Dr Peter Irga is an Associate Professor and ARC DECRA Fellow who is a leader in the growing field of innovative nature-based biological air treatment technologies to counter the growing challenges of high levels of air pollution in our cities. Dr Irga has made major contributions towards the development of broad scope air cleaning systems based on green walls, known as botanical biofilters, to the stage where they have become an emergent technology, with multiple projects across NSW. 

Dr Irga is also a leader in biosolar green roofs and agrivoltaics. Dr Irga’s current research focus is to comprehensively examine the performance of nature based systems in situ, to both quantify the true value of these systems in practice, and to identify areas for the next stages of development.

In his field, Dr Irga is currently ranked 1st worldwide (SciVal Topic T.26706), built on his growing research record, with 80+ publications (H-index 36) and an accumulated total of $7.5M in research income, including ARC funding. Dr Irga is increasingly recognised as a leader in his field by industry, having played a pivotal role in the delivery of high-level industry consultancies with a combined value of $4.54M. In 2022, Dr Irga received the prestigious Tall Poppy Science Award from the Australian Institute of Policy and Science, and in 2025 the World Green Infrastructure Network (WGIN) Award for Academic Work. 

Holistically, his work aims to demonstrate that nature based systems and living infrastructure provide our cities with not only natural beauty, but also happier and healthier people.