Role
Professor Bull is Deputy Dean of the School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment (ADBE). He supports the Dean in leading and managing the school and has particular responsibility for the student experience. Alongside this he retains a research interest in energy and sustainability in the built environment.
Career overview
Prior to joining NTU Professor Bull was Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Media at De Montfort University. He was awarded his Chair of Energy and Behaviour Change in 2018.
Having completed a BA (Hons) and Masters in Theology at the London School of Theology, Richard moved to Nottingham and worked for six years at a large family owned aerospace engineering company in North Nottinghamshire. During this time he studied part-time for an MBA at NTU’s Nottingham Business School, focusing on corporate social responsibility and environmental management. Richard went on to study for a ESRC Case Award PhD with Veolia at the University of Birmingham under Professor Judith Petts. His research explored the role of business in society through an examination of whether public engagement and deliberative processes can generate ‘social learning’ and environmental citizenship.
He joined the Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development at De Montfort University (DMU) in June 2008 as a Research Fellow before being awarded an RCUK Research Fellowship in 2009. During his time at DMU he combined a range of senior leadership roles with research. These included being subject group leader for Energy and Sustainable where he oversaw the development of MSc provision (2013-2015) Head of School Engineering and Sustainable Development (2016-17) during which time he led the HEA Green Academy Team and embedded education for sustainable development in the engineering provision, Interim PVC Dean (2017 Jan-July) and finally Deputy Dean.
In his current role he oversees learning, teaching and the student experience in ADBE alongside retaining an active research interest in sustainability in the built environment. He also chairs the School’s EDI committee.
Research areas
Professor Bull has been a Principal Investigator and Co-investigator on a range of EPSRC, EU, JISC and Innovate UK projects totalling over £4.5 million exploring the use of energy in non-domestic buildings and organisations. A recurring theme of his research is the need to move beyond feedback to explore innovative participatory methods of engagement to enhance environmental citizenship. In 2013 he was awarded the EAUC Green Gown Award for Green ICT and has been shortlisted in 2024 for Tomorrow’s Employees.
Most recently he has focused his attention on exploring the challenges and opportunities with regards the low carbon skills gap in the built environment and sustainability in SMEs. Currently overseeing the Centre of Sustainable Construction and Retrofit he has overseen several projects including the role of life cycle assessment tools in education (funded by Innovate UK with Morgan Sindall) and regional retrofit skills accelerator pilots (funded by Midlands Net Zero Hub).
External activity
Professor Bull was an expert advisor on the H2020 Smart Cities project Remourban, and an Associate Editor of Energy Research and Social Science for 6 years. He is currently a member of EMCCAs Green Growth Advisory Board and helps lead the East Midlands Sustainability Partnership.
Publications
The impact of project‐based learning on student knowledge exchange for sustainability: the case for university–business collaborations (2025)
Domingues, A. R., Yakar‐Pritchard, G., Mazhar, M. U., Siena, F. L., & Bull, R. (2025). The impact of project‐based learning on student knowledge exchange for sustainability: the case for university–business collaborations. Higher Education Quarterly, 79(3), e70029. https://doi.org/10.1111/hequ.70029
Reaching for net zero: the impact of an innovative university-led business support programme on carbon management strategy and practices of small and medium-sized enterprises (2024)
Mazhar, M., Domingues, A. R., Yakar-Pritchard, G., Bull, R., & Ling, K. (in press). Reaching for net zero: the impact of an innovative university-led business support programme on carbon management strategy and practices of small and medium-sized enterprises. Business Strategy and the Environment.
Who has the power? Reflections on citizen engagement in district heating schemes in the UK and Sweden (2023)
Bull, R., & Eadson, W. (2023). Who has the power? Reflections on citizen engagement in district heating schemes in the UK and Sweden. Energy Policy, 177, 113505. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2023.113505
An agenda for future social sciences and humanities research on energy efficiency: 100 priority research questions (2022)
Foulds, C., Royston, S., Berker, T., Nakopoulou, E., Bharucha, Z. P., Robison, R., Abram, S., Ančić, B., Arapostathis, S., Badescu, G., Bull, R., Cohen, J., Dunlop, T., Dunphy, N., Dupont, C., Fischer, C., Gram-Hanssen, K., Grandclément, C., Heiskanen, E., …Živčič, L. (2022). An agenda for future social sciences and humanities research on energy efficiency: 100 priority research questions. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 9, 223. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-022-01243-z
Levelling up and greening out: a just and holistic transition to low carbon jobs - an analysis of challenges and opportunities for the UK, the Midlands and Bolsover (2021)
Bull, R., & Domingues, A. R. (2021, November). Levelling up and greening out: a just and holistic transition to low carbon jobs - an analysis of challenges and opportunities for the UK, the Midlands and Bolsover. Nottingham Trent University. https://ntu-repository.worktribe.com/output/1501101
From discovering to delivering: a critical reflection on eco-feedback, application design, and participatory research in the United Kingdom(2020)
Chalal, M. L., Medjdoub, B., Bull, R., Shrahily, R., Bezai, N., & Cumberbatch, M. (2020). From discovering to delivering: a critical reflection on eco-feedback, application design, and participatory research in the United Kingdom. Energy Research and Social Science, 68, 101535. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2020.101535
Competing priorities: lessons in engaging students to achieve energy savings in universities (2018)
Bull, R., Romanowicz, J., Jennings, N., Laskari, M., Stuart, G., & Everitt, D. (2018). Competing priorities: lessons in engaging students to achieve energy savings in universities. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 19(7), 1220-1238. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijshe-09-2017-0157
Beyond feedback: introducing the 'engagement gap' in organizational energy management (2017)
Bull, R., & Janda, K. (2018). Beyond feedback: introducing the 'engagement gap' in organizational energy management. Building Research and Information, 46(3), 300-315. https://doi.org/10.1080/09613218.2017.1366748
Moving beyond feedback: energy behaviour and local engagement in the United Kingdom (2015)
Bull, R., Lemon, M., Everitt, D., & Stuart, G. (2015). Moving beyond feedback: energy behaviour and local engagement in the United Kingdom. Energy Research and Social Science, 8, 32-40, S2214629615000493. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2015.04.006
A new lease of life? Investigating UK property investor attitudes to low carbon investment decisions in commercial buildings (2014)
Elliott, B., Bull, R., & Mallaburn, P. (2015). A new lease of life? Investigating UK property investor attitudes to low carbon investment decisions in commercial buildings. Energy Efficiency, 8(4), 667-680. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12053-014-9314-2
The use of building energy certificates to reduce energy consumption in European public buildings (2012)
Bull, R., Chang, N., & Fleming, P. (2012). The use of building energy certificates to reduce energy consumption in European public buildings. Energy and Buildings, 50, 103-110, S0378778812001806. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2012.03.032
The importance of context for effective public engagement: learning from the governance of waste (2010)
Bull, R., Petts, J., & Evans, J. (2010). The importance of context for effective public engagement: learning from the governance of waste. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 53(8), 991-1009. https://doi.org/10.1080/09640568.2010.495503
Social learning from public engagement: dreaming the impossible? (2008)
Bull, R., Petts, J., & Evans, J. (2008). Social learning from public engagement: dreaming the impossible?. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 51(5), 701-716. https://doi.org/10.1080/09640560802208140