Dear GREENIN Members,
As GREENIN continues to grow, October brings further opportunities for collaboration, knowledge exchange and research impact across our network. In this edition, we highlight the first Working Group 3 meeting on Health and Wellbeing, chaired by Professor Sukumar Natarajan, alongside updates from our Lunch & Learn Webinar series and an invitation to become a future speaker. We also celebrate Professor Prashant Kumar’s recognition among the world’s Top 2% Scientists.
This month, our Core Team Spotlight features Professor Nicola Carslaw and her expertise in indoor air chemistry. We share Mini-Fellow Ziyue (Daniel) Peng’s research on window-side greenery, airflow and thermal conditions, alongside insights from Professor Philip Demokritou’s GCARE seminar on micro- and nanoplastics. Professor Kumar’s invited presentation for the Wales Green Infrastructure Forum, international adaptations of the Urban Greening ‘How To’ Toolkit and free CPD courses further connect research with practical learning and action.
“This edition highlights the breadth of expertise within and beyond GREENIN, from indoor air chemistry and building performance to health and wellbeing. Our working groups and webinars provide opportunities to connect complementary disciplines, while Mini-Fellowships support emerging researchers in developing their work. We look forward to building on these conversations, strengthening collaborations and translating evidence into practical approaches that support healthier, more sustainable and climate-resilient environments.”
Professor Prashant Kumar
GREENIN Project Lead, University of Surrey
GREENIN WG3 Explores Indoor Greening, Health and Wellbeing
On 21 October 2026, 20 participants joined the first GREENIN Working Group 3 meeting on Health and Wellbeing, chaired by Professor Sukumar Natarajan, University of Bath. Discussions explored evidence of indoor greening’s benefits and unintended effects, progress on the WG3 Rapid Review, and opportunities for collaborative research and funding.
GREENIN Director Recognised Among the World’s Top 2% Scientists
Congratulations to Professor Prashant Kumar, GREENIN’s Director and Principal Investigator, on his recognition among the world’s Top 2% Scientists in the Stanford–Elsevier citation dataset.
He ranks 57th globally for single-year impact and 175th for career-long impact in Environmental Sciences, reflecting his research contributions to clean air, health and sustainable environments.
GCARE Seminar Explores Micro- and Nanoplastics Risks and Solutions
The Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE) at the University of Surrey welcomed Professor Philip Demokritou, Henry Rutgers Chair and IAS Surrey Fellow, for a seminar titled “From Plastics to the Micro-Nanoplastics Crisis: Emerging Evidence, Risks and Solutions.”
He explored environmental fate, human exposure and potential health impacts, alongside emerging solutions to this growing challenge.
Upcoming Webinar – GREENIN Lunch & Learn Webinar #54
Don't miss our upcoming GREENIN Lunch & Learn Webinar #54. Join us to explore the latest research on indoor greening, share knowledge and connect with researchers, practitioners and industry professionals across the GREENIN community.
View webinar details and register here
Call for Speakers – GREENIN Lunch & Learn Webinar Series
We are looking for speakers to share cutting-edge research on indoor greening, healthy buildings and indoor environmental quality with the GREENIN community. If you would like to present in a future webinar, please contact greeninmnp@surrey.ac.uk.
Past Webinar – GREENIN Lunch & Learn Webinar #53
Thank you to everyone who attended Webinar #53. If you missed the webinar, you can now watch the recording online.
View previous webinars and recordings
GREENIN PI Delivers Invited Presentation for Wales Green Infrastructure Forum
On 21 October 2026, GREENIN Principal Investigator Professor Prashant Kumar delivered an invited webinar for the Wales Green Infrastructure Forum, titled “The Benefits of Parks for Mitigating Heat, Air & Noise Pollution.”
He explored how parks and green infrastructure can reduce environmental pressures and help create healthier, more climate-resilient towns and cities.
GREENIN Core Team Spotlight: Professor Nicola Carslaw
GREENIN is pleased to highlight Professor Nicola Carslaw, Professor of Indoor Air Chemistry at the University of York and a valued member of the GREENIN core team.
Nic’s research focuses on understanding how everyday activities, building materials and outdoor pollution influence indoor air chemistry and air quality. Her work combines modelling and experimental investigations, with particular expertise in the chemical processes that shape the air we breathe indoors.
Within GREENIN, Nic contributes to a range of activities, including webinars, rapid reviews, sandpit planning, advisory work and network development. Her expertise supports GREENIN’s collaborative mission to strengthen interdisciplinary partnerships and advance evidence, innovation and knowledge exchange in indoor greening, helping to understand the potential impacts of indoor green infrastructure on air quality and create healthier indoor environments.
Mini-Fellow Update: Window-Side Greenery and Indoor Thermal Conditions
GREENIN Mini-Fellow Ziyue (Daniel) Peng, a PhD Candidate at HKUST and Visiting Scholar at Heriot-Watt University, is using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to investigate how window-side greenery affects indoor airflow and thermal conditions.
Over the past three months, Daniel has developed the numerical study design and completed a preliminary validation test. His next steps include comparing turbulence modelling approaches to assess their influence on predictions.
Taking the Urban Greening ‘How To’ Toolkit Global
Building on the Urban Greening ‘How To’ Toolkit originally developed by the RECLAIM Network Plus for UK local authorities and practitioners, three new international toolkits have been co-created for Ethiopia, Malawi and Nepal.
Working closely with in-country partners, each toolkit focuses on three high-priority themes for local urban environments, providing practical, evidence-based guidance for planning green–blue infrastructure.
This work was supported by Official Development Assistance (ODA) funding from the University of Surrey, enabling the reach and impact of the toolkit to be extended through international collaboration.
Learn more: Urban Greening ‘How To’ Toolkits – International Adaptations (RECLAIM).
Level Up: Free CPD on Green, Blue and Grey Infrastructures
The RECLAIM Network is offering FREE CPD courses for a limited time on green infrastructure and healthier cities. Whether you are refreshing existing skills or exploring a new area, these courses provide an opportunity to develop your knowledge, gain free certificates and explore practical approaches to creating healthier and greener cities.
Share this opportunity with colleagues and your wider networks.
Explore CPD Courses – RECLAIM
GREENIN Community
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