Dr Sameh Monna

Department: Architecture Engineering Department 

Faculty: Engineering and Information Technology 

Specialization: Sustainable built environment 

Host French partner:  University of Bordeaux 

Host Department: school of architecture of Bordeaux ENSAB

French Partner: Aline Barlet

Research Domain: sustainable built environment 

Research Project Title: Research capacities strengthening - Joint research unit on sustainable built environment

Research Project Purpose: The project aims is to strengthen research capacities in Palestinian university (An Najah National University) through establishing multi-disciplinary research unit focus on sustainable built environment. The research unit will be part of construction and transportation research center already existing at An Najah University. The new research unit will brings together researchers from different engineering fields (architecture engineering, building engineering, mechanical engineering departments and construction and transportation research center in Palestine), on the other side GRECCAU- Groupe de Recherche Environnement, confor et Conception Architecturale et Urbaine in France.

The research unit will conduct research activities in different fields such as: energy efficiency in buildings, use renewable energy in buildings, green buildings and building science. The research unit will also provide consultancy to private companies working on sustainable environment, energy efficient and green buildings to strengthen the relationship between university and private sector and to achieve financial sustainability in the long term. The multi-disciplinary joint research unit will also conduct joint research papers in the targeted fields (at least one/year during the project and two/year after the project ends).

The project will achieve the above aims and objectives through joint activities between Palestinian university and French school of architecture, using training through research; exchange of good practice; establishing research group and research laboratory on the long term. Impact of the project will be modernized and high quality Palestinian multi-disciplinary research group.

Main outputs/results: The project will address the following aims and objectives:

• Improving higher education research capacity, while promoting environmental sustainability.
• Strengthen the capacity, competitiveness and core competencies of academic staff members and young researchers in Palestine to develop research practice at the regional and international level.

Expected future impact:

• Expanding the research area of environmental sustainability in higher education in Palestine to include new technologies and new trend in the field.
• Strengthening internationalization of the Palestinian institution by creating a network of researchers and research group that will be fundamental for the reinforcement of cooperation with EU.

Future Plan: The researchers want to keep the ongoing cooperation through the international laboratory about sustainable built environment. For this reason, further research and cooperation needs more sustainable financial support.  

Main Impact: The research unit will conduct research activities in different fields such as: energy efficiency in buildings, use renewable energy in buildings, green buildings and building science. The research unit will also provide consultancy to private companies working on sustainable environment, energy efficient and green buildings to strengthen the relationship between university and private sector and to achieve financial sustainability in the long term. The multi-disciplinary joint research unit will also conduct joint research papers in the targeted fields (at least one/year during the project and two/year after the project ends).

Publication:

• Sameh Monna, Mutasim Baba, Adel Juaidi, Aline Barlet and Denis Bruneau, 2019, Improving thermal environment for school buildings in  Palestine, the role of passive design,  Journal of  Phys.: Conf. Ser. 1343 012190
• Sameh Monna, Aline Barlet, Muhannad Haj Hussein, Denis Bruneau and  Mutasim Baba , 2019, Human thermal comfort for residential buildings in hot summer and cold winter region, a user based approach,  Journal of  Phys.: Conf. Ser.  1343 012150
• Two papers are under review, will be published in 2021. 

Sustainable cooperation after the visit with Palestinian researchers and/ or French researchers:
The cooperation is ongoing since 2016, thanks to Al Maqdisi projects (2016 – 2018 and 2018 – 2020) and will continue if the support avaiable until 2024, by this date the laboratory will involve other researchers from France and other EU countries, then the international lab will continue without external financial support.