Profile

Daniel Curtis researches energy use in buildings at the Environmental Change Institute of the University of Oxford. His work draws on his professional expertise in integrating energy efficiency and renewables for reducing the carbon footprint of non-domestic buildings. His focus is on electrical loads and their management. He has a keen interest in the energy implications of information technology and was the Evaluation Lead on the recently completed JISC funded Low Carbon ICT project.

Before joining Oxford in early 2007, Daniel worked for three years as Energy Project Manager at a holiday resort in the Canary Islands. Being independent of all mains services, the site offered special challenges. He designed and implemented an energy strategy that more than halved consumption of carbon-based fuels whilst also significantly increasing the availability of electrical power and hot water. Daniel has worked on additional ‘off-grid’ projects in Ghana, France, Spain, and Sweden. He has worked for organisations ranging from the Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales, to the International Energy Agency in Paris.

Daniel has a Master’s degree in Environmental Technology (Energy Policy) from Imperial College, London (1994-95), and a Bachelor’s degree in Mining Engineering from the University of Leeds (1991-94). In 2009 he started reading for a DPhil on the subject: ‘Achieving 2020 carbon reduction targets in the higher education sector of England: the role of building energy information systems.’

Publications

• Noble, H., Tang, K., Curtis, D. and Jeffreys, P. (2010) Five Steps to Green Desktop Computing. ERCIM News, 80, January 2010.
• Curtis, D. and Jardine, C.N. (2009) Electrifying Clinics in Rural Ghana. Final report by the Environmental Change Institute, 2009 for Sindicatum Climate Change Foundation
• Anderson, P., Backhouse, G., Curtis, D., Redding, S., and Wallom, D. (2009) Low carbon computing: a view to 2050 and beyond. JISC report.
• Noble, H., Curtis, D. and Tang, K. (2009) Green Desktop Computing at the University of Oxford EDUCAUSE Quarterly Magazine, 32(3).
• Curtis, D. (2009) Predictions for the contribution of residential lighting to the carbon emissions of the UK to 2050. Conference paper. EEDAL, Berlin, June 2009.
• Curtis, D. and Noble, H. (2008) Power management in networked desktops. Information for Development, 6(5): 30-34.
• Hinnells, M., Layberry, R., Curtis, D. and Shea, A. (2008) Transforming UK non-residential buildings: achieving a 60% cut in CO₂ emissions by 2050. Paper to IEECB, Frankfurt April 08.