Climate change and subsidence risks: a case study approach

Oriel Prizeman

Professor Oriel Prizeman leads the Centre for Sustainable Building Conservation and eponymous MSc which she founded in 2013 at Cardiff.

She completed both undergraduate and doctoral studies at the University of Cambridge and her Diploma and RIBA Part 3 qualification at the Architectural Association in London.  

She brings extensive expertise spanning independent architectural practice, academic research, and teaching. Since 1996, she has taught design studios at the University of East London, the University of Cambridge, and the Royal College of Art.

She also served as director of studies for architecture at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, before joining Cardiff University in 2012.

Her contributions extend beyond academia, having advised organisations such as the Heritage Lottery Fund and UNESCO, and serving on the board of the Association for Preservation Technology.

Sharam Sharifi

Mr Shahram Sharifi is a graduate demonstrator in civil engineering and PhD student at Cardiff University School of Engineering and currently works in the field of highway structures.

With a background in both civil and structural engineering, his expertise includes sustainable construction materials, structural behaviour, and infrastructure durability.

His research focuses on the development of hybrid tendon systems for crack control and life cycle assessment of concrete components.

Shahram has presented at several conferences, including the Cardiff Engineering Research Conference and CMRN, and supports student research in areas such as self-healing concrete.

As part of the project team, he contributes knowledge in advanced materials, low-carbon design, and real-world infrastructure applications.

His work aims to connect academic research with practical challenges in the transport and construction sectors.

Dr Brunella Balzano

Dr Brunella Balzano is a senior lecturer in structural design at Cardiff University Welsh School of Architecture.

She completed her master’s degree in Italy and earned her PhD from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow.

Before joining the Cardiff University School of Engineering in 2018, she worked as a structural engineer.

At Cardiff, she held roles as both a researcher and later as a lecturer.

Her interdisciplinary career encompasses geotechnical engineering, bridge design, smart structures, and self-healing materials.

Brunella’s current research focuses on the use of smart technologies to retrofit existing masonry buildings in response to climate change, with particular attention to the growing threat of subsidence.