Mr. Thomas Grey
Research Fellow, Civil Struct & Env. Eng.
Biography
Tom holds a degree in architecture from the Dublin Institute of Technology and a Masters in architecture (Sustainability of the Built Environment) from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. Following 10 years in practice working on projects in Ireland, the UK, Europe, the US and NZ. Tom joined TrinityHaus Research Centre in TCD in 2009. Since then he has undertaken a variety of urbanism and architectural research projects across all spatial scales examining how people-friendly design can support inclusion, health, wellbeing and social participation throughout the lifecourse.
Much of this work focuses on accessible and age-attuned urban space, communities and neighbourhoods, hospitals, residential long term care settings, housing, and gardens and greenspace. This work is underpinned by Universal Design to include all people regardless of age, ability, disability, or neurodiversity. Tom brings together this people-centred design approach with his expertise in sustainable and low-carbon design to help create integrated built environments that support resilient, climate-responsive, healthful, and inclusive communities.
Tom serves as expert and advisor with a number of national organisations and committees such as the National Standards Authority of Ireland (e.g. Chair of NSAI/TC 023/SC 01 Accessibility in Built Environment) and the BRE Sub-group on housing for our ageing population. He also the convenor support as part of the creation of new international standard ISO 25553 " Smart Multigenerational Neighbourhoods - Guidance and Requirements
All of these projects, research work, and outreach are based on collaboration, co-creation, and transdisciplinary methods and processes.
Publications and Further Research Outputs
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Lawlor, B. and Grey, T. and Cotter, E.J. and Espina Diaz, M. and Robertson, I.H., Bringing brain health home: the importance of housing and the urban environment for building this generationâ s brain health, Cities and Health, 2024
Grey T, O'Donoghue J, Xidous D, O'Neill D, Long-Term Residential Care and the Built Environment: Improving Quality of Life and Resilience Through a Universal Design Approach, Stud Health Technol Inform, 320, 2024, p207-214
O'Donoghue J, Xidous D, Grey T, O'Neill D, Residential Long-Term Care and the Built Environment: Balancing Quality of Life and Infection Control, Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 2023
Grey, T.; Xidous, D.; O Neill, D.; Collier, M.J., Growing Older Urbanism: exploring the nexus between ageing, the built environment, and urban ecosystems, Urban Transformations, 5, 2023, p8
Grey, T, O'Donoghue, J, Xidous, D, Nicol, S, Kennelly, S, Coveney, E, O"Neill, D, 142 Identifying common housing conditions affecting older people relevant to integrated Care for Older Persons in Ireland, Age and Ageing, 52, (Supplement_3), 2023
Grey T, Xidous D, O'Donoghue J, Kennelly S, O'Neill D, Improving Quality of Life and Enhancing COVID-19 Infection Control in Existing Residential Care Settings for Older People: Universal Design Guidelines, Dublin, Centre for Excellence in Universal Design, 2022, p1 - 44
O'Neill D, Xidous D, O'Donoghue J, Puntambekar M, Grey T, Residential long-term care, Covid-19 and architecture and design of the built environment, European Geriatric Medicine, 18th Congress of the European Geriatric Medicine Society, London, 28-30 September 2022, 13, (Suppl 1), 2022, ppS355
Zallio M., Grey T., Boland P., Kelly H., White P.J., O'Ferrall E., Online-based participatory design. A Case Study of Developing International Standards during a Pandemic, Strategic Design Research Journal, 15, (1), 2022, p39 - 51, p39-51
Grey T, Xidous D, O'Donoghue J, Kennelly S, O'Neill D, Universal Design for Improving Quality of Life and Enhancing COVID-19 Infection Control in Existing Residential Care Settings for Older People: Research Report, Dublin, Centre for Excellence in Universal Design, 2022, p1 - 110
O'Neill D, Grey T, Xidous D, O'Donoghue J, Puntambekar M, Rethinking nursing home architecture and design in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Innovation in Aging, Gerontological Society of America 2022 Annual Scientific Meeting, Indianapolis, USA, 2-6 November 2022, 6, (Suppl 1), 2022, pp790 - 791
Emma Burke; Jennifer O"Donoghue; Sean Kennelly; Dimitra Xidous; Thomas Grey; Desmond O"Neill, Mapping quality of life domains in nursing homes, Springer Nature, 17th Congress of the European Geriatric Medicine Society, 11-13 October 2021, 2021
Corbett, Máire. Grey, Tom. Heeney, Teresa. O'Sullivan, Lisha. Ring, Emer. , Universal Design Guidelines for Early Learning and Care Settings Design for all, AN LEANBH ÓG - Journal of Early Childhood Studies, 2020
Anderson DC, Grey T, Kennelly S, O'Neill D, Nursing Home Design and COVID-19: Balancing Infection Control, Quality of Life, and Resilience, Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 21, (11), 2020, p1519 - 1524
Xidous D, Grey T, Kennelly SP, O'Neill D, Dementia Friendly Hospital Design: Key Issues for Patients and Accompanying Persons in an Irish Acute Care Public Hospital , Health Environments Research & Design, 13, (1), 2020, p48 - 67
Dyer, Mark, Dyer, Rachel, Weng, Min-Hsien, Wu, Shaoqun, Grey, Thomas, Gleeson, Richard, García Ferrari, Tomás, Framework for Soft and Hard City Infrastructures, Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Urban Design and Planning, 2019, p1-20
Grey T, Fleming R, Goodenough BJ, Xidous D, Möhler R, O'Neill D, Hospital design for older people with cognitive impairmentsincluding dementia and delirium: Supporting inpatients andaccompanying persons (Protocol), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2019
Grey T, Xidous D, Kennelly S, Timmons S, O'Neill D, Dementia friendly hospitals from a Universal Design Approach: research and guidelines, Innovations in Aging, GSA 2018 Annual Scientific Meeting, Boston, 13-17 Nov 2018, 2, (Suppl 1), 2018, pp943
Edelstein E, Anderson D, Grey T, O'Neill D, Clinicians for Design: A Convergence of Expertise to Enhance Cognition and Healthcare Design, Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture, Salk Institute, San Diego, 20-22 September, 2018, pp58-59
Grey Tom, Xidous Dimitra, Kennelly Sean, Mahon Sean, Mannion Victoria, De Freine Paul, Murphy Neil, de Siún Anna, O'Neill Desmond, 166 Dementia Friendly Hospitals from a Universal Design Approach: Research and Guidelines to Support People with Dementia, Accompanying Persons and Visitors, Age and Ageing, 47, (suppl_5), 2018, pv1-v12
, DEMENTIA FRIENDLY HOSPITALS FROM A UNIVERSAL DESIGN APPROACH: RESEARCH AND GUIDELINES, Innovation in Aging, 2018
Xidous Dimitra, Grey Tom, Kennelly Sean, O'Neill Desmond, 159 Determining Knowledge and Degree of Engagement of Hospital Estates Management and Technical Services Departments for Provision of Dementia Friendly Hospitals, Age and Ageing, 47, (suppl_5), 2018, pv13-v60
, 159Determining Knowledge and Degree of Engagement of Hospital Estates Management and Technical Services Departments for Provision of Dementia Friendly Hospitals, Age and Ageing, 2018
Grey T, Xidous X, Kennelly S, Mahon S, Mannion V, de Freine P, Dockrell D, de Siuin A, Murphy N, Craddock G, O'Neill D., Dementia Friendly Hospitals from a Universal Design Approach: Design Guidelines, Dublin, Centre for Universal Design, 2018, p1 - 312
, 166Dementia Friendly Hospitals from a Universal Design Approach: Research and Guidelines to Support People with Dementia, Accompanying Persons and Visitors, Age and Ageing, 2018
Framework for Collaborative Urbanism in, editor(s)Certomà C, Dyer M, Pocatilu L, Rizzi F , Citizen Empowerment and Innovation in the Data-Rich City, Springer, 2017, pp19 - 30, [2. Dyer M, Gleeson D, Grey T]
Kevin M. Leyden, Amanda Slevin, Thomas Grey, Mike Hynes, Fanney Frisbaek, Richard Silke, Public and Stakeholder Engagement and the Built Environment: a Review, Current Environmental Health Reports, 2017
Using Big and Small Urban Data for Collaborative Urbanism in, editor(s)Certomà C, Dyer M, Pocatilu L, Rizzi F , Citizen Empowerment and Innovation in the Data-Rich City, Springer, 2017, pp31 - 54, [Grey T, Dyer M, Gleeson D]
Grey T, Kennelly S, de Freine P, Mahon S, Mannion V, O'Neill D, Towards a building typology and terminology for Irish hospitals, Irish Journal of Medical Science, 2017
Xidous D, Grey T, Kennelly S, O'Neill D, Dementia-friendly hospital design: using thematic analysis to identify key issues for patients, family members and staff in Tallaght Hospital, Age and Ageing, Irish Gerontological Society Annual Scientific Meeting, Killarney, 30 Sept - 1 Oct, 45, (Supplement 2), 2016, ppii33 - ii33
Dimitra Xidous, Tom Grey, Sean Kennelly, Desmond O'Neill, 145DEMENTIA FRIENDLY HOSPITAL DESIGN: USING THEMATIC ANALYSIS TO IDENTIFY KEY ISSUES FOR PATIENTS, FAMILY MEMBERS AND STAFF IN TALLAGHT HOSPITAL, Age and Ageing, 45, (suppl 2), 2016, pii13.48--ii56
Mark Dyer, Thomas Grey, Oliver Kinnane, GiveMe Shelter: a people-centred design process for promoting independent inquiry-led learning in engineering, European Journal of Engineering Education, 2016, p1--16
O. Kinnane, T. Grey, and M. Dyer, Adaptable housing design for climate change adaptation, Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering Sustainability, 2016
Kinnane, O.P., Grey, T., and Dyer, M., Energy & environmental forensic analysis for public buildings, Engineering Sustainability, ICE Proceedings,, 167, (4), 2014, p143 - 156
Siddall, E., Grey, T., Dyer, M., Indicators and stakeholder engagement: A Dublin case study, Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers: Engineering Sustainability, 166, (2), 2013, p85-97
A Comprehensive Monitoring System to Assess the Performance of a Prototype House in, editor(s)A. Hakansson, M. Höjer, R. J. Howlett, and L. C. Jain , Sustainability in Energy and Buildings, Berlin, Springer , 2013, pp373 - 379, [O. Kinnane, T. Grey, and M. Dyer]
Grey, T. Siddall, E.C. and Dyer, M. , Shared Space, Shared Surfaces and Home Zones from a Universal Design Approach for the Urban Environment in Ireland, National Disability Authority, 2012
Siddall, E.C. and Grey, T. , Sustainability Indicators Framework, Dublin City Council, 2011
Research Expertise
Projects
- Title
- Planning and design for quality of life and resilience in residential long-term care settings for older people in Ireland: Research and Universal Design Guidelines for new-build, adaption and retrofit
- Summary
- Background: In Ireland, the provision of Residential Care Settings (RCS) for Older People is inadequate; putting pressure on the health system and undermining the care of many older people. With population growth, the number of people requiring RCS will inevitably increase, worsening the shortfall. This is recognised by the Irish government and funding is to be provided for new RCS. However, the success of these facilities is greatly influenced by design and the quality of the physical environment, and their impact on resident and staff wellbeing and health. COVID-19 has exposed how many settings are ill-designed for infection-control and the protection of residents and has illustrated the importance of space and spatial practices such as social distancing, and isolation/quarantine, all of which have immediate and long-term implications for RCS planning and design. Yet, there is scant research or evidence-based guidance regarding best-practice planning and design of RCS in Ireland. Aims: The project will produce evidence-based Universal Design guidelines for RCS for Older People in Ireland that support quality-of-life and infection-control. These guidelines will support resident-centred principles and standards in national policy; be applicable to new-build, retrofit, and refurbishment projects; and, relate to rural, suburban and urban location Methodology: The project adopts a mixed-methods approach based on PPI contribution and stakeholder engagement (focus groups, interviews, questionnaires). The methodology incorporates literature and policy reviews, and Irish and international case studies. The outputs will include a Key Findings Report and guidance document. Impact on health/social care policy and practice: This project will improve the quality-of-life for RCS residents and staff by promoting greater community integration and accessibility in terms of planning, and by improving design and the physical environment in RCS. It will promote innovative and diverse RCS models, help inform broader planning and design policy, and support Irish health and social care policy.
- Funding Agency
- HRB
- Title
- Minority Report - Horizon Europe
- Summary
- Research Pillar: Climate Action and Sustainability Project Name/Title/Acronym: Minority Report Funding Body: Horizon Europe - European Union's Horizon Innovation Actions (Grant Agreement No. 101147385) Project Timeframe: June 2024 - December 2027 Key Output(s): Co-Creation Framework Minority report is a pioneering project dedicated to enhancing the resilience of vulnerable urban populations and their built environments against disruptive climate events. As climate change accelerates, the frequency and intensity of events such as flash floods, forest fires, and storm force winds increase, disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable communities. The project mission is to leverage cutting-edge technologies and collaborative approaches to safeguard these populations and their homes. Role of TrinityHaus (Tom Grey, TCD PI) TrinityHaus focuses on co-creation and the intersection between the built environment, health, wellbeing inclusion, climate action and sustainability. In relation to Minority Report, TrinityHaus will be involved in a number of work packages, with a particular focus on WP1: Stakeholder Engagement & Co-Design. Specifically, the research team will be participating in tasks on the following: Stakeholder mapping: this task will establish a `base set" of stakeholder categories (social, geographic, gender, age, people with disabilities) and their interaction with the built environment ; identifying stakeholders cross key spatial scales (e.g. building, neighbourhood, district) and relevant settings (e.g. residential, long term residential care, health, education, childcare, commercial, etc.), this task will be framed by context specific stakeholders at each of the 3 sites". Based on this task, KPIs to characterize the behaviour of citizens in response to climatic /natural disaster events" will be developed. Co-creation in the demo Sites": this task will further interrogate key place-based issues/features & key stakeholder characteristics at each site, as well as uncovering more details on "the levels of awareness & preparedness of stakeholders on issues & solutions in case of extreme climatic events & natural disasters. As part of this task, TrinityHaus will lead on the development of Personas & Scenarios for Patras, Wellington, Dublin; these will comprise a "suite of culturally & contextually appropriate `personas & scenarios" for each site, with realistic narrative accounts of key user experiences / perspectives (persona) in relation to a) everyday (normal); b) acute situations (event) occurring in specific settings (scenarios)".
- Funding Agency
- Horizon Europe
- Date From
- June 2024
- Date To
- May 2028
Recognition
Awards and Honours
Silver Medal Bloom 2017 - Dementia Friendly Garden
Arts Council of Ireland Professional Development & Training Award
ELEVATOR INNOVATION IN DEMENTIA AWARD 2014 - Runner up award for Dementia Friendly Housing through a Universal Design Approach
Silver Gilt Medal Bloom 2019 - E3 Garden