Anastasiya Zakharanka

Profile

I am a PhD researcher in the School of Civil Engineering at the University of Leeds. My research focuses on enhancing the adaptive thermal comfort of older people in residential buildings, with particular attention to passive thermal control strategies, indoor environmental quality, and healthy ageing in place.

My academic background is in civil engineering, sustainable building design, and building performance. Prior to starting my PhD, I worked in building design and research, contributing to projects related to energy-efficient housing, sustainable construction, and the assessment of factors affecting occupant wellbeing. I also hold an MSc in Architecture and Sustainability.

My work brings together building science, occupant behaviour, and environmental research to explore how housing can better support health, independence, and quality of life in later life.

Research interests

My research interests include thermal comfort, healthy ageing, ageing in place, indoor environmental quality, healthy and sustainable housing, building performance, occupant behaviour, and climate resilience.

My current PhD research investigates how thermal comfort influences sustainable ageing and wellbeing in later life. In particular, I am interested in how older people interact with their home environment and whether they can be understood not simply as passive recipients of building conditions, but as active participants in creating and maintaining comfortable, healthy indoor environments. The research explores how passive building-related strategies, such as window operation, shading, and ventilation, can support adaptive thermal comfort while maintaining good indoor air quality.

Through this work, I aim to contribute to the development of evidence based recommendations for age-friendly housing that supports both healthy ageing and resilience to a changing climate.

Qualifications

• MSc. Architecture and Sustainability, De Montfort University