Researcher Profile Marini Sam

Biography

Marini is the research associate for the c4SMC, and contributes to research, administration, and industry collaboration tasks. She has over 15 years of professional experience as an academic, researcher and registered international architect. She is nearing completion of her PhD at University of New South Wales, with a full scholarship from Cooperative Research Centre for Low Carbon Living (CRC for LCL), and her research is to model post-occupancy energy-related behaviour in BASIX-compliant dwellings in Sydney. Her research interests are in sustainable design, carbon emissions, climate change, building energy performance, residential energy consumption, and environmental behaviour. In addition, she has diverse academic experience in architecture, interior design, landscape design, and construction management disciplines, since 2004, both locally and internationally. Furthermore, Marini is a registered international architect who has been involved in the construction industry since 2002 and has worked in residential, commercial, institutional and recreational building projects from design inception to construction completion.

Education

• PhD Candidate, University of New South Wales, Australia
• Msc Architecture, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
• BSc in Built Environment (Hons), University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka

Honours / Awards / Grants

• Australia PhD Scholarship stipend by Cooperative Research Centre for Low Carbon Living (CRC for LCL) - $ 110,000 across 3.5 years
• Honorable Mention Poster Award– CRC for LCL annual forum (2017)
• Best Poster Award - CRC Low Carbon Living Annual Forum (2014)
• Nomination for the World’s Best Architecture Graduate Project Archiprix International- Hunter Douglas award, Glasgow, Scotland (2005)
• Vice-Chancellor travel scholarship, University of Moratuwa (2005)

Professional Affiliations

• Chartered International Architect, Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)
• Chartered Architect and Associate Member, Sri Lanka Institute of Architects
• GREEN^SL® AP, Green Associate Professional, Green Building Council of Sri Lanka
• Member, Sri Lanka Association for improving Higher Education Effectiveness
• Certificate in Teaching in Higher Education -Staff & Educational Development Association, UK (SEDA-UK)

Research Interests

• Sustainability and carbon emissions
• Climate responsive design and sensuous architecture
• Building energy performance assessments
• Post-occupancy behaviour
• Environmental behaviour and low carbon living
• Architectural history
• Architectural education

Research and Publications

• Ding, L.; Aminpour, F.; Craft, W.; Liu, E.; Yenneti, K.; Lim, B.; Samaratunga, M.; Paolini, R., and Prasad, D., 2019, Understanding Decision-Making Processes to Meet or Exceed BASIX Requirements, Department of planning, industry & environment, environment.nsw.gov.au
• Ding L; Upadhyay A; Craft W; Samaratunga M; Munsami K, 2019, Validating and Improving the BASIX Energy Assessment Tool for Low-Carbon Dwellings, Summary report. http://www.lowcarbonlivingcrc.com.au/research/program-1-integrated-building-systems/rp1017-validating-and-improving-basix-energy
• Samaratunga M; Ding L; Bishop K; Prasad D; Yee KWK, 2017, 'Modelling and Analysis of Post- Occupancy Behaviour in Residential Buildings to Inform BASIX Sustainability Assessments in NSW', in Procedia Engineering, pp. 343-355, 10.1016/j.proeng.2017.04.193
• Samaratunga M, 2017, RP1017 Modelling residential energy consumption behaviour to support low carbon living targets, Poster, CRC LCL Annual Participants Forum, http://www.lowcarbonlivingcrc.com.au/resources/crc-publications/crclcl-project-posters/student-poster-2017-rp1017-modelling-residential
• Samaratunga M, 2016, RP1017 Modelling residential energy consumption behaviour to inform BASIX sustainability assessment, building design and policy, Poster, CRC LCL Annual Participants Forum, http://www.lowcarbonlivingcrc.com.au/resources/crc-publications/crclcl-project-posters/student-poster-2016-rp1017-modelling-residential
• Ding L; Upadhyay A; Craft W; Munsami K; Samaratunga M, 2015, Validating and Improving the BASIX Energy Assessment Tool for Low-Carbon Dwellings, Industry report
• Samaratunga M, 2015, RP1017 Validating and improving the BASIX energy assessment tool for LCL Dwellings, Poster, CRC LCL Annual Participants Forum, http://www.lowcarbonlivingcrc.com.au/resources/crc-publications/crclcl-project-posters/ student-poster-2015-rp1017-validating-and
• Samaratunga M, 2014, RP1017 Development of evidence based behaviour model to support sustainability assessment, building design and policy decisions, Poster, CRC LCL Annual Participants Forum, http://www.lowcarbonlivingcrc.com.au/sites/all/files/publications_ file_attachments/rp1017_marini_samaratunga.pdf
• Samaratunga M, 2013, Approach to sustainable development through architectural education: insight to the perceptions of Sri Lankan students, Conference proceedings of World Construction Symposium 2013: Socio-Economic Sustainability in Construction, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
• Smaratunga M; Vithana UP; Obeysekera, HL; Karanarathne R, 2012, Significance of meaningful Built Environments in sustainable development with special reference to Ayurveda-eco tourism in Sri Lanka, Conference proceedings of World Construction Symposium 2012: Global Challenges in Construction Industry, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
• Samaratunga M; Gunatathne N, 2012, Reflecting regional identity in building entrances: Reflections on the emerging trends in institutional gate houses, Sri Lanka, Faculty of Architecture Research Unit (FARU) Journal, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka.
• Samaratunga M, 2011, Effective teaching strategies in Architectural education: ‘Adventure learning’- learning through experience and fun (Reflections on the teaching module World history of Architecture and Design), Faculty of Architecture Research Unit (FARU) Journal, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka.

Professional Experience

• Casual researcher at Western Sydney University, Australia (2019-Present)
• Sessional academic at Western Sydney University, Australia (2020)
• Sessional academic at University of New South Wales, Australia (2014-Present)
• Research assistant at University of New South Wales, Australia (2014-Present)
• Senior Lecturer (Full time) at University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka (2004-2017) in Architecture and Design
• Sessional Lecturer (Part Time) at National School of Business Management, Sri Lanka (2010-2013) in Interior Design
• Sessional Lecturer (Part Time) at Colombo School of Architecture, Sri Lanka (2010-2013) in History of Architecture
• Architect/ Director, Marini and Pulathisi Architect (Pvt) Ltd, Sri Lanka (2007-2014)
• Assistant Architect, State Engineering Corporation, Sri Lanka (2002-2003)

Contact

Disclaimer

This is based on the information provided by the profile holder.