Dr. James Helal specializes in life cycle assessment, computational design, and structural optimization of buildings. As Assistant Dean (Sustainability) of the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning at the University of Melbourne, he is committed to enhancing and realizing the strategic direction and sustainability agenda for the faculty. This involves embedding sustainability into research, teaching, learning, culture, and organizational life.
Dr. Helal's research centres on the development of innovative software tools and computer models that integrate embodied carbon assessment into the early-stage structural design of tall buildings. His work has been acknowledged internationally by the Institution of Structural Engineers, receiving the Structures Best Research into Practice prize.
As a Lecturer in Sustainable Structural Design, he teaches in the areas of materials, structures, and life cycle assessment of the built environment. His dedication to teaching excellence has been widely celebrated, with awards including the Open Award for Excellence in Teaching from the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, and the esteemed Edward Brown Award for Teaching Excellence from the University of Melbourne.
Through his leadership, research, and teaching, Dr. James Helal contributes significantly to the ongoing development of sustainable design practices in the built environment.
Experience
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2023–presentAssistant Dean (Sustainability), The University of Melbourne
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2018–presentLecturer in Sustainable Structural Design, The University of Melbourne
Education
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2021The University of Melbourne, Doctor of Philosophy / Architecture, Building and Planning
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2013The University of Melbourne, Master of Engineering / Structural
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2011The University of Melbourne, Bachelor of Commerce / Finance and Management
Publications
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2024Embodied carbon premium for vanity height: a case for the exclusion of decorative spires in the design of tall buildings, Journal of Cleaner Production
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2024Embodied carbon premium for cantilevers, Buildings
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2023Integrating embodied greenhouse gas emissions assessment into the structural design of tall buildings: A framework and software tool for design decision-making, Energy and Buildings
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2022Towards a comprehensive framework for integrating embodied environmental flow assessment into the structural design of tall buildings, PhD Thesis
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2020The influence of structural design methods on the embodied greenhouse gas emissions of structural systems for tall buildings, Structures
- Melbourne, Australia
- @james_helal
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- james.helal@unimelb.edu.au
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