Dr Nathan Johns
School of Science, Engineering & Environment
Current positions
Lecturer
Biography
Originally from West Wales, I aspired to become a quantity surveyor. I started my academic career at Neath College (NPTC) doing Civil Engineering/Construction; completed a RICS-accredited Quantity Surveying course (1:1); and finally, completed a PhD in Circular Economic Construction. I worked as a Visiting Lecturer at Birmingham City University for five years, teaching across disciplines and levels of study, before moving to Sheffield Hallam University for two years as a Lecturer in Quantity Surveying. I am now a Lecturer in Quantity Surveying at the University of Salford.
From a young age, I worked with trades on different sites as a cash-in-hand labourer. I then moved onto my studies and worked with large companies such as Interserve, Bouygues, Taylor Wimpey, and BAM. My research on the circular construction economy still enables my ability to work on site with tier one companies as well as small and medium enterprises.
Areas of Research
My main research focus is the circular economy and lean construction. My main focus is working with companies to identify circular and lean innovations to improve best practice within the construction industry.
Both the circular economy and lean construction focus on whole supply chains, analysing systems, and applying a range of practices to increase productivity. As part of my research, I have looked into circular design, prefabrication, modular construction, BIM, digital twin technology, supply chain management, material tracking, procurement, waste management, policy guidance, and many more aspects of lean and the circular economy.
Publication History:
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Nathan-Johns-5?ev=hdr_xprf
Johns, N.G.O., Talebi, S., and Kagioglou, M., 2026. Towards a Circu-Lean Construction Economy Through Standardisation. In Proceedings of the 34th annual conference of the International Group for Lean Construction.
Serugga, J., Talebi, S., Kagioglou, M., Johns, N.G.O., 2023 November. Key influences to cost modelling and analysis in off-site construction: Research trends and gap analysis. International Journal of Architectural Engineering and Design Management.
Johns, N.G.O., Talebi, S., Shelbourn, M., Roberts, C. and Kagioglou, M., 2023, July. The Circu-Lean revolution: A review of the synergies between Lean and the Circular Economy. In Proceedings of the 31st annual conference of the International Group for Lean Construction.
AUBEA 2022 (Sydney, Australia)
Johns, N.G.O., Talebi, S., Edwards, D.J., Roberts, C. and Shelbourn, M., 2022. Revealing the Value of the Circular Economy as a Solution for Mitigating Waste Implications Within the Construction Industry. Selected Papers from the 45th Australasian Universities Building Education Association (AUBEA 2022).
Johns, N.G.O., Talebi, S. and Kagioglou, M., 2022, December. A critical review of the circular economy within the construction industry. In Proceedings of the CIB World Building Congress 2022.
Areas of Supervision
- Circular Economics
- Lean Construction
- Modular Construction
- Digital Twin
- Supply Chain Economics/Systems
I hold a Fellowship at the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), a teaching in higher education certificate from the Staff and Educational Development Association (SEDA), and a certificate for Doctoral supervision from Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Salford.
My main focus in my teaching are measurement modules. However, I have taught a range of modules and topics across disciplines as shown below.
Modules Taught
•Level 3: Built Environment Context and Practice (Module Lead)
•Level 4: Management and Practice in Construction (Module Lead)
•Level 4: Residential Quantification and Cost (Module Lead)
•Level 4: Introduction to Quantification and Costing (Module Lead)
•Level 4: Residential Integrated Digital Delivery (Module Lead)
•Level 4: Contract Practice
•Level 4: Sustainability, Law and Economics
•Level 5: Sustainable Building Construction Studies
•Level 5: Digital Construction, Measurement, and Commercial Management (Module Lead)
•Level 5: (DA) Measurement of Building Works for Quantity Surveying Apprentices (Module Lead)
•Level 5: (DA) Measurement (Module Lead)
•Level 5: Commercial Quantification and Cost
•Level 5: Commercial Integrated Digital Delivery
•Level 5: Procurement (Module Lead)
•Level 5: Commercial Management
•Level 6: (DA) Dissertation (Module Lead)
•Level 6: Civils Quantification and Cost
•Level 6: Project Management
•Level 7: Integrated Project Delivery (Module Lead)
•Level 7: Innovation in Construction
•Level 7: Lean Integration
Qualifications
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Development of an Analytical Framework to Facilitate the Transition to a Circular Construction Economy
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PGCert in Research
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FHEA
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BSc in Quantity Surveying (Hons)
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Construction/Civil Engineering