Professor Minna Sunikka Blank is a Professor of Architecture and Environmental Policy known for her highly impactful research bridging building science with social justice. Her work, centered on Energy Policy Housing and Gender Cambridge, directly addresses the global affordable housing crisis and climate emergency, particularly focusing on vulnerable groups in the Global South (India, South Africa, East Africa) and the UK. She is recognized for co-convening inter-disciplinary groups like GENUS, co-leading the BBP group, and for developing the concept of the ‘prebound effect,’ which has directly influenced housing retrofit policy. She is an active supervisor recruiting students for socially engaged, policy-relevant doctoral research.
Professor Minna Sunikka Blank, MSc PhD Arch SAFA | Energy Policy Housing and Gender Cambridge Supervisor
- Professor of Architecture and Environmental Policy, Director of Graduate Studies
- University of Cambridge, Department of Architecture
Quick Profile Summary
| Detail | Content |
|---|---|
| Position | Professor of Architecture and Environmental Policy |
| Affiliation | Department of Architecture, University of Cambridge |
| Collegiate Role | Fellow and Director of Studies in Architecture, Churchill College |
| Inter-disciplinary Roles | Co-convenes GENUS (Global Energy Nexus in Urban Settlements); Co-leads BBP (Behaviour and Building Performance) |
| Policy Impact | Author of British Academy COP26 Policy Briefing; Originator of the ‘Prebound Effect’ concept |
| Specialization | Energy Policy Housing and Gender Cambridge; Affordable Housing; Climate Emergency; Arts-Based Research Methods |
Introduction and Research Niche
Professor Minna Sunikka-Blank operates at the critical nexus of architectural design, global development, and environmental policy. Her work is a globally recognized example of Energy Policy Housing and Gender Cambridge, focusing explicitly on housing and energy solutions within the context of the climate emergency and the global crisis of affordable housing.
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As a registered architect (SAFA), her research is unique in its capacity to bridge professional practice, rigorous quantitative analysis (e.g., in domestic energy demand), and deep qualitative social engagement. She is renowned for developing the conceptualisation of the ‘prebound effect,’ which explains the gap between predicted and actual energy savings after a thermal retrofit, directly informing UK housing policy.
Her current research is strongly directed toward socially engaged practice through interdisciplinary collaboration. She co-convenes the inter-disciplinary Global Energy Nexus in Urban Settlements (GENUS) research group and co-leads the Behaviour and Building Performance (BBP) group, creating a rich environment for doctoral study in energy, architecture, and society.
Graduate Research Opportunities (For Prospective Students)
We are actively recruiting ambitious PhD and MPhil candidates with backgrounds in Architecture, Urban Studies, Engineering, Geography, Sociology, and Policy Analysis, who are committed to socially engaged research with a policy-relevant outcome. Opportunities focus on high-impact areas within Energy Policy Housing and Gender Cambridge:
1. Research Stream: Global Energy Transitions, Gender, and Social Justice
This stream focuses on energy access, clean cooking, and energy transitions in low-income housing and informal settlements, particularly in the Global South (India, South Africa, Kenya). Research employs collaborative and novel methodologies, including participatory filmmaking (as used in the AHRC Research Network Filming Energy – FERN project) to foreground the lived experiences of women and marginalized communities. Potential PhD topics include:
- The impact of urban densification (e.g., high-rise flats) on women’s daily energy practices and social capital in transitional housing.
- Analyzing energy transitions for clean cooking in informal settlements and assessing the suitability of policy interventions in Nairobi or similar contexts.
- Developing and applying arts-based methods in architectural research to document and communicate energy poverty.
2. Research Stream: Domestic Energy Demand and Thermal Policy
Focusing primarily on the Global North (UK and Europe), this area is dedicated to understanding and addressing the gap between modeled and actual energy use. Students would explore the conceptual framework of the ‘prebound effect’ and its implications for public policy and housing retrofit programs. Potential PhD topics include:
- Investigating the social and psychological drivers (aesthetics, class, taste) that influence homeowner retrofit decisions in the UK.
- Quantifying the relationship between economic inequality and household energy consumption, particularly concerning single parents and other vulnerable households in cold homes across Europe.
- Developing evidence-based policy briefings to drive more effective domestic thermal retrofit programs.
3. Interdisciplinary Focus: Building Design, Health, and Social Infrastructure
This stream examines the intersection of building design, social infrastructure, and well-being. Projects are interdisciplinary, often co-supervised with colleagues in engineering or geography. Research interests include the design of supportive environments and their impact on well-being and energy demand. Projects could involve:
- Investigating the role of nature and public/private landscapes in the lived experiences of women in dense urban settings.
- Analyzing the impact of specific design features (like lighting and space planning) within transitional housing or family violence refuges on occupant well-being (e.g., investigating visual stress).
Key Awards and Professional Roles
| Year | Award / Fellowship | Institution / Body |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Jury Member | RIBA Stirling Prize (UK Architecture) |
| N/A | Registered Architect (SAFA) | Association of Finnish Architects |
| N/A | Elected Member | Research and Education Committee, SAFA |
| N/A | Visiting Professorship | Keio University, Japan |
| N/A | Editorial Board Member | Buildings&Cities Journal |
Selected Publications
Authored Book (2013): A Critical Appraisal of Germany’s Thermal Retrofit Policy: Turning Down the Heat. Springer-Verlag. (Co-authored with R. Galvin).
Journal Article (2025): Li, X., Sunikka-Blank, M. (2025). “Technology, High-Rise, and Modern Homes: How Vertical Life Accelerates Domestic Energy Use in Urban China.” Housing, Theory, and Society.
Journal Article (2024): Galvin, R., Sunikka-Blank, M., DeCroon, T. (2024). “Juggling the basics: How much does an income increase affect energy spending of low-income households in England?” Energy Research and Social Science, 118.
Journal Article (2022): Sunikka-Blank, M., Bardhan, R., Mohandas, P., (2022). “From informal to formal: understanding gendered energy transitions through filmmaking in Cape Town and Mumbai.” Gender, Place & Culture.
Journal Article (2012): Sunikka-Blank, M., Galvin, R. (2012). “Prebound effect: the gap between performance and the actual consumption.” Building Research and Information 40(3).
Contact Information
Prospective students interested in supervision should reach out via the following channels:
| Detail | Content |
|---|---|
| Email Address
|
mms45@cam.ac.uk |
| University Office Phone
University Profile Link |
01223 760126 |
| Research Group Link | GENUS Research Group |
| BBC Arts Documentary | BBCArts ‘A Room in Mumbai’ (Featured Work) |
Supervisory Ethos
Professor Sunikka-Blank maintains a highly engaged and collaborative supervisory ethos, fostering research that is both intellectually rigorous and socially relevant. She values interdisciplinary thinking and actively encourages candidates to use arts-based methods and participatory research to uncover perspectives that traditional methods miss, particularly focusing on Energy Policy Housing and Gender Cambridge. She seeks candidates who are self-driven, possess a strong capacity for both quantitative and qualitative analysis, and are committed to translating their academic findings into actionable policy recommendations that address climate justice and energy poverty. Students benefit from her active policy advisory roles (e.g., COP26 briefings) and global network of NGO and non-traditional research partners.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What is the “prebound effect” and why is it important for policy?
The prebound effect is Professor Sunikka-Blank’s concept describing the gap between a building’s predicted energy use after retrofit and its actual energy use before the retrofit. It shows that people living in inefficient homes often keep them warmer (using more energy) than predicted, indicating that they were experiencing energy poverty prior to the upgrade. It’s crucial because it reveals that retrofit policies should prioritize health and comfort alongside energy savings.
2. What kind of arts-based methods are used in your research?
She uses methods like participatory filmmaking (as in the FERN project) to allow low-income residents, particularly women, to document their own lived experiences of energy use and housing quality. This provides rich, context-specific data that shapes more effective policy interventions.
3. Do I need an architectural background for research in this area?
No, the research is highly interdisciplinary. While an understanding of the built environment is beneficial, she actively co-supervises students from backgrounds in Geography, Engineering, Policy, and Sociology to tackle the complex nature of Energy Policy Housing and Gender Cambridge.
4. What is the focus of the GENUS research group?
The Global Energy Nexus in Urban Settlements (GENUS) is an inter-disciplinary group co-convened across departments like Architecture, Engineering, Geography, and the Judge Business School, focused on understanding the socio-technical challenges of energy transitions in urban environments worldwide.
5. What is the geographic focus of your doctoral projects?
The focus is equally split between the Global South (India, South Africa, Ethiopia, Jordan, Pakistan, Palestine, China) and the Global North (UK and Europe), addressing issues like energy poverty and thermal retrofit policy in both contexts.
6. What is the role of gender in your energy policy research?
Gender is central. Her work investigates how energy use, access to clean energy, and the impact of poor housing quality disproportionately affect women and shape their daily mobility patterns and well-being.
7. How involved is your research in direct policy-making?
Highly involved. Professor Sunikka-Blank authors policy briefings (such as the British Academy COP26 Briefing) and her work has been directly used to inform UK government housing and thermal retrofit policies.
8. What is the purpose of the Community Design Research Group (CDRG)?
The CDRG, based at CRASSH, focuses on how design research can be socially engaged and collaborative, working in partnership with “non-traditional research partners” like NGOs and local community groups.
9. What is the expected level of quantitative or qualitative work?
Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the work, students are encouraged to utilize mixed methods, often combining large dataset analysis of energy consumption with deep qualitative narratives obtained through interviews and participatory methods.
10. What is your supervisory role at Churchill College?
She serves as a Fellow and the Director of Studies in Architecture at Churchill College, providing academic guidance and support to undergraduate and graduate students affiliated with the College.
