Zi is an Assistant Professor in the School of Engineering, Physics and Mathematics. Prior to joining Northumbria University in 2018, she received her PhD from Newcastle University, specialising in Subway Climatology, which has significant implications for metro ventilation strategies and energy consumption. She has experience working on EPSRC and BEIS funded projects in Sustainable Building and Environment, Renewable Energy Systems, and Energy Optimisation. Zi holds an MEng and a BEng (Honours) in Building Services Engineering.

Zi’s research focuses on building performance, urban microclimate interactions, and low-carbon energy systems. Her recent work centres on quantifying the feedback effects of urban microclimates on building energy use through coupled simulation workflows, and systematically reviewing the impact of microclimate conditions on building operation and energy performance. She has also investigated energy storage technologies for renewable energy integration. She has further extended her earlier research in Subway Climatology to encompass air quality and thermal comfort.

Overall, her research integrates simulation, experimental analysis, and system-level optimisation to improve building energy efficiency, sustainability, and environmental performance across urban and infrastructure contexts.