Dr Samira Awwal has led impactful Innovation and Knowledge Exchange (IAA) projects focused on smart housing, energy efficiency, and social housing retrofit. Her work has strengthened collaboration between academia and industry to develop sustainable, user-centred housing solutions that improve tenant wellbeing and support effective retrofit decision-making.Her smart home research promotes user-valued innovation in digitally enabled living environments. This research has contributed to more inclusive and sustainable approaches to housing design, supporting wider goals of social wellbeing, environmental sustainability, and community development.