Twins: Towards an Overarching Framework for the Built Environment

Journal Article
Bagireanu, A., Bros-Williamson, J., Duncheva, M., & Currie, J. (2024)
Digital Twins: Towards an Overarching Framework for the Built Environment. Architectural and Environmental Engineering, 18(1), 1-11
Digital Twins (DTs) have entered the built environment from more established industries like aviation and manufacturing, although there has never been a common goal for utilis...

Edinburgh Festival Fringe: Sandy Brechin and Friends

Exhibition / Performance
Currie, J. (2022)
Edinburgh Festival Fringe: Sandy Brechin and Friends. [Live Public Performance]. Performed at The A Club at the Merchant's Hall. 27 August 2022. (Unpublished
He's back! After two years of forced solitary accordion squeezing at home, and to the huge relief of his neighbours, Sandy returns to the A Club once again, upgraded, biceps b...

Resolving clashes between net-zero energy and acoustics engineering specifications, to enhance low-carbon building performance, regulatory compliance and future skills. Laws and standards comparison between Italy and UK

Conference Proceeding
Danza, L., Scrosati, C., Belussi, L., Scamoni, F., Currie, J., & Smith, S. (2022)
Resolving clashes between net-zero energy and acoustics engineering specifications, to enhance low-carbon building performance, regulatory compliance and future skills. Laws and standards comparison between Italy and UK. In Proceedings: Internoise 2022
Under the CNR (Italy) and RSE (Scotland) joint scientific cooperation agreement, the project deals with the development and enhancing understanding of the technical clashes an...

Indoor CO2 and Thermal Conditions in Twenty Scottish Primary School Classrooms with Different Ventilation Systems during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Journal Article
Bain-Reguis, N., Smith, A., Hollins-Martin, C., & Currie, J. (2022)
Indoor CO2 and Thermal Conditions in Twenty Scottish Primary School Classrooms with Different Ventilation Systems during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Pollutants, 2(2), 180-204. https://doi.org/10.3390/pollutants2020014
Healthy indoor environments influence the comfort, health and wellbeing of the occupants. Monitoring the indoor temperature, relative humidity and CO2 levels in primary school...

Metabolic heat loss in southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) differs with stage of moult and between habitats

Journal Article
Paterson, W. D., Chaise, L. L., McKnight, C., Currie, J. I., Thompson, D., Ancel, A., …McCafferty, D. J. (2022)
Metabolic heat loss in southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) differs with stage of moult and between habitats. Journal of Thermal Biology, 104, Article 103183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtherbio.2021.103183
The moult in southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) represents an especially energetically demanding period during which seals must maintain high skin temperature to facil...

Challenges for the transition to low-temperature heat in the UK: A Review

Journal Article
Reguis, A., Vand, B., & Currie, J. (2021)
Challenges for the transition to low-temperature heat in the UK: A Review. Energies, 14(21), Article 7181. https://doi.org/10.3390/en14217181
To reach net-zero emissions by 2050, buildings in the UK need to replace natural gas boilers with heat pumps and district heating. These technologies are efficient at reduced ...

Increased metabolic rate of hauled-out harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) during the molt

Journal Article
Paterson, W. D., Moss, S. E., Ryan, M., Currie, J., McCafferty, D. J., & Thompson, D. (2021)
Increased metabolic rate of hauled-out harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) during the molt. Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, 94(3), 152-161. https://doi.org/10.1086/713958
Harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) live in cold temperate or polar seas and molt annually, renewing their fur over a period of approximately four weeks. Epidermal processes at this...

Historic Environment Scotland Technical Paper 34: Energy consumption and behaviour profiles for eight traditionally built dwellings

Report
Stinson, J., Bros Williamson, J., Garnier, C., & Currie, J. (2020)
Historic Environment Scotland Technical Paper 34: Energy consumption and behaviour profiles for eight traditionally built dwellings. Edinburgh: Historic Environment Scotland
Over the last decade, there has been an increased awareness of the need to improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of Scotland’s building stock and to fulfl obligatio...

Edinburgh's Hogmanay 2020

Exhibition / Performance
Brechin, S., & Currie, J. Edinburgh's Hogmanay 2020. [Musical Performance]. Performed at Princes Street Gardens. 31 December 2019 - 1 January 2020. (Unpublished)

)
Brechin, S., & Currie, J. Edinburgh's Hogmanay 2020. [Musical Performance]. Performed at Princes Street Gardens. 31 December 2019 - 1 January 2020. (Unpublished
One of the official events at Edinburgh's Hogmanay, this traditional ceilidh dance for thousands is held annually in the West End of West Princes Street Garden under the castl...

Post-disturbance haulout behaviour of harbour seals

Journal Article
Paterson, W. D., Russell, D. J., Wu, G., McConnell, B., Currie, J. I., McCafferty, D. J., & Thompson, D. (2019)
Post-disturbance haulout behaviour of harbour seals. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 29(S1), 144-156. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3092
1. The impact of anthropogenic activity associated with the construction of a proposed tidal turbine on harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) was investigated using controlled distur...

Current Post Grad projects

Previous Post Grad projects

Non-Napier PhD or MSc by Research supervisions

  • Xibin Yu, University of Glasgow, ETP Energy Industry Doctorate Programme
  • Vincenzo Ortisi (PhD) - University of Highlands and Islands
  • Joseph Amoako-Attah (PhD) - University of West London
  • William Paterson (PhD) - Univesity of St. Andrews
  • John MacBeth (PhD) - University of Highlands and Islands