Barbara Rossi’s work focuses on cutting the whole-life carbon of buildings and infrastructure while ensuring structures remain safe, durable, and adaptable for a changing climate.
She leads the Sustainable Structures Group in Oxford, where her team combines full-scale testing, advanced numerical modelling, AI-driven design tools, and lifecycle assessment to develop leaner, lower-carbon structural solutions. Our research has informed European design standards for steel and stainless steel, with a particular focus on durability, corrosion, and performance in demanding environments.
Alongside Barbara’s academic work, she co-founded Oxford Sustainability Ltd, where she serves as Chief Scientific Officer. She works with asset owners, designers, and contractors to embed carbon reduction strategies from the earliest stages of projects. Barbara was recognised as a Carbon Champion by the Institution of Civil Engineers for work that delivered major embodied carbon reductions at New College’s Gradel Quadrangles in Oxford.