Project Summary: 

The construction industry faces an urgent need to reduce material waste, embodied carbon, and reliance on carbon-intensive façade systems. This PhD research investigates whether recycled polymers, when combined with computational design workflows and additive manufacturing, can produce site-specific façade panels with improved environmental and thermal performance. Addressing this challenge, the research develops an integrated computational design workflow and decision-making matrix that synthesises climate data, material behaviour, and fabrication constraints to generate façade geometries tailored to local environmental conditions. Using a structured Design of Experiments (DoE) approach, this research measures the mechanical and thermal performance of recycled polymers suitable for large-format extrusion, providing the empirical foundation for design optimisation. 

Building on this data, the research explores how variable-density lattice geometries can balance structural integrity, passive thermal regulation, and material efficiency within a mono-material façade system. Prototypes are fabricated using large-scale 3D printing and evaluated through mechanical testing, thermal analysis, and comparative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). 

The results demonstrate that geometry-driven performance optimisation and circular material strategies can significantly reduce environmental burdens while enabling novel façade typologies tailored to climate and manufacture. Ultimately, this research contributes new knowledge on recycled-polymer behaviour, lattice-based façade optimisation, and computational decision-making frameworks for sustainable design, offering a replicable model for next-generation façade systems.