
Paola Leardini
- Email:
- p.leardini@uq.edu.au
- Phone:
- +61 7 336 53957
- Mobile:
- 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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Water sensitive cities
Urban densification and green/blue infrastructures: design strategies and technologies for water sensitive sites, precincts, cities and regions.
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Passive House Standard in tropical climates
International Passive House Standard in warm and humid climates and development of context-responsive building solutions.
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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.
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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
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.
2024
Journal Article
Resilience and densification: an alternative pathway
Leardini, Paola (2024). Resilience and densification: an alternative pathway. Architecture Australia.
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
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
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
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
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
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).
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.
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.
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.
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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Doctor Philosophy
Offsite Timber Manufacture Potential for Incremental and Transformative Housing In Australia
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Lisa Ottenhaus
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Doctor Philosophy
Offsite Timber Manufacture Potential for Incremental and Transformative Housing In Australia
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Lisa Ottenhaus
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Master Philosophy
Future homes for a resilient and healthy Australia
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Timothy O'Rourke
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Doctor Philosophy
Climate-based Urban Development Approach in Rapid Development Metropolitan Areas in Indonesia
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Sonia Roitman
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Doctor Philosophy
Offsite Timber Manufacture Potential for Incremental and Transformative Housing In Australia
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Lisa Ottenhaus
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Doctor Philosophy
DEMISE OF LIFELINE (of a city) & THE QUEST FOR WATER URBANISM
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Developing a climate-resilient framework for healthy cities
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Ray Maher, Dr Sara Alidoust, Professor Ali Cheshmehzangi
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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
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Doctor Philosophy
Design and performance evaluation of reversible connections for modular adaptable timber buildings
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Lisa Ottenhaus
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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
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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
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Moisture Safety for Energy-efficient CLT Envelopes: Pathways to Net-zero Operational Energy for Engineered Wood Multi-storey Buildings in Australian Tropical and Subtropical Climates
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Juan Hidalgo Medina, Dr Lisa Ottenhaus
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Restoring the natural water cycle in cities: an urban design framework
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Steven Kenway, Dr Sara Alidoust
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
Midlife Crisis: reducing life cycle energy use in Brisbane's older apartment towers
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Andrew Wilson
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Design and Performance Evaluation of Reversible Connections for Modular Adaptable Timber Buildings
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Lisa Ottenhaus
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Craft and Craftsmanship: Transforming Traditions and Futures for Vernacular Buildings in the Western Himalayan Region of Ladakh (India)
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Manu P. Sobti
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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