Staff Profile

I joined the School of Engineering, Newcastle University as a Research Associate in September 2024, working on the WILSON Horizon Europe project. My background is in civil engineering, specialized in IT solutions for the built environment (BIM, GIS, Digital Twins, and energy efficiency in buildings). In my previous role as Research Associate at Teesside University I contributed to several Horizon 2020 projects (SMEmPower Efficiency, eDREAM, DR-BOB).

I completed my PhD in Civil Engineering in 2019 at Teesside University. Between 2016 and 2018 I was a KTP associate for Unasys Ltd. and Teesside University, where I conducted research and development of a novel Engineering Project Management (EPM) software to manage oil and gas and other utility assets, including the integration of reality capture, GIS data and 3D models for assets visualization and inspection.

My research focuses on IT applications for the built environment, in particular for the development of building and urban digital twins. I'm especially interested in the integration of new and existing technologies to ensure the safety and usability of built assets and to improve business efficiencies across the AEC/FM sector. 

Research interests:

• Building and Urban digital twins
• Energy modelling/energy efficiency for buildings
• BIM and digital twin applications for Facility Management/Maintenance of buildings and infrastructure
• Digital transformation of the built environment

Previous research projects:

• SMEmPower Efficiency: Worked with multidisciplinary teams across Europe in the development and delivery of a novel training course for Energy Efficiency in SMEs. https://smempower.com/

• eDREAM – Innovative demand-response technologies for a decentralized energy ecosystem: Development of aerial 3D models and simulation procedures for demand-response estimation https://edream-h2020.eu/

• DR-BOB - Demand Response in Blocks of Buildings: Preparation and submission of final reports https://www.dr-bob.eu/

• KTP Associate, Unasys Ltd. & Teesside University: Conducted research and development of a novel Engineering Project Management (EPM) software to manage oil and gas and other utility assets, including the integration of reality capture, GIS data and 3D models for assets visualisation.

• Articles

  • Patacas J, Dawood N, Kassem M. BIM for facilities management: A framework and a common data environment using open standards. Automation in Construction 2020, 120, 103366.
  • Patacas J, Dawood N, Greenwood D, Kassem M. Supporting building owners and facility managers in the validation and visualisation of asset information models (aim) through open standards and open technologies. Journal of Information Technology in Construction 2016, 21, 434-455.
  • Patacas J, Dawood N, Vukovic V, Kassem M. BIM for facilities management: Evaluating BIM standards in asset register creation and service life planning. Journal of Information Technology in Construction 2015, 20, 313-331.

• Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstract)

  • Dawood N, Miller G, Patacas J, Kassem M. Combining serious games and 4D modelling for construction health and safety training. In: Computing in Civil and Building Engineering - Proceedings of the 2014 International Conference on Computing in Civil and Building Engineering. 2014, Orlando, Florida: American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).