Philip Griffiths has worked at Ulster University since 1994.  He was appointed Professor of Building Physics in 2015. He was Head of the Belfast School of Architecture and the Built Environment 2015-2019. He is a fellow of the Higher Education Academy, teaches on undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and supervises PhD students.

Philip is a building physicist, a fellow of both the Energy Institute and the Institution of Civil Engineers, and a Chartered Engineer, with a background in energy efficiency in buildings. He was initially employed at Ulster as a postdoc, during which time he researched novel vacuum glazing fabrication techniques using experimental performance testing and computer thermal modelling.  Since 2000 he has been researching novel use of phase change materials in buildings as energy storage and transport phenomena.  Since 2020 he has been working in the field of the application of circular economy methods within energy systems. 

He also undertakes research into low energy buildings, building retrofit and associated thermal comfort conditions. Philip has a track record of attracting EU and EPSRC funded research.  He has served twice as a UK representative on EU ESF COST funded networks. The first was Novel Phase Change Materials for Buildings and Renewable Energy Systems, and the second Implementing a Circular Economy in the Built Environment - CircularB.  

He has served on conference scientific committees.

He has served on working groups and committees advising the Northern Ireland Executive, including on a working group of the Northern Ireland Building Regulations Advisory Committee.  

Philip is the chair of the Energy Institute's Accreditation and Approval Panel, and a member of the Institute's Professional Development Committee. He represents the Institute's NI Committee on the Northern Ireland Parliament All-Party Group on Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.

He is the chair of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers working group on circular economy. 

Thermal Comfort in buildings

Circular Economy in Energy Systems and Building Services

Energy Storage in buildings and building systems.

Environmental pyschology and the built environment.

Health and Wellbeing in buildings

Indoor Environmental Quality - thermal, acoustics, visual

Building thermal modelling

Building services integration into building - HVAC, electrical, public health

Civil engineering and renewables

Rail transportation