Mohit Arora

Research Associate, Sustainable Built Environment & Circular Economy

  • Institute for Infrastructure and Environment
  • Centre for Future Infrastructure
  • School of Engineering

Contact details

Biography

Background

Mohit works on the convergence of design, sustainability and climate change mitigation research under Dr. Frédéric Bosché at the University of Edinburgh and Dr. Rupert J. Myers at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College London. His research focuses on Material Substitution, Material Efficiency and Circular Economy interventions and policies. He is interested in material and emissions savings to achieve climate targets and low carbon growth to provide adequate living conditions and infrastructure to all. His background in engineering design and innovation helps him develop insights at the product, sector, city and/or national scale interventions in the developing and developed economies. He continues to work on decarbonisation pathways and material stocks, flows, emissions and impacts. 

Qualifications

PhD (2020) Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore

M. Tech. (2014) Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, India

B. Tech. (2012) G. B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, India

Responsibilities & affiliations

Edinburgh Futures Institute

Imperial Life Cycle Network

International Society for Industrial Ecology

Open to PhD supervision enquiries?

Yes

Research summary

His doctoral research focused on Circular Economy Assessment and Applications from a Technology and Policy perspective. His thesis demonstrated systemic benefits of linking building demolitions with design and construction for the promotion of component reuse and sustainability.

With an interdisciplinary approach, his research combines methods from industrial ecology, engineering systems, design innovation, supply-chain optimization, architecture, anthropology, civil engineering, waste management, and low cost-low carbon construction. His research leverages Design for Development and Policy to direct practice-driven transformation in cities and industries. He aims to integrate design science into technology and public policy to solve challenges of developing world. His ongoing projects include circular economy monitoring, assessment and public policy roadmaps, urban mining practice and sustainability scale up initiatives in built environment, design guidelines and reuse adoption in products and services, as well as environmental health assessment and policies for air pollution. These efforts benefit from his engagement with leading experts, key industries and civil societies across Asia, Europe, UK, USA and Africa. He works closely with several United Nations agencies including UNOICT, UNDP, UNIDO, UNFCCC, UNGC etc. He is always keen to apply his research for evidence based policy development.

Current research interests

Sustainability, Low carbon Cities, Resource Policy, Circular Economy

Affiliated research centres

Current project grants

Regional Innovation and Circular Economy Assessment (RICE), Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Co-Fund Grant
(with F. Bosché/University of Edinburgh, R.J. Myers/Imperial College London)

Developing a data framework to improve material circularity in the Edinburgh city region, Data-Driven Innovation BEACON Build Back Better Small Grant Funding (with Sean Smith, F. Bosché/Edinburgh Futures Institute)

SDG Innovations for Circular Economy (SInCE), UN-Govt Joint Fund Malaysia
(with United Nations Industrial Development Organization, United Nations Office of Information and Communication Technology)

Data and Systems-Mapping for Improving Developing Country Circular Economies, Royal Academy of Engineering Frontiers of Development Seed Grant
(with Caitlin Bentley/University of Sheffield, Chukwunonye Ezeah/Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Nigeria, Tasfin Aziz/Bangladesh, Liberatha Kawamala/Tanzania, Shakeel Khan/Pakistan)

Adaptation and self-recovery solutions for housing flooding resilience in Ghana, Royal Academy of Engineering Frontiers of Development Seed Grant
(with Ana Bras/Liverpool John Moores University, Chris Beckett/University of Edinburgh, Irene Appeaning Addo/University of Ghana)

Flower waste bio-refinery - An innovative approach for flower waste valorisation, Royal Academy of Engineering Frontiers of Development Seed Grant
(with Parimala Shivaprasad/University of Bath, Denny Ng/Heriot-Watt University Malaysia)

Past project grants

Promoting Low-Cost Housing through Urban Mining, SUTD-MIT International Design Center Research Grant, Singapore
(with Felix Raspall, Carlos, Banon, Arlindo Silva/SUTD, Miho Mazereeuw/MIT)

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