Research driving better architecture

At Epic Architecture, research is not separate from practice. Our projects are informed by ongoing investigation into sustainable design, off-grid living, building performance, human behaviour, and the future of housing. Through industry collaboration, academic research, and real-world projects, we translate knowledge into better outcomes for our clients and communities.

Jena Glover
Architect | Industry PhD Candidate | Researcher

Jena is currently undertaking an Industry PhD through Griffith University, investigating how architecture, energy systems, and human behaviour can be integrated to create more effective off-grid housing. Her research bridges the gap between academia and practice, ensuring every project benefits from the latest thinking in sustainable design.

News
Designing Energy Demand: An Integrated Architecture–Energy Framework for Off-Grid Residential Housing
Research
Designing Energy Demand: An Integrated Architecture–Energy Framework for Off-Grid Residential Housing
Research

Currently under review with Energy and Buildings, this research investigates how architectural design decisions directly influence the performance, reliability, and cost of off-grid energy systems. Through the development and testing of the Architecture–Energy Integration Framework (AEIF), the study demonstrates that energy demand should be treated as a design-dependent variable rather than a fixed input. Using a real-world off-grid home in regional New South Wales as a case study, the research links passive design strategies, spatial planning, solar modelling, and energy system optimisation within a unified workflow. The findings show that integrating architectural design with energy-system modelling can reduce battery storage requirements by 18.6% and overall system costs by approximately 15% while maintaining high system reliability.

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Research
Best Paper Award: International Conference on Sustainable Energy Engineering
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Best Paper Award: International Conference on Sustainable Energy Engineering
Research

Awarded Best Paper at the International Conference on Sustainable Energy and Environmental Engineering (ICSEE 2026), this research presents an architect-led framework for integrating building design and autonomous energy systems in off-grid housing. Using a completed off-grid home in regional New South Wales as a case study, the paper introduces a structured “Synergy Loop” that links architectural design decisions with energy modelling, system sizing, cost optimisation, and performance validation.

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Research
Research
Towards More Liveable and Sustainable Communities: A Co-Design Strategy for Off-Grid Housing
Research

At the AMPS Livable Cities Conference in Manchester Jena Glover, PhD candidate, Griffith University, presented research that explores how co-design approaches can improve the planning, performance, and long-term success of off-grid housing. The presentation examines the intersection of community participation, architectural design, energy systems, and user behaviour, arguing that successful autonomous housing requires more than technical optimisation alone. By drawing on contemporary co-design theory and emerging off-grid housing research, the study proposes a collaborative framework that brings homeowners, designers, and stakeholders together throughout the design process.

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Research
Bridging Design and Energy Systems: An Integrated Framework for Architectural Agency in Off-Grid Housing
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Bridging Design and Energy Systems: An Integrated Framework for Architectural Agency in Off-Grid Housing
Research

Recent research by Jena Glover, PhD candidate with Griffith University, was published in Applied Energy. This research presents a comprehensive review of 97 international studies examining the future of off-grid and autonomous housing. The paper identifies a critical gap in current research and practice: while energy systems, building performance, occupant behaviour, and policy are often studied independently, they are rarely considered as an integrated whole.

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Research
A large solitary tree with a wide trunk and sparse leaves stands in the foreground on a grassy field, with rolling hills and other trees in the distance under a clear sky.