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Associate Professor Paola Leardini
Associate Professor

Paola Leardini

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+61 7 336 53957
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0426041867

Overview

Background

A/Prof Paola Leardini leads the Technology and Sustainability stream at the University of Queensland’s School of Architecture, Design and Planning. She is also a key researcher within the Centre for Future Building Structure and a former member of the Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities. With a diverse educational background in Architecture that spans Milan, Berlin, Leicester, and Copenhagen, she holds a PhD in building energy efficiency and environmental quality from Politecnico di Milano (Italy); her doctorate work was undertaken under the guidance of Prof. P. Ole Fanger, a global authority in the field of thermal comfort.

Before joining UQ in 2015, A/Prof Leardini worked extensively as an ESD (Environmentally Sustainable Design) designer, consultant, and educator in Italy, Switzerland, Germany, and New Zealand. Her professional and academic work strives to bridge the gap between design and performance, advocating for smart, healthy, and resilient built environments. Her research focuses on developing innovative solutions for achieving net-zero targets through building decarbonisation, enhancing urban resilience, and fostering a circular economy in the construction sector.

A/Prof Leardini’s research explores the intersection of building diagnostics, retrofitting, urban regeneration, and resource optimisation. Her applied research tackles environmental challenges with a focus on global and local impacts. Early in her career, she contributed to major urban regeneration projects, including the retrofitting of the "Quartiere Mazzini" historical district in Milan (2003), New Zealand's state housing eco-retrofitting (2010-2015), and more recently, a monitoring campaign of state housing in Brisbane, focusing on the relationship between energy consumption, thermal comfort, and public health.

Her extensive collaborations span international networks of academics, public agencies, and industry partners. Notably, she has served on the Queensland Government's Design Excellence Panel for social and affordable housing, established by the Department of Communities, Housing, and Digital Economy in partnership with the Office of the Queensland Government Architect.

As a certified Passivhaus designer, A/Prof Leardini co-founded the Passive House Institute New Zealand (PHINZ) in 2012 and later joined the Australian Passive House Association (APHA) in 2018. Her research has since expanded to explore how the Passive House standard can be adapted for hot and humid climates, especially in Queensland.

In 2015, A/Prof Leardini coordinated UQ Architecture’s contribution to the Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities, a government-funded initiative involving over 80 research, industry, and government partners. The project sought to deliver urban water management solutions to make Australian cities more resilient to climate change. Since 2016, she has been an active member of UQ's Centre for Future Timber Structures, working on innovative timber construction methods. She leads research in circular timber design and heads an ARC Linkage project on adaptable housing. As a Chief Investigator in the ARC Advance Timber Hub, she coordinates the Design for Extended Building Life Node, fostering the use of sustainable materials in construction.

A/Prof Leardini’s research has garnered international recognition, including publications through initiatives such as COST Action CA 20139, funded by the European Union. Her work has been featured at over 20 conferences since 2015 and regularly appears in leading Q1 journals. In addition to serving as a board member and peer reviewer for several scientific journals, she has been invited to participate in prestigious sustainable architecture competitions, including the MIT Climate CoLab hosted by the Centre for Collective Intelligence.

Memberships

  • Design Excellence Panel: Queensland social and affordable housing (since 2020)
  • Centre for Future Timber Structures (since 2016)
  • Scientific Committee of New Zealand Academy of Applied Research (since 2016)
  • Australian Passive House Association (since 2018)
  • Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities (2015-2021)

Availability

Associate Professor Paola Leardini is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Qualifications

  • Masters (Coursework) of Architecture, Politecnico di Milano
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Politecnico di Milano

Research interests

  • Circular design in timber construction

    Strategies, processes and tools for transitioning the Australian prefabricated timber construction industry to a circular economy through modular design for adaptability, disassembly and reuse.

  • Pathway to net zero multi-storey buildings in tropical and subtropical Australian climates

    Design and assessment of optimised construction systems and details to improve the environmental performance of multi-storey buildings in tropical and sub- tropical climates, with focus on their hygro-thermal behaviour and airtightness.

  • Water and energy smart suburbia

    Impacts of urban growth (on hydrological performance, resources efficiency, urban heat, and liveability) and regeneration opportunities enabled by infill development of consolidated suburban areas.

  • Water sensitive cities

    Urban densification and green/blue infrastructures: design strategies and technologies for water sensitive sites, precincts, cities and regions.

  • Passive House Standard in tropical climates

    International Passive House Standard in warm and humid climates and development of context-responsive building solutions.

  • Diagnostic, conservation and reuse of buildings of cultural and historical significance

    Development design strategies for adaptive reuse and performance upgrade of the existing building stock in socio-economic regenerated contexts.

  • Building (performance) and human interaction

    Qualitative and quantitative data-driven investigation and assessment of indoor air quality and comfort, energy efficiency and human behaviour interaction in residential, commercial and educational buildings.

Works

Search Professor Paola Leardini’s works on UQ eSpace

69 works between 2002 and 2025

1 - 20 of 69 works

2025

Other Outputs

Building performance and energy efficiency monitoring

Matthew, Paul, Leardini, Paola and Snow, Steven (2025). Building performance and energy efficiency monitoring. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland.

Building performance and energy efficiency monitoring

2024

Journal Article

Resilience and densification: an alternative pathway

Leardini, Paola (2024). Resilience and densification: an alternative pathway. Architecture Australia.

Resilience and densification: an alternative pathway

2023

Journal Article

Design for adaptability, disassembly and reuse – a review of reversible timber connection systems

Ottenhaus, Lisa-Mareike, Yan, Zidi, Brandner, Reinhard, Leardini, Paola, Fink, Gerhard and Jockwer, Robert (2023). Design for adaptability, disassembly and reuse – a review of reversible timber connection systems. Construction and Building Materials, 400 132823, 1-16. doi: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2023.132823

Design for adaptability, disassembly and reuse – a review of reversible timber connection systems

2023

Journal Article

Development of Design Optimization for Smart Grid (DOfSG) framework for residential energy efficiency via Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM) approach

Razak, Ahmad Haqqi Nazali Abdul, Ahmad, Nur Azfahani and Leardini, Paola (2023). Development of Design Optimization for Smart Grid (DOfSG) framework for residential energy efficiency via Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM) approach. International Journal of Sustainable Construction Engineering and Technology, 14 (3), 21-39. doi: 10.30880/ijscet.2023.14.03.003

Development of Design Optimization for Smart Grid (DOfSG) framework for residential energy efficiency via Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM) approach

2023

Conference Publication

Validating moisture-safe energy efficient CLT assemblies in hot and humid climates using experimental testing

Strang, Marcus, Leardini, Paola and Shirmohammadi, Maryam (2023). Validating moisture-safe energy efficient CLT assemblies in hot and humid climates using experimental testing. 13th World Conference on Timber Engineering, WCTE 2023, Oslo, Norway, 19-22 June 2023. As, Norway: World Conference on Timber Engineering. doi: 10.52202/069179-0577

Validating moisture-safe energy efficient CLT assemblies in hot and humid climates using experimental testing

2023

Conference Publication

Towards adaptability and circularity of timber buildings

Jockwer, Robert, Öberg, Vera, Ottenhaus, Lisa-Mareike, Leardini, Paola and Goto, Yutaka (2023). Towards adaptability and circularity of timber buildings. 13th World Conference on Timber Engineering: Timber for a Livable Future, WCTE 2023, Oslo, Norway, 19-22 June 2023. As, Norway: World Conference on Timber Engineering. doi: 10.52202/069179-0203

Towards adaptability and circularity of timber buildings

2023

Conference Publication

Design experiences through “urban mining” processes

Rogora, Alessandro and Leardini, Paola (2023). Design experiences through “urban mining” processes. Recycling, Rome, Italy, 26 May 2023. Rome, Italy: Anteferma.

Design experiences through “urban mining” processes

2023

Conference Publication

Adaptable and scalable housing for Australian households and stages of life

Kuiri, Lisa and Leardini, Paola (2023). Adaptable and scalable housing for Australian households and stages of life. 55th International Conference of the Architectural Science Association. Architectural Science and User Experience: How can Design Enhance the Quality of Life, Perth, WA Australia, 1-2 December 2022. Perth, WA Australia: Architectural Science Association.

Adaptable and scalable housing for Australian households and stages of life

2023

Conference Publication

Low-cost procedure for evaluating the thermal resistance of building materials

Rogora, Alessandro and Leardini, Paola (2023). Low-cost procedure for evaluating the thermal resistance of building materials. World Renewable Energy Congress Med Green Forum 2022, Perth, WA Australia, 4 - 9 December 2022. Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-33148-0_23

Low-cost procedure for evaluating the thermal resistance of building materials

2022

Journal Article

Performance of reversible timber connections in Australian light timber framed panelised construction

Yan, Zidi, Ottenhaus, Lisa-Mareike, Leardini, Paola and Jockwer, Robert (2022). Performance of reversible timber connections in Australian light timber framed panelised construction. Journal of Building Engineering, 61 105244, 1-16. doi: 10.1016/j.jobe.2022.105244

Performance of reversible timber connections in Australian light timber framed panelised construction

2022

Journal Article

Smart grid components for residential design application towards energy conservation: a review

Razak, Ahmad Haqqi Nazali Abdul, Ahmad, Nur Azfahani, Ibrahim, Che Khairil Izam Che, Kadir, Ermeey Abdul and Leardini, Paola (2022). Smart grid components for residential design application towards energy conservation: a review. Journal of Engineering Science and Technology, 17 (Special Issue 5/2022), 237-251.

Smart grid components for residential design application towards energy conservation: a review

2022

Journal Article

Human factors affecting ventilation in Australian classrooms during the COVID-19 pandemic: Toward insourcing occupants' proficiency in ventilation management

Snow, Stephen, Danam, Royce, Leardini, Paola, Glencross, Mashhuda, Beeson, Brett, Ottenhaus, Lisa-Mareike and Boden, Marie (2022). Human factors affecting ventilation in Australian classrooms during the COVID-19 pandemic: Toward insourcing occupants' proficiency in ventilation management. Frontiers in Computer Science, 4 888688. doi: 10.3389/fcomp.2022.888688

Human factors affecting ventilation in Australian classrooms during the COVID-19 pandemic: Toward insourcing occupants' proficiency in ventilation management

2022

Conference Publication

Experimental testing to validate moisture-safe CLT assemblies in hot and humid climates

Strang, Marcus, Leardini, Paola and Shirmohammadi, Maryam (2022). Experimental testing to validate moisture-safe CLT assemblies in hot and humid climates. 65th International Society of Wood Science and Technology (SWST) Convention, Kingscliff, NSW, Australia, 10-15th July 2022.

Experimental testing to validate moisture-safe CLT assemblies in hot and humid climates

2021

Journal Article

Mass timber envelopes in passivhaus buildings: designing for moisture safety in hot and humid Australian climates

Strang, Marcus, Leardini, Paola, Brambilla, Arianna and Gasparri, Eugenia (2021). Mass timber envelopes in passivhaus buildings: designing for moisture safety in hot and humid Australian climates. Buildings, 11 (10) 478, 478. doi: 10.3390/buildings11100478

Mass timber envelopes in passivhaus buildings: designing for moisture safety in hot and humid Australian climates

2021

Other Outputs

Water peripheries and new centralities

Leardini, Paola (2021). Water peripheries and new centralities. Catalogo del Padiglione Italia «Comunità Resilienti» alla Biennale Architettura 2021. (pp. 217-226) edited by Alessandro Melis, Benedetta Medas and Telmo Pievani. Rome, Italy: D Editore.

Water peripheries and new centralities

2021

Journal Article

Critical urbanism and the digitally augmented city: envisioning urban commons as civic assemblages in the age of networked translocalism, multi-associative transduction and counterhegemonic transculturalism

Manfredini, Manfredo and Leardini, Paola (2021). Critical urbanism and the digitally augmented city: envisioning urban commons as civic assemblages in the age of networked translocalism, multi-associative transduction and counterhegemonic transculturalism. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 764 (1) 012024, 012024. doi: 10.1088/1755-1315/764/1/012024

Critical urbanism and the digitally augmented city: envisioning urban commons as civic assemblages in the age of networked translocalism, multi-associative transduction and counterhegemonic transculturalism

2021

Conference Publication

Designing a durable multi-storey cross-laminated timber Passivhaus building in hot and humid Australian climates

Strang, Marcus, Leardini, Paola, Brambilla, Arianna and Gasparri, Eugenia (2021). Designing a durable multi-storey cross-laminated timber Passivhaus building in hot and humid Australian climates. World Conference on Timber Engineering, Santiago, Chile, 9-12 August 2021. Santiago, Chile: World Conference on Timber Engineering (WCTE).

Designing a durable multi-storey cross-laminated timber Passivhaus building in hot and humid Australian climates

2020

Book Chapter

Living in the Edge

Leardini, Paola and Lo, Adrian (2020). Living in the Edge. Urban Corporis. The City and the Skin. (pp. 62-71) edited by Micheal Milocco Borlini , Lelio di Loreto and Carlalberto Amadori. Florence, Italy: I.U.V.A.S. FIRENZE.

Living in the Edge

2019

Conference Publication

Blue shades of the green economy: transitioning to water sensitive cities

Leardini, Paola (2019). Blue shades of the green economy: transitioning to water sensitive cities. III International Workshop ‘Modern metropolis: the green economy of a smart city', Moscow, Russia, 19 November 2019.

Blue shades of the green economy: transitioning to water sensitive cities

2019

Conference Publication

Material benefits and risks of cross laminated timber for passive house construction in tropical climates

Strang, Marcus and Leardini, Paola (2019). Material benefits and risks of cross laminated timber for passive house construction in tropical climates. 23rd International Passive House Conference, Gaobedian, China, 9-10 October 2019. Darmstadt, Germany: Passive House Institute.

Material benefits and risks of cross laminated timber for passive house construction in tropical climates

Funding

Current funding

  • 2023 - 2028
    ARC Research Hub to Advance Timber for Australia's Future Built Environment
    ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hubs
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2027
    Offsite manufacture reimagined for high-performance adaptable housing
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2022 - 2023
    Pasay 360 Sustainability Framework
    SM Smart City Infrastructure and Development Corporation
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2024
    Building performance & energy efficiency monitoring
    Queensland Department of Communities, Housing and Digital Economy
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2022
    Study Fresh: Using Citizen Science to Engage School Children with Indoor Air Quality
    Queensland Citizen Science Grants
    Open grant
  • 2020
    Establishing carbon credentials of timber in construction
    Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2022
    ARC Research Hub to Transform Future Tall Timber Buildings
    ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hubs
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2018
    Urban Intensification & Green Infrastructure: Towards a Water Sensitive City
    CRC for Water Sensitive Cities
    Open grant

Supervision

Availability

Associate Professor Paola Leardini is:
Available for supervision

Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.

Available projects

  • Water Sensitive Design and Urban Performance Analysis

    Major cities in Australia expect significant infill development over the coming decades. This urban densification could have significant impact on hydrological performance, resources efficiency, urban heat, amenity and liveability of urban areas. Urban renewal and redevelopments enabled by infill are great opportunities to reshape cities for sustainable and resilient urban growth and facilitate moving away from unsustainable linear “extract-use-dispose” urban water management practices. However, there is limited knowledge, and tools, for the assessment of water performance of infill development. This research focuses on water sensitive design models for infill development in suburban areas; it will contribute to building cities that minimise disturbance in natural hydrology, maximising resources efficiency, amenity, and liveability.

  • Design of adaptable modular timber buildings

    This project aims to address housing performance and affordability in Australia by deploying adaptable design for spatial reconfiguration and component reuse, to advance offsite timber manufacture towards energy efficient and healthy homes as mainstream practice. The intended outcome is the development, prototyping and monitoring of an offsite manufactured panelised lightweight timber system for high-performance homes, that is adaptable to all Australian climates and long-term household changes. This will contribute to the sustainable growth of the Australian housing market with significant benefits on housing affordability, adaptable design and long-lasting performance, while boosting the offsite manufactured timber construction sector.

  • Passivhaus standard in tropical and subtropical Australia

    The Passive House (or PassivHaus) standard was originally developed in Germany and has since spread throughout Europe. In recent years it has found popularity, and has been implemented in diverse climatic regions. To date over 40,000 houses, schools, offices, and other building types have been built to the PH standard around the world, only a few in Australia. This research project aims to verify if and to what extent this standard can be applied in tropical and subtropical Australia under its specific climatic and socio-economic conditions. Given the PH is a performance standard rather than a list of prescriptive requirements, the study will identify “local” conditions relevant for the application of PH principles in the country and, accordingly, develop design strategies, to be validated by the simulation tool Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) released by the Passivhaus Institut in Darmstadt and internationally used for certification.

  • Timber Reuse in the Australian Circular Economy

    The existing building stock is a repository of secondary timber that could be extracted for reuse or repurpose, reducing construction and demolition waste as well as the demand of virgin material. This project aims to increase the reuse and repurpose potential of timber products in the future Auatralian circular economy, including the identification of new construction products using recovered timber, scenarios for the reuse of existing timber components, and design for disassembly and reuse (DfDR) guidance for timber products.

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Offsite Timber Manufacture Potential for Incremental and Transformative Housing In Australia

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Lisa Ottenhaus

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Offsite Timber Manufacture Potential for Incremental and Transformative Housing In Australia

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Lisa Ottenhaus

  • Master Philosophy

    Future homes for a resilient and healthy Australia

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Timothy O'Rourke

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Climate-based Urban Development Approach in Rapid Development Metropolitan Areas in Indonesia

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Sonia Roitman

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Offsite Timber Manufacture Potential for Incremental and Transformative Housing In Australia

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Lisa Ottenhaus

  • Doctor Philosophy

    DEMISE OF LIFELINE (of a city) & THE QUEST FOR WATER URBANISM

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Developing a climate-resilient framework for healthy cities

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Ray Maher, Dr Sara Alidoust, Professor Ali Cheshmehzangi

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Designing mixed reality to foster making practices in low socioeconomic status communities

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Fred Fialho Leandro Alves Teixeira, Dr Dhaval Vyas

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Design and performance evaluation of reversible connections for modular adaptable timber buildings

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Lisa Ottenhaus

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Designing Digital Technologies for Grassroots Sustainable Practices in Eco-Villages

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Fred Fialho Leandro Alves Teixeira, Dr Dhaval Vyas

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Designing mixed reality to foster making practices in low socioeconomic status communities

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Fred Fialho Leandro Alves Teixeira, Dr Dhaval Vyas

Completed supervision

Media

Enquiries

Contact Associate Professor Paola Leardini directly for media enquiries about:

  • building energy retrofitting
  • climate and flood resilience design
  • high energy performance multi-storey timber buildings
  • passive house standard
  • smart cities
  • urban regeneration
  • water sensitive urban design
  • zero/positive energy building

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