Dr Zhixin Liu

School of Architecture and Landscape

Lecturer

Headshot of Dr Zhixin Liu
Profile picture of Headshot of Dr Zhixin Liu
zhixin.liu@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 7410 078872

Full contact details

Dr Zhixin Liu
School of Architecture and Landscape
Arts Tower
Western Bank
Sheffield
S10 2TN
Profile

I started my career as a lecturer at Department of Landscape Architecture, University of Sheffield, in 2024. Prior to joining Sheffield, I was a research assistant professor at School of Architecture, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and a postdoctoral fellow at Institute of Future Cities, CUHK. I received my Ph.D degree in Building Environment and Energy Laboratory, South China University of Technology. I was a visiting scholar at Microclimate Design Research Group, Department of Landscape Architecture & Urban Planning, Texas A&M University.

I have been actively involved in urban microclimate research since 2013 and have authored more than fifteen journal papers focusing on the thermal and human-biometeorological effects of urban greening. My research focuses on climate-adaptive urban environmental design and planning with a specific focus on urban microclimate, urban greening, and outdoor human thermal health. My expertise is in urban microclimate assessment via field observations and numerical simulation. By conducting interdisciplinary research, I focus on providing scientific evidence and translating it to practical strategies for landscape designers, practitioners, and decision-makers for making a better living urban environment.

I enthusiastically participate in academic activities, serving as a reviewer for over ten leading journals in the fields of urban (micro)climate, urban greening, and biometeorology. In 2023, I was honored with the "Excellence in Reviewing" award by Urban Climate for my contributions. Additionally, I serve as the primary editor for a book titled Urban Greenery and Microclimate: Experience from Subtropical High-density Cities for Climate-sensitive Planning and Design, which is being prepared for publication by Springer.

Research interests
  • Urban greening
  • Climate-responsive greening design
  • Urban microclimate
  • Human thermal comfort/health
  • Microclimate research methodology
Publications

Journal articles

Grants

2023-2025

Study on the long-term impact of green space on urban local climate and building energy consumption in hot and humid areas

An international scientific and technological cooperation projects (Co-I)

Funded by Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangdong Province, China

2018-2019

The Excellent Doctoral Dissertation Innovation Fund 

Funded by South China University of Technology, China

Professional activities and memberships
  • Honorary Research Associate, School of Architecture, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
  • Team Member, The Sustainable and Environmental Design Team
  • Journal refereeing: Nature Communications; Building and Environment; Sustainable Cities and Society; Urban Climate; Urban Forestry and Urban Greening; International Journal of Biometeorology; Sustainability; Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering; Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences; Architectural Science Review, etc.
  • Associate editor, Urban Climate
Awards
  • Excellence in Reviewing (2023) (awarded to Zhixin in recognition of an outstanding contribution to the quality of the journal Urban Climate)
  • The winner of Future Building Category of the "Advancing Net Zero" Ideas Competition, organized by the Hong Kong Green Building Council. Collaborated with Ronald Lu & Partners (Hong Kong) Ltd. (2021)