REI Alumnus Spotlight – Eleonora Nicoletti

GMC Certificate Achievers & REI Alumni Spotlight Architect and PHD Researcher – Eleonora Nicoletti

In this section, we focus on the achievements of those who have attended REI courses and those who have attained the internationally recognised Galileo Master Certificate (GMC) to establish their careers in the renewable energy industry. This month, the REI talks to Eleonora Nicoletti who is an Architect and PhD Researcher at the University for the Creative Arts. Eleonora has studied through the REI’s distance learning platform to become a Solar Energy Expert Consultant.

1. What is your current expertise and how does this relate to the renewable energy field?

I am an architect specialising in designs that combine visual communication, energy efficiency and renewable energy. I have worked on projects of visually engaging installations also involving the integration of renewable energy technologies such as algae photobioreactors and flexible photovoltaics. My work ranges from design commissions and consultancy to academic research on the design of solar architectural skins at UCA Canterbury School of Architecture. My design skills include computational 3D modelling, simulation and visualisation.

2. Why did you choose to train with the Renewable Energy Institute to receive the Galileo Master Certificate (GMC) and Solar Energy Expert Certificate?

My expertise in renewable energy technologies was initially self-taught while I was working on my Master’s Thesis in Architecture. I continued reading publications on solar technologies to then start designing and prototyping with solar modules, but I soon realised my knowledge in the field of solar energy was very fragmented and incomplete. At that point I decided I needed some structured guidance and found that the Renewable Energy Institute was providing the perfect combination of courses for me that covered Solar Photovoltaics, Solar Water Heating and Electrics for Renewables, so I chose to undertake the training towards the Solar Energy Expert Certificate.

3. What are the skills that you gained with the Renewable Energy Institute, and how have you applied these skills to your career?

The knowledge I gained with the Renewable Energy Institute improved my ability to distinguish good and bad practices in solar design, stimulating me to investigate further the possibilities to optimise the performance of solar technologies. Thanks to the course in Electrics for Renewables I also acquired expertise in the essential health and safety issues to consider in projects involving electricity-generating renewables. In my work, the skills gained with the Renewable Energy Institute have helped me select solar products and compare their performance characteristics. Combined with my expertise in architectural design, the knowledge gained with the Renewable Energy Institute also led me to undertake a PhD research project that explores new possibilities for the design of high performance solar architectural skins.