Research
Our recent research has focused on many aspects of sustainability, from supply chain impacts in the construction industry, public procurement and carbon reduction, to social value for local authorities, and funding for public sector programmes.
Centre for Environment and Sustainability (CES) University of Surrey
As a Visiting Research Fellow at CES (the internationally-acclaimed centre of excellence on sustainable development), Erica worked as lead author on a report for the Surrey Climate Commission; The Surrey Carbon Baseline Study, which identified carbon emissions across the county of Surrey
View Carbon Baseline Study 2021 here
As part of a two-year PCAN research project funded by ESRC a report ‘On multi-level climate governance in an urban/rural county: how things stand, how governance might develop: A case study of Surrey’ was published in October 2023.
This was accompanied by Policy briefing notes on Networks, Tools and Resources and Micro-level governance.
Findings from this work were presented at the Royal Academy, London.
Low Energy Transformation Initiative (LETI)
As part of the volunteer team at LETI, Erica contributed to the Embodied Carbon Primer guidance, published in 2020. LETI produced the document due to the lack of knowledge in the built environment industry about embodied carbon strategies and calculations. The document supports project teams looking to design buildings that deliver ambitious embodied carbon reductions.
View the Embodied Carbon Primer document here
Most recently, as part of the same volunteer team, Erica helped develop a LETI survey on embodied carbon in construction procurement and created a blog outlining key findings.
See the LETI survey analysis document here (published 2021).
A new Guide, ‘LETI Specification and Procurement Guide For Low and Net Zero Carbon Buildings’ will be launched in April 2023
Lost in Translation: Sustainability Down the Construction Supply Chain
Using academic research data, including her own, Erica jointly published an article on sustainability through the supply chain. This was published on ISO20400.org (a not-for-profit website sharing best practice and learnings around ISO 20400), and LocalGov, the UK's largest dedicated local government news website (2019).
Supply Chain and Sustainable construction
Erica's doctoral thesis: Leading Role or Bit Player? Main Contractors, Supply Chain and Sustainable Construction, was published in 2020.
Erica's research focused on the UK construction sector and the function of the main contractor in the procurement of sustainable assets.
To view her thesis please click on the following link: https://openresearch.surrey.ac.uk