Lombe Mutale
About
About
I am a PhD candidate in the Structural Department and part of NTNU's Circular City project which is one of the Sustainability research projects.
I focus on creating interoperable and collaborative tools that help predict and assess the reuse potential of structural components in existing buildings. My research integrates Building Information Modelling (BIM) with probabilistic modelling to estimate material quantities and reuse viability when data is incomplete or uncertain, supporting better decisions for circular construction and deconstruction planning. Drawing on my background in structural engineering and optimisation, I aim to translate advanced mathematical methods into practical digital workflows that can be adopted by architects, engineers, and project stakeholders. The goal is to enable more sustainable, data‑driven reuse strategies and reduce environmental impact across the building lifecycle.
Supervisors
Research areas and interests
Bayesian networks, optimization, probabilistic modelling, structural analysis, computational design, parametric modelling, sustainability, circular economy, structural design
Competencies
Publications
2026
-
Mutale, Lombe;
Hingorani, Ramon;
Köhler, Jochen.
(2026)
Unlocking material recovery potential in building structures through Bayesian network modelling and contextual design code knowledge.
Cleaner Engineering and Technology
Academic article
-
Mutale, Lombe;
Hingorani, Ramon;
Kohler, Jochen.
(2026)
Unlocking timber recovery potential in buildings through Bayesian Network modelling and contextual design code knowledge.
Cleaner Engineering and Technology
Academic article
2025
-
Mutale, Lombe;
Hingorani, Ramon;
Kohler, Jochen.
(2025)
Estimating structural timber material quantities using historical design codes and probabilistic modelling for circular economy.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Mutale, Lombe;
Hingorani, Ramon;
Kohler, Jochen.
(2025)
Inferring global and detailed structural building variables from prior probabilities, historical structural design and Bayesian Networks.
ce/papers - Proceedings in Civil Engineering
Academic article
-
Aalto, Pasi;
Dittrich, Nils Maximilian;
Triantafyllidis, Georgios;
Mutale, Lombe;
Stolz, Beatrice Alexandra Pauline.
(2025)
Mapping Trondheim’s building stock.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
2024
-
Mutale, Lombe;
Hingorani, Ramon;
Dittrich, Nils Maximilian;
Köhler, Jochen.
(2024)
Probabilistic modelling of building stock properties for urban mining.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
Journal publications
-
Mutale, Lombe;
Hingorani, Ramon;
Köhler, Jochen.
(2026)
Unlocking material recovery potential in building structures through Bayesian network modelling and contextual design code knowledge.
Cleaner Engineering and Technology
Academic article
-
Mutale, Lombe;
Hingorani, Ramon;
Kohler, Jochen.
(2026)
Unlocking timber recovery potential in buildings through Bayesian Network modelling and contextual design code knowledge.
Cleaner Engineering and Technology
Academic article
-
Mutale, Lombe;
Hingorani, Ramon;
Kohler, Jochen.
(2025)
Inferring global and detailed structural building variables from prior probabilities, historical structural design and Bayesian Networks.
ce/papers - Proceedings in Civil Engineering
Academic article
Part of book/report
-
Mutale, Lombe;
Hingorani, Ramon;
Kohler, Jochen.
(2025)
Estimating structural timber material quantities using historical design codes and probabilistic modelling for circular economy.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Aalto, Pasi;
Dittrich, Nils Maximilian;
Triantafyllidis, Georgios;
Mutale, Lombe;
Stolz, Beatrice Alexandra Pauline.
(2025)
Mapping Trondheim’s building stock.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Mutale, Lombe;
Hingorani, Ramon;
Dittrich, Nils Maximilian;
Köhler, Jochen.
(2024)
Probabilistic modelling of building stock properties for urban mining.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
Outreach
2025
-
Academic lectureGedde, Kristina Bringedal; Mutale, Lombe; Ross, Lone. (2025) Wood intensities in a 19th-century log house prior to and post-rehabilitation – Northern European Network for Wood Science and Engineering. 21st Annual Meeting of the Northern European Network for Wood Science and Engineering , Växjö 07.10.2025 - 08.10.2025
2023
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PosterDittrich, Nils Maximilian; Mutale, Lombe; Hingorani, Ramon; Kohler, Jochen; Mueller, Daniel Beat. (2023) Can Bayesian Networks predict materials and components at building level?. 11th international Conference on Industrial Ecology , Leiden 02.07.2023 - 05.07.2023