phd in building science

Building Performance & Diagnostics

MSBPD | PhD-BPD

Our graduate programs in Building Performance & Diagnostics (BPD)  have long led the world in advanced building technologies that sustainably reshape the built environment.

Program Overview

"Sustainability" was our passion and expertise long before it became a buzzword. Carnegie Mellon’s Master of Science in Building Performance & Diagnostics (MSBPD) and PhD in Building Performance & Diagnostics (PhD-BPD) are top-ranked building science degree programs dedicated to advancing high performance buildings and communities for a more resilient and sustainable future.

The BPD programs are founded on the premise that the integrated design of building and community systems is critical for environmental sustainability and human health and productivity. The Center for Building Performance and Diagnostics (CBPD) conducts research for international governments and industries on: high performance building system design and operations; the office, school, healthcare, and urban settings of the future; design for climate, energy, resource conservation, health and productivity; environmental assessment and post occupancy evaluation feedback for design and operation; and the financial, natural, and human capital benefits of investing in high performance built environments. Read more about the CBPD’s research projects on the CBPD webpage and at the links below.

The CBPD is housed in the Robert L. Preger Intelligent Workplace (IW) , a living laboratory of advances in building enclosure, mechanical, lighting, telecommunications, and interior systems, as well as the next generation of building controls to support human health and productivity and the highest level of environmental sustainability . The IW in turn is housed on the award winning urban campus of Carnegie Mellon University, a leader in graduate education, with the ability to customize your degree across all disciplines.

With over twelve faculty dedicated to sustainability and advanced building systems within the School of Architecture, the faculty in the MSBPD and PhD-BPD programs are an unparalleled resource. They have written the textbooks and led the research projects that have made high performance buildings and building systems the centerpiece of governments and industries around the world. View the PhD-BPD Dissertations to learn more.

The MSBPD is a two-year program for architecture and engineering graduates committed to advancing the quality of the built environment for human health and ecological sustainability. MSBPD graduates have successful careers in design and engineering practice, industry, government, consulting, and non-profit sectors designing, catalyzing and quantifying high performance buildings and communities.

Courses in the MSBPD program are intended to provide four semesters of intensive learning about sustainability science, technology, tools, data acquisition and analytics, sustainable social science and statistics, as well as sustainability economics and policy. Courses are taken across the disciplines at Carnegie Mellon, and students who come in with comparable pre-requisites can appeal to place out of courses and select electives across campus.

The MSBPD thesis is an invaluable opportunity to collaborate with faculty or pursue independent research expertise with an eye on the greatest needs and opportunities for future work. These outstanding projects have included advanced building system innovations and evaluation, energy data analytics, life cycle justifications for high performance buildings, computational tools for sustainability, design for sustainable cities, and industry- and government-based research projects.

The MSBPD, PhD-BPD, and Master of Science in Sustainable Design (MSSD) are a cohort of classmates from around the world, sharing learning experiences with dedicated faculty in purposefully small classes. The core curriculum offers a building science and research-oriented program with technical depth for careers in sustainability-focused professional practice, environmental research and consulting, the building industry, higher education, or continuing on to earn a PhD. The degrees are specifically designed for those who seek quantitative depth in building and urban design, building performance, building science, computational design and design invention, leading to sustainability positions in professional practice, research, environmental consulting, industry, and government.

We strive to empower building owners, operators, and occupants to save energy with interfaces that present its users not only with data, but with knowledge and actionable items .

Learn More 

Please contact Track Chair Vivian Loftness  with questions about the BPD programs.

Educational & Professional Qualifications

We seek students who are highly self-motivated and passionate about research, with a balanced aptitude in both the art and science involved in sustainable development, who understand the important role the built environment must play if we are to create a sustainable future.

Program Details

Residency requirement.

The MSBPD is a 2-year (4 semester) program with a minimum residency of three (3) academic semesters at full-time status (36 units).

Graduation Requirements 

In addition to the course requirements for the MSBPD program, students must satisfy:

A minimum of 160 units of coursework with a minimum residency of three (3) academic semesters at full-time status (36 units).

A GPA of 3.0, with exceptions to be approved by the graduate faculty.

Advance standing and core course substitution that have been pre-approved by the Track Chair.

Advanced standing of one or two semesters of coursework for qualified CMU students within the B.Arch and M.Arch program through the Accelerated Master’s Program (AMP).

The core curriculum offers a building science and research-oriented program with technical depth for careers in sustainability-focused professional practice, environmental research and consulting, the building industry, higher education, or continuing on to earn a PhD. The degrees are specifically designed for those who seek quantitative depth in building and urban design, building performance, building science, computational design and design invention, leading to sustainability positions in professional practice, research, environmental consulting, industry, and government.

The MSBPD curriculum is intended to provide four (4) semesters of intensive learning about sustainability science, sustainable technologies and systems, performance simulation tools, data acquisition and analytics, social science and statistics, and sustainability economics and policy. Courses are offered by faculty across the disciplines at CMU. The MSBPD curriculum also serves as the required minimum coursework for PhD studies at CMU, upon successful admission to the program with a PhD advisor.

MSBPD Curriculum

PhD-BPD Curriculum

Program Faculty

Erica Cochran Hameen

Assistant Professor, DEI Director & DDes Track Chair

Dana Cupkova

Professor & MsSD Track Chair

Volker Hartkopf

Professor Emeritus

Professor & Head

Kristen Kurland

Teaching Professor

Joshua D. Lee

Assistant Professor & AECM Track Chair

Vivian Loftness

University Professor

Azadeh O. Sawyer

Assistant Professor in Building Technology & BPD Track Chair

Admissions Resources

Are you a current student looking for resources? Handbooks, procedures and other information can be found on the Student Resources page .

Degrees & Programs

Ph.D. in Building Construction

The McWhorter School of Building Science offers a terminal degree in Building Construction through its Ph.D. program.

The Ph.D. in Building Construction emphasizes original scholarship in key areas such as high-performance buildings, n-D modeling and simulation of building construction processes, sustainability, integrated project delivery, facilities maintenance and management, and innovative construction education approaches.

The program supports interdisciplinary research within the College of Architecture, Design and Construction as well as cross-disciplinary disciplinary research with other academic programs at Auburn University.

The program prepares students for academic and professional careers in universities; design, construction, and facility management firms; research and development organizations; consulting companies; and regional, state, and local government agencies.

The PhD in Building Construction is a research-based degree focused on the generation of new knowledge through innovative exploration of theory, development of creative perspectives, and applications of new technologies to address the challenges of creating and maintaining a sustainable built environment.

It emphasizes original, interdisciplinary or cross-disciplinary scholarship, in key and emerging areas of building construction.

Student Learning Outcomes

Four SLO’s are established to measure program effectiveness. Students will be able to:

• apply knowledge of the construction industry at an appropriate level for doctoral study.
• identify research problems, choose appropriate research methods and data analysis techniques to prepare a research proposal related to building construction.
• use written, graphical, and oral means of dissemination to effectively communicate research findings related to building construction.
• teach construction students by developing a lesson plan, instructional materials, and assessments for an undergraduate class.

Faculty and Staff

News + events, publications, building technology.

Jennifer Roesch Discipline Group Assistant [email protected]

Low-Cost, Low-Carbon Structural Components for Housing in India , Digital Structures Group.

Introduction to Structural Design - taught by John Ochsendorf.

Structural lattice additive manufacturing , Digital Structures Group.

Mapdwell Solar System - Sustainable Design Lab.

Guastavino Vault Replica-  John Ochsendorf, Suk Lee, Nicky Soane, Simon A. Okaine.

Frozen Forces IAP: Lightweight Structural Ice Shells - led by Caitlin Mueller.

Courtyard Vault , built by Jonathan Dessi-Olive for workshop led by Mark West and John Ochsendorf.

Urban Modeling Interface - Sustainable Design Lab.

The Building Technology (BT) Program at MIT is a group of students, faculty and staff working on design concepts and technologies to create buildings that contribute to a more humane and environmentally responsible built world. Our work ranges from fundamental discovery to full scale application. Strategies employed toward these ends include integrated architectural design strategies, resource accounting through material flow analysis and life cycle assessment, structural design and optimization, building and urban energy modeling and simulation, human comfort analysis, control design and engineering, and other technologically-informed design methods. Students interested in any of these strategies will be challenged to address topics of clear and important relevance to the future of the built environment through creative and analytically rigorous approaches.

Research areas supervised by the faculty address innovative materials and assemblies, emerging and nontraditional building materials, low-energy and passive building energy strategies; innovative analysis and modeling of historic structures; performance-driven computational design approaches; and various issues of energy and material resources at the urban scale, including urban environmental sensing, the urban heat island effect, and urban metabolism. Students entering into the program are able to engage with active and ongoing research projects while pursuing their own intellectual and career agendas. These projects change regularly and individual faculty and research lab pages are the best resources for finding current research position opportunities.

See  Graduate Programs  for degree requirements.

Caitlin Mueller

Christoph Reinhart

John Ochsendorf

Leon Glicksman

John E. Fernández

Les Norford

Benjamin Markham

Paul mayencourt, jennifer roesch, using nature’s structures in wooden buildings.

Spring 2022 Public Program

MIT’s Department of Architecture is pleased to announce our spring 2022 public program; a continuing conversation on where we are now.

Explore Imprint 02

Building Technology Fall Open House

Highlights from IAP 2021 Workshops

Putting Leonardo da Vinci’s bridge design to the test

PhD in Building Technology

The program is open to qualified students with a suitable background in technology and a degree in engineering, science or architecture. It provides a focus for those interested in the development and application of advanced technology for buildings. Students in this program take subjects in engineering disciplines along with subjects that deal with the application of these topics to buildings.

The minimum residency requirement for the PhD degree is two years; two or three years in residence beyond the SM degree are likely to be necessary. Those entering the program with only a bachelor's degree, should plan on completing the program in five years. Candidates are expected to be registered at MIT until the PhD dissertation is completed. Only under special circumstances will students be allowed to carry out any of their research while not in residence at MIT.

Each admitted applicant immediately begins research under the supervision of a faculty member while also taking course work. Most PhD research projects will be a portion of a sponsored research project.

Faculty Advising

Each student is assigned a Building Technology faculty advisor upon admission. Generally the same faculty member also supervises the student's research. The advisor weighs in on the initial plan of study, including the selection of a major and minor field, and on each term's choice of subjects. The advisor monitors the student's progress and assists the student in selecting a dissertation committee.

Doctoral Research Opportunity in Building Technology and Advanced Urbanism The Norman B. Leventhal Center of Advanced Urbanism and Departments of Architecture and Urban Studies and Planning have established a collaborative doctoral-level concentration in Advanced Urbanism. Urbanism is a rapidly growing field that has many branches. At MIT, we speak of Advanced Urbanism as the field which integrates research on urban design, urbanization and urban culture.

The concentration in Advanced Urbanism seeks doctoral applicants (one to two per year) who have: 1) at least one professional design degree (in architecture, landscape architecture, urban design, etc.); 2) research interests in urbanism that would draw upon both ARCH and DUSP faculty advising; and 3) a commitment to engage with the research community at the LCAU and within their home department throughout their time at MIT. Applicants should apply for admission to an existing ARCH or DUSP PhD program and must meet all specific admissions requirements of the respective PhD program. Admissions committees nominate applicants who fit the urbanism program to a joint advanced urbanism admissions committee. The selected applicants are admitted by their home department discipline group (DUSP; AKPIA, BT, Computation, HTC) with financial support and research assistantships from LCAU.

Prospective students with questions pertaining to the doctoral studies in Advanced Urbanism should reach out to their prospective home doctoral program and to LCAU doctoral committee members: Rafi Segal and Brent Ryan. Or to the mailing list [email protected]. 

Master of Science in Building Technology

The Master of Science in Building Technology (SMBT) provides a focus for graduate students interested in the development and application of advanced technology for buildings. Students in this program take relevant subjects in basic engineering disciplines along with subjects which apply these topics to buildings. The program accepts students with undergraduate degrees in a variety of engineering disciplines, in the physical sciences, or in architecture – with a suitable background in technology. Students also come to the program with diverse job experiences, from the design of space-conditioning equipment for buildings to the Peace Corps. All share both a keen interest in buildings and a thorough education in mathematics, physics, and other technical subjects.

Each student admitted to the SMBT program will take part in a research project. A major contribution to the student's education in this program comes from the experience gained carrying out research and design on the fundamentals of new technologies and their application to buildings. The research project will normally be on a subject under current investigation by an interdepartmental team of faculty and students from the Departments of Architecture, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or by an individual faculty member. This research is used to fulfill the thesis requirement for the SMBT degree. The research projects, sponsored by industry and the government, give the students exposure to practitioners dealing with important issues in the building field.

The Master of Science in Architecture Studies (SMArchS) is a two-year program of advanced study founded on research and inquiry in architecture as a discipline and as a practice. The program is intended both for students who already have a professional degree in architecture and those interested in advanced non-professional graduate study.

SMArchS in Building Technology

Building Technology offers students the opportunity to explore critical topics for the future of the built environment and resources. This area explores ways to use design and technology to create buildings that contribute to a more humane and environmentally responsible built world. Strategies employed toward these ends include integrated architectural design strategies, resource accounting through material flow analysis and life cycle assessment, building and urban energy modeling and simulation, human comfort analysis and control design and engineering, and other technologically informed design methods. Students interested in any of these strategies will be challenged to address topics of clear and important relevance to the future of the built environment through creative and analytically rigorous approaches.

Research areas supervised by the faculty address innovative materials and assemblies, emerging and nontraditional building materials; low-energy and passive building energy strategies; innovative analysis and modeling of historic structures and various issues of energy; and material resources at the urban scale, including urban environmental sensing, the urban heat island effect, and urban metabolism. Ideally, students entering into the program will be incorporated into active and ongoing research projects while pursuing their own intellectual and career agendas. These projects change regularly and individual faculty are best informed of current research position opportunities.

Students will often work alongside students from other departments, including Civil and Environmental Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Material Science and Engineering, Urban Studies and Planning and others. The only class requirement stipulated by the BT group, 4.481 Building Technology Seminar, is offered during the first semester. BT SMArchS students will be accommodated in the Building Technology student lab area and will have the opportunity to work with and share their interests with BT students in other degree programs.

These areas of study are offered with the primary intention of providing the tools and perspectives necessary for changing the nature of the built environment toward a resource-efficient future. Students of diverse educational backgrounds and interests are considered.

Theses and Dissertations

Undergraduate theses.

Ballina, Mariana  … BSA 2016, document title: Illuminating Education: Composition and Use of Lighting in Public K-12 Classrooms (Leslie Norford and Christoph Reinhart) 

Bukauskas, Aurimas  … BSA 2015, document title: New Structural Systems in Small-Diameter Round Timber (Caitlin Mueller) 

Clonts, Kelly  … BSAD 2011, document title: Methods to Improve School Design in Sierra Leone (Leslie Norford) 

Coston, Brianna  … BSA 2015, document title: Comfort Analysis of Differences in Classroom Designs Between Socioeconomic Statuses (Leslie Norford) 

Fennessy, Kristian  … BSA 2014, document title: Addressing the Problem with Natural Ventilation: Producing a Guide for Designers to Integrate Natural Ventilation into the Early Stages of Building Design (Leslie Norford) 

Ferriss, Lori  … BSAD 2009, document title: Preservation of Early Wrought Iron Trusses: The 1848 Roof of the Cochituate Gatehouse (John Ochsendorf) 

Garbis, Leonidia  … BSA 2013, document title: Lightweight Concrete: Investigations into the Production of Natural Fiber Reinforcement (John Fernandez) 

Gochenour, Sharon  … BSAD 2010, document title: Witness to the Light: The evolution of Church Sanctuary Design and Standards of Comfort in the Last Century in Harrison County, Iowa (Marilyne Andersen) 

Granville, Alina  … BSA 2012, document title: Sonic Facade: Creating a Sounding Architecture (John Fernandez) 

Gutierrez, Octavio  … BSAD 2001, document title: Building Community While Building Responsibility: A Sustainable Housing Complex for Central Los Angeles (John Fernandez) 

Irani, Ali  … BSA 2016, document title: Urban Building Energy Modeling and Retrofit Design as a Means to Inform Effective Public Policy: Boston Case Study (Christoph Reinhart) 

Jordan, Alexander  … BSAD 2011, document title: Designing for Forces: An Early-Stage Design Program for Axial-Force Structures (John Ochsendorf) 

Kwack, Elizabeth  … BSAD 2006, document title: Church Housing: A Symbol of Hospitality (John Fernandez) 

Mroszczyk, Lisa  … BSAD 2004, document title: Rafael Guastaviono and the Boston Public Library (John Ochsendorf) 

Sparks, Devon  … BSA 2013, document title: The Design and Implementation of a Smartphone Illuminance Meter (Christoph Reinhart) 

Strathairn, Ebberly  … BSAD 2009, document title: Distributed Generation in the Urban Neighborhood (Leslie Norford) 

Voros, Jamie   … BSA 2016, document title: One Size Does Not Fit All: Innovation in Emeergency Housing with a Focus on Nepal 2015 (Caitlin Müeller) 

Wagner, Mali   … BSA 2014, document title: Structural Connections in Plywood Friction-Fit Construction (John Ochsendorf) 

MArch Theses

Akbarzadeh, Masoud  … MArch 2011, document title: Hydropower Cities: a New Candidate for Eco-utopia (Nader Tehrani) 

Bentcheva, Yuliya  … MArch 2012, document title: Modernizing the Passing Joint: A Standardized Building System to Facilitate Contemporary Bamboo Housing Construction in Regions of Economic Constraint (John Fernandez and Jan Wampler) 

Butler, Britta  … MArch 2003, document title: ReWorking the City of Workers: A New Housing Paradigm for the Immigrant City (John Fernandez) 

Crane, Justin  … MArch 2005, document title: An Indoor Public Space for a Winter City (John Fernandez) 

Cyphers, Scott  … MArch 2003, document title: Field Crossings Hybridizing the Urban Park (John Fernandez) 

Davis, Lara  … MArch 2010, document title: The 4-Dimensional Masonry Construction (Nader Tehrani and John Ochsendorf) 

Giesecke, Ken  … MArch 2004, document title: Deployable Structures Inspired by the Origami Art (John Ochsendorf and Carol Burns) 

Greene, Aaron  … MArch 2004, document title: Flux: Adaptable Architecture for a Dynamic Society (John Fernandez and John Ochsendorf) 

Griffith Zimmerly, Laurie  … MArch 2001, document title: A Re-Connection: Modeling Built Works After Natural Systems (John Fernandez) 

Guiraud , Florence  … MArch 2012, document title: Energy Flows: Empowering New Orleans (John Fernandez) 

Li, Bin  … MArch 2014, document title: Earth to Earth: Reconcile Earth Housing with Soil Erosive Landform (Mark Jarzombek and John Ochsendorf) 

Mackey, Christopher  … MArch 2015, document title: Pan Climatic Humans: Shaping Thermal Habits in an Unconditioned Society (Skylar Tibbits and Christoph Reinhart) 

Miller, Christopher  … MArch 2013, document title: Deleveraging Domesticity: Incremental Design Forays on Middle Income Housing (John Ochsendorf and Brandon Clifford) 

Namkung, Kenneth  … MArch 2003, document title: TALL: Rethinking the systems of the contemporary highrise (John Fernandez) 

Peinovich, Ella  … MArch 2012, document title: Localized Design-Manufacture for Developing Countries: A Methodology for Creating Culturally Sustainable Architecture (John Fernandez) 

Ramage, Michael  … MArch 2006, document title: Catalan Vaulting in Advanced Material: New Approaches to Contemporary Compressive Form (Fernando Domeyko and John Fernandez) 

Razvi, Amina  … MArch 2002, document title: A Multilateral Design Methodology for Development Contexts: A Framework for the Dharavi Potters (John Fernandez) 

Skerry, Nathaniel  … MArch 2002, document title: Transformed Materials: A Material Research Center in Milan, Italy (John Fernandez) 

Voiland, Luke  … MArch 2008, document title: Risk Complex: Preparing the Body for New Hardware (John Fernandez) 

Weathers, Thomas  … MArch 2007, document title: Opportunities for Building Design and Construction Resulting from Local Resources (John Fernandez) 

SMBT and SMArchS Theses

Ackerman, Christopher  … SMBT 1996, document title: Structural Quality Assurance of Wood Light-Frame Construction Subject to Extreme Wind Hazards (Leonard Morse-Fortier and Sarah Slaughter) 

Arboleda, Gabriel , web page   Assistant Professor of Environmental Design, Hampshire College  … SMArchS 2004, document title: Houses in Heaven Are Made of Steel: Understanding Change in Ecuadorian Amazon Secoya Structures (John Ochsendorf)  received a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley 

Arons, Daniel  … SMBT 2000, document title: Properties and Applications of Double-Skin Building Facades (Leon Glicksman) 

Block, Philippe , web page   Associate Professor of Architecture and Structure, ETH Zurich  … SMArchS 2005, document title: Equilibrium Systems. Studies in Masonry Structure (John Ochsendorf)  received a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

Blum, David , web page   Postdoctoral Researcher, The Berkeley Lab  … SMBT 2013, document title: Analysis and Characterization of Ancillary Service Demand Response Strategies for Variable Air Volume HVAC Systems (Leslie Norford) 

Bosko, Kristie  … SMBT 1996, document title: Metered Energy Consumption and Analysis of Energy Conservation Techniques in Desktop PCs and Workstations (Leslie Norford) 

Brown, Nathan , web page   PhD Student, Massachusetts Institute of Technology  … SMBT 2016, document title: Multi-Objective Optimization for the Conceptual Design of Structures (Caitlin Müeller) 

Bueno, Bruno , web page   … SMBT 2010, document title: An Urban Weather Generator Coupling a Building Simulation Program with an Urban Canopy Model (Leslie Norford)  received a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

Carbone, Christopher  … SMBT 2003, document title: Mainstreaming straw as a construction material; understanding the future of   bio-based architectural materials (John Fernandez) 

Carrilho Da Graca, Guilherme , web page   Assistant Professor in Building Energy Systems, University of Lisbon  … SMBT 1999, document title: Ventilative Cooling (Qingyan Chen) 

Charlson, Joseph  … SMBT 1997, document title: Straw Insulation Materials to Address Heating Fuel Requirements, Termal Comfort, and Natural Resource Depletion in Developing Regions (Leslie Norford) 

Chen, Max  Developer, Epic!  … SMBT 2001, document title: Interactive Specification and Acquisition of Depth from Single Images (Julie Dorsey) 

Chen, Shaw-Bing  … SMArchS 1996, document title: Natural Ventilation Generates Building Form (Leslie Norford) 

Cheng, Haofan , web page   … SMBT 2013, document title: Evaluating the Performance of Natural Ventilation in Buildings through Simulation and On-site Monitoring (Leon Glicksman) 

Cooke, Timothy , web page   Architect, Payette  … SMArchS 2012, document title: Lightweight Concrete: Investigations into the Production of Variable Density Cellular Materials (John Fernandez) 

Cordero, Elizabeth  Senior Associate, Integrated Design 360, LLC  … SMArchS 2001, document title: Sustainability in Architecture (Leon Glicksman) 

Costanza, David , web page   Technology Fellow, Rice University  … SMArchS 2015, document title: Fibrous Tectoniques (Joel Lamere) 

Dandridge, Cyane  … SMBT 1994, document title: Energy Efficiency in Office Technology (Leslie Norford) 

Davis, Noel , web page   Assistant Director of Planning, Facilities Management, Northwestern University  … SMBT 2012, document title: Effects of Planning and Policy Decisions on Residential Land Use in Singapore (John Fernandez) 

De Wolf, Catherine , web page   Research Assistant, University of Cambridge, UK  … SMBT 2014, document title: Material quantities in building structures and their environmental impact (John Ochsendorf) 

Dean, Brian  Energy Efficiency Division Analyst-Educator, International Energy Agency, Paris France  … SMBT 2001, document title: Natural Ventilation Possibilities for Buildings in the United States (Leon Glicksman) 

Dee, Rocelyn  Senior Asset Manager and Vice President, Wells Fargo & Company  … SMArchS 2002, document title: Financial Analysis of Energy Efficient Facade Systems for Application in Commercial Office Developments (Leslie Norford) 

Dentz, Jordan  … SMBT 1991, document title: The Design of a Panelized Roof System for Residential Construction (Leonard Morse-Fortier) 

Durschlag, Hannah , web page   Enclosure Consultant, Vidaris, Inc.  … SMBT 2012, document title: Air Leakage of Insulated Concrete Form Houses (John Ochsendorf and Leslie Norford) 

Gao, Yang  … SMBT 2002, document title: Coupling of a Multizone Airflow Simulation Program with Computational Fluid Dynamics for Indoor Environmental Analysis (Qingyan Chen) 

Gayeski, Nicholas  Partner, KGS Buildings  … SMBT 2007, document title: New Methods for Measuring Spectral, Bi-Directional Transmission and Reflection Using Digital Cameras (Marilyne Andersen)  received a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

Geisinger, Jeffrey , web page   Critic, Rhode Island School of Design  … SMArchS 2015, document title: Improving In Place: A Passive Solar Design Approach to Public Housing Redevelopment (Christoph Reinhart and Brent Ryan) 

Goldstein, Kaitlin , web page   … SMBT 2014, document title: Predicting the Potential for Energy Efficiency Retrofits in Single-Family Homes: An Exploration of Data Targeting Mechanisms (Leslie Norford and Roy Welsch) 

Gradillas, Madeline , web page   … SMArchS 2015, document title: Analysis and Design for Thermally Autonomous Housing in Resource-Constrained Communities: A Case Study in Bhuj, India (Leon Glicksman) 

Harvey, Henry  … SMBT 1997, document title: Development of Straw Insulation Board: Fabrication Methods, Structure, Thermal Performance (Leon Glicksman) 

Hill, Roger  … SMBT 1995, document title: Applied Change of Mean Detection Techniques for HVAC Fault Detection and Diagnosis and Power Monitoring (Leslie Norford) 

Holden, Katherine  … SMBT 1995, document title: A Scale Model Study of Displacement Ventilation with Chilled Ceilings (Leon Glicksman) 

Hsu, Sophia  … SMBT 2011, document title: Improving the Quality and Transparency of Building Life Cycle Assessment (John Ochsendorf) 

Hu, George , web page   Principal, Air Water Energy Engineers, Inc.  … SMBT 1999, document title: Energy and First Costs Analysis of Displacement and Mixing Ventilation Systems for U. S. Buildings and Climates (Qingyan Chen) 

Huang, Jeffrey  Associate, ARUP  … SMBT 2001, document title: Modeling Contaminant Exposure in a Single-Family House (Qingyan Chen) 

Keller, Alexander , web page   Senior Project Design Manager, SunPower Corporation  … SMArchS 2013, document title: Recharging the Facade: Designing and Constructing Novel BIPV Assemblies (John Fernandez) 

Kienzl, Nico  … SMBT 1999, document title: Advanced Building Skins: Translucent Thermal Storage Elements (Chris Luebkeman) 

Kleindienst, Sian  Partner, KGS Buildings  … SMBT 2006, document title: Improving the Daylighting Conditions of Existing Buildings: The Benefits and Limitations of Integrating Anidolic Daylighting Systems Using the American Classroom As a Model (Marilyne Andersen)  received a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

Kobayashi, Nobukazu  … SMBT 2001, document title: Floor-Supply Displacement Ventilation System (Qingyan Chen) 

Lau, Wanda  … SMBT 2006, document title: Equilibrium Analysis of Masonry Domes (John Ochsendorf) 

Law, Sinyan  … SMBT 1997, document title: Daylighting Design Using a Non-linear Optimization Technique (Dorsey/Norford) 

Lloyd, Michael  … SMBT 2010, document title: Unique Airflow Visualization Techniques for the Design and Validation of Above-Plenum Data Center CFD Models (Leon Glicksman) 

Lorenzetti, Dave , web page   Software Developer, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab  … SMBT 1992, document title: Energy Minimization Principles and the Use of Adjustable Speed Fans in Variable Air Volume Ventiliation Systems (Leslie Norford)  received a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

Love, Andrea , web page   Director of Building Science & Associate Principal, Payette  … SMArchS 2011, document title: Material Impacts on Operational Energy Usage (Leslie Norford) 

Low, Man-Shi  … SMBT 2005, document title: Material Flow Analysis of Concrete in the United States (John Ochsendorf) 

McCormick, Michael  … SMBT 1994, document title: A Panelized Roof System for Residential Construction: Development, Application, and Evaluation (Leonard Morse-Fortier) 

McGuire, Molly   … SMBT 2005, document title: A System for Optimizing Interior Daylight Distribution Using Reflective Venetian Blinds with Independent Blind Angle Control (Leon Glicksman) 

Meguro, Wendy , web page   Assistant Professor, University of Hawai, Manoa  … SMArchS 2005, document title: Beyond Blue and Red Arrows: Optimizing Natural Ventilatioon in Large Buildings (Leslie Norford and Andrew Scott) 

Moreno, John  … SMBT 1991, document title: Radiative Transfer and Thermal Performance Levels in Foam Insulation Boardstocks (Leon Glicksman) 

Nagata, Rochelle  … SMBT 1997, document title: Residential Building Design: Comprehensive Comparative Guidelines for Building Single Family Dwelling in Hawaii (Jerome Connor and Chris Luebkeman) 

Nakamura, Takashi  … SMBT 1994, document title: Technological Rules and Constraints Affecting Design of Precast Concrete Housing (Leonard Morse-Fortier) 

Nakano, Aiko , web page   Creative Developer, Sosolimited, Boston, Ma  … SMBT 2015, document title: Urban Weather Generator User Interface Development: Towards a Usable Tool for Integrating Urban Heat Island Effect within Urban Design Process (Leslie Norford) 

Neugebauer, Adam , web page   … SMBT 2013, document title: Thermal Properties of Granular Silica Aerogel for High Performance Insulation Systems (Leon Glicksman) 

Noiva, Karen , web page   PhD Student, Massachusetts Institute of Technology  … SMBT 2011, document title: Modeling the Water Consumption of Singapore Using System Dynamics (John Fernandez) 

Okutan, Galip Mehmet  … SMBT 1995, document title: Scale Model Studies of Displacement Ventilation (Leon Glicksman and Leslie Norford) 

Oliver, Eric  … SMBT 1994, document title: Heat Pipe Dehumidification for Supermarket Energy Savings (Leslie Norford) 

Olsen, Erik  … SMBT 2002, document title: Performance Comparison of U.K. Low-Energy Cooling Systems by Energy Simulation (Qingyan Chen) 

Ospelt, Christoph  … SMBT 1999, document title: A Framework for Sustainable Buildings: An Application to China (Leon Glicksman) 

Osser, Roselin  … SMBT 2007, document title: Development of Two Heliodon Systems at MIT and Recommendations for Their Use (Marilyne Andersen and Leslie Norford) 

Parsons, Austin  … SMBT 2004, document title: An Analysis of Residential Window Waterproofing Systems (Leon Glicksman) 

Pechacek, Christopher   Chief of Criteria and Standards and Architect, Defense Health Agency  … SMArchS 2008, document title: Space, Light, and Time: Prospective Analysis of Circadian Illumination for Health-Based Daylighting with Applications to Healthcare Architecture (Marilyne Andersen) 

Plunkett, William , web page   Senior Associate, CBRE  … SMBT 2016, document title: The Roman Pantheon: Scale-Model Collapse (John Ochsendorf)  received a MBA from Yale University 

Quinn, David  Data Scientist, coUrbanize  … SMBT 2008, document title: Modeling the Resource Consumption of Housing in New Orleans Using System Dynamics (John Fernandez)  received a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

Rafiuly, Paul  Chief Operating Officer, Trimegah Securities  … SMBT 2000, document title: Minimizing Electricity Costs with an Auxiliary Generator using Stochastic Programming (Leslie Norford and John Tsitsiklis) 

Ramos, Jose I , web page   Design and Construction Program Manager, US Air Force Medical  … SMArchS 2013, document title: Energy Reduction Strategies for Existing Air Force Healthcare Facilities (Leon Glicksman) 

Reese-Anderson, Megan  … SMBT 2008, document title: Structural Analysis and Assessment of Guastavino Vaulting (John Ochsendorf) 

Revi, Frank  … SMBT 1992, document title: Measurement of Two-dimensional Concentration Fields of a Glycol-based Tracer Aerosol Using Laser Light Sheet Illumination and Microcomputer Video Image Acquisition and Processing (James Axley) 

Rice, Edward O , web page   Project Architect, Ann Beha Architects  … SMArchS 2006, document title: Daylight in Facade Renewal: Using New Metrics to Inform the Retrofitting of Aging Modern-era Facade Types (Marilyne Andersen) 

Rockcastle, Siobhan , web page   PhD Student, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne  … SMArchS 2011, document title: Daylight Variability and Contrast-Driven Architectural Effect (Marilyne Andersen and Terry Knight) 

Rose, Cody , web page   Research Scientist, Massachusetts Institute of Technology  … SMBT 2015, document title: Towards Interactive Sustainable Neighborhood Design: Combining a Tangible User Interface With Real Time Building Simulations (Christoph Reinhart) 

Saad, Omar , web page   Principal, Saad Acustica  … SMArchS 2004, document title: Soundfield Simulation: the Prediction and Validation of Acoustical Behavior with Computer Models (Leslie Norford and Carl Rosenberg)  received a MEng from Universidad Iberoamericana 

Saiyed, Zahraa  Structural Designer, Mar Structural Design  … SMArchS 2012, document title: Optimizing Resilience : Performance Based Assessment of Retrofits for Wood-frame Housing in San Francisco (John Fernandez)  received a MEng. From Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

Saldivar-Sali, Artessa  … SMBT 2010, document title: A Global Typology of Cities: Classification Tree Analysis of Urban Resource Consumption (John Fernandez) 

Samuels Aidoo, Fallon , web page   Lecturer, Harvard University  … SMArchS 2007, document title: Valuable Bridges: Cable-Stayed Bridges and Value Engineering in American Civil Engineering Culture, 1969-1979 (John Ochsendorf) 

Settlemyre, Kevin   … SMBT 2000, document title: Operational, Aesthetic, and Construction Process Performance for   Innovative Passive and Active Solar Building Components for Residential   Buildings (Chris Luebkeman and Sarah Slaughter) 

Shapiro, Elaine , web page   … SMBT 2012, document title: Collapse Mechanisms of Small-Scale Unreinforced Masonry Vaults (John Ochsendorf) 

Sih, Shuh-Hwa  … SMBT 1994, document title: Enhancing Pedestrian Access and Neighborhood Integrity in Boston's North End: A Mixed Use Approach Utilizing the Existing Highway Structure (Rosemary Grimshaw) 

Stigge, Byron   Director, Level Agency for Infrastructure  … SMBT 2001, document title: Informed Home Energy Behavior: Developing a Tool for Homeowners to Monitor, Plan and Learn about Energy Conservation (Leslie Norford)  received a MDes from Harvard University 

Street, Michael , web page   Director of Research, Pattern r+d  … SMBT 2013, document title: Comparison of Simplified Models of Urban Climate for Improved Prediction of Building Energy Use in Cities (Christoph Reinhart) 

Su, Leo , web page   Control Systems Engineer, eCurv, Inc  … SMBT 2015, document title: Demonstration of HVAC Chiller Control for Power Grid Frequency Regulation (Leslie Norford) 

Su, Jimmy  … SMBT 1995, document title: Structural Engineering for Northern Pakistan: Indigenous Architecture and Earthquake Resistance (Leonard Morse-Fortier) 

Sullivan, Gregory  … SMBT 1995, document title: Energy Conservation and Thermal Comfort in Buildings in Northern Pakistan (Leslie Norford) 

Taneda, Makoto  … SMBT 1996, document title: Application of Life Cycle Costing Method to a Renovation Project (Leonard Morse-Fortier) 

Tapia, Jason   Principal, Building Center No. 3  … SMArchS 2010, document title: Regionalism and the Design of Low-Rise Building Envelope Systems (John Fernandez John Ochsendorf) 

Taylor, Paki  President/CEO, IKAP Energy Design, Inc.  … SMArchS 2001, document title: Applications of Sustainable Technology to Retrofits in Urban Areas (Leon Glicksman) 

Truong, Phan , web page   Building Scientist, BR+A Consulting Engineers  … SMBT 2012, document title: Recommendations for the Analysis and Design of Naturally Ventilated Buildings in Urban Areas (Leslie Norford) 

Truong, Phan  Building Scientist, BR+A Consulting Engineers  … SMArchS 2010, document title: Improving the Fanger Models Thermal Comfort Predictions for Naturally Ventilated Spaces (Leon Glicksman)  received a SMBT from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

Turan, Irmak , web page   PhD Student, Massachusetts Institute of Technology  … SMArchS 2016, document title: From Sink to Stock: The Potential for Recycling Materials from the Existing Built Environment (John Fernandez) 

Vazquez, Maribel  … SMBT 1996, document title: The Effects of Altering Air Velocities in Operational Clean Rooms (Leon Glicksman) 

Webb, Amanda , web page   PhD Student, Penn State University  … SMArchS 2012, document title: Mapping Comfort: An Analysis Method for Understanding Diversity in the Thermal Environment (John Fernandez) 

Xing, Hai-Yun (Helen)  Quantitative Trader, Cubist Systematic Strategies  … SMBT 2000, document title: Desiccant Dehumidification Analysis (Leon Glicksman and Leslie Norford)  received a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

Yi, Lu , web page   Professor, Tsinghua University  … SMArchS 2008, document title: A New Approach in Data Visualization to Integrate Time and Space Variability of Daylighting in the Design Process (Marilyne Andersen and Takehiko Nagakura) 

Zakula, Tea , web page   Research Assistant, University of Zagreb  … SMBT 2010, document title: Heat Pump Simulation Model and Optimal Variable-Speed Control for a Wide Range of Cooling Conditions (Leslie Norford)  received a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

Zhang, Qin , web page   … SMBT 2016, document title: Modellng and Characterizing Bi-directional Airflow in Natural Ventilation (Leon Glicksman) 

Zhang, Jinsong   Machinery Engineer, Shell Martinez Refinery  … SMBT 2001, document title: Modeling VOC Sorption of Building Materials and its Impact on Indoor Air Quality (Qingyan Chen) 

PhD Dissertations

Armstrong, Peter , web page   Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Masdar Institute, UAE  … PhD 2004, document title: Model Identification with Application to Building Control and Fault Detection (Leslie Norford and Steven B. Leeb) 

Block, Philippe , web page   Associate Professor of Architecture and Structure, ETH Zurich  … PhD 2009, document title: Thrust Network Analysis: Exploring Three-dimensional Equilibrium (John Ochsendorf) 

Blum, David , web page   Postdoctoral Researcher, The Berkeley Lab  … PhD 2016, document title: Improving the Use of Commercial Building HVAC Systems for Electric Grid Ancillary Services (Leslie Norford) 

Brown, Carrie , web page   Senior Technical Consultant, Resource Refocus LLC  … PhD 2012, document title: Toward Zero Net Energy Buildings: Optimized for Energy Use and Cost (Leon Glicksman) 

Bueno, Bruno , web page   Scientist, Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE  … PhD 2012, document title: Study and Prediction of the Energy Interactions between Buildings and the Urban Climate (Leslie Norford) 

Caldas, Luisa , web page   Professor of Architechture, University of California, Berkeley  … PhD 2001, document title: An Evolution-Based Generative Design System: Using Adaptation to Shape Architectural Form (Leslie Norford) 

Chutarat, Acharawan   , King Mongkut's University of Technology, Thonburi  … PhD 2001, document title: Experience of Light: The Use of an Inverse Method and A Genetic Algorithm in Daylighting Design (Leslie Norford) 

DeJong, Matthew , web page   University Senior Lecturer in Structural Engineering, University of Cambridge, UK  … PhD 2009, document title: Seismic Assessment Strategies for Masonry Structures (John Ochsendorf) 

Dogan, Timur , web page   Assistant Professor, Cornell University  … PhD 2015, document title: Procedures for Automated Building Energy Model Production for Urban and Early Design (Christoph F. Reinhart) 

Duckworth, Steven  President of General Partner, 228 Group LP  … PhD 1993, document title: Performance Implications of Corporate Real Estate Strategic Orientation (Leon Groisser and Ranko Bon) 

Gagne, Jaime  Principlal Building Scientist, KGS Buildings  … PhD 2011, document title: An Interactive Performance-Based Expert System for Daylighting in Architectural Design   (Marilyne Andersen and Leslie Norford) 

Gayeski, Nicholas  Partner, KGS Buildings  … PhD 2010, document title: Predictive Pre-Cooling Control for Low Lift Radiant Cooling using Building Thermal Mass (Leslie Norford) 

Greden, Lara  Senior Director, Business Unit Strategy, CA Technologies  … PhD 2005, document title: Flexibility in Building Design: A Real Options Approach and Valuation Methodology to Address Risk (Leon Glicksman) 

Jakubiec, J Alstan , web page   Assistant Professor of Architecture and Sustainable Design, Singapore University of Technology and Design  … PhD 2014, document title: The Use of Visual Comfort Metrics in the Design of Daylit Spaces (Christoph Reinhart) 

Jiang, Yi  Group Leader, United Technologies Corporation  … PhD 2002, document title: Study of Natural Ventilation in Buildings with Large Eddy Simulation (Qingyan Chen) 

Kleindienst, Sian  Partner, KGS Buildings  … PhD 2010, document title: Time-Varied Daylighting Performance to Enable a Goal-Driven Design Process (Marilyne Andersen) 

Kua, Harn Wei , web page   Associate Professor, National University of Singapore  … PhD 2006, document title: The Design of Effective Policies for the Promotion of Sustainable Construction Materials (John Fernandez and Nicholas Ashford) 

Laughman, Christopher , web page   Principal Research Scientist, Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboritories  … PhD 2008, document title: Fault Detection Methods for Vapor-Compression Air Conditioners Using Electrical Measurements (Leslie Norford, Steven Leeb and Peter Armstrong) 

Lorenzetti, Dave , web page   Software Developer, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab  … PhD 1997, document title: Numerical Solution of Nonlinear Algebraic Systems in Building Energy Modeling (Leslie Norford) 

Luo, Dong  … PhD 2001, document title: Detection and Diagnosis of Faults and Energy Monitoring in HVAC Systems with Least-Intrusive Power Analysis (Leslie Norford) 

Moon, Kyoung Sun , web page   Associate Professor of Architecture, Yale School of Architecture  … PhD 2005, document title: Dynamic Interrelationship between Technology and Architecture in Tall Buildings (John Fernandez) 

Mueller, Caitlin , web page   Assistant Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology  … PhD 2014, document title: Computational Exploration of the Structural Design Space (John Ochsendorf) 

Palomera-Arias, Rogelio , web page   Assistant Professor of Construction Science, University of Texas at San Antonio  … PhD 2005, document title: Passive Electromagnetic Damping Device for Motion Control of Building Structures (John Ochsendorf) 

Quinn, David , web page   Data Scientist, coUrbanize  … PhD 2012, document title: Estimating Material and Energy Intensities of Urban Areas (John Fernandez) 

Rakha, Tarek , web page   Assistant Professor of Architectural Design and Building Technology, Syracuse University  … PhD 2015, document title: Towards Comfortable and Walkable Cities: Spatially Resolved Outdoor Thermal Comfort Analysis Linked to Travel Survey-based Human Activity Schedules (Christoph Reinhart) 

Srebric, Jelena , web page   Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Director of the Cluster for SustainabilIty in the Built Environment, University of Maryland  … PhD 2000, document title: Simplified Methodology for Indoor Environment Design (Qingyan Chen) 

Tan, Gang , web page   Assistant Professor of Civil and Architectural Engineering, University of Wyoming  … PhD 2005, document title: Study of Natural Ventilation Design by Integrating Multi-zone Model with CFD Simulation (Leon Glicksman) 

Walker, Christine  Manager, Development and Engineering, NORESCO  … PhD 2006, document title: Methodology for the Evaluation of Natural Ventilation in Buildings Using A Reduced-Scale Air Model (Leon Glicksman) 

Whiting, Emily , web page   Assistant Professor of Computer Science, Dartmouth College  … PhD 2012, document title: Design of Structurally-Sound Masonry Buildings Using 3D Static Analysis (John Ochsendorf and Fredo Durand) 

Xing, Hai-Yun (Helen)  Quantitative Trader, Cubist Systematic Strategies  … PhD 2004, document title: Building Load Control and Optimization (Leslie Norford) 

Yang, Xudong , web page   Chang-Jiang Professor and Deputy Director, Department of Building Science, Tsinghua University  … PhD 1999, document title: Study of Building Material Emissions and Indoor Air Quality (Qingyan Chen) 

Yuan, Jinchao  Senior Scientist, Oliden Technology  … PhD 2007, document title: Transition Dynamics between the Multiple Steady States in Natural Ventilation Systems: From Theories to Applications in Optimal Controls (Leon Glicksman) 

Zakula, Tea  Assistant Professor and Head of Laboratory for Energy Efficiency, University of Zagreb  … PhD 2013, document title: Model Predictive Control for Energy Efficient Cooling and Dehumidification (Leslie Norford) 

Zessin, Jennifer , web page   Internal Consultant, Ab Initio Software  … PhD 2012, document title: Collapse Analysis of Unreinforced Masonry Domes and Curving Walls (John Ochsendorf) 

Zhai, John Z , web page   Professor Building Systems Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder  … PhD 2003, document title: Developing an Integrated Building Design Tool by Coupling Building Energy Simulation and Computational Fluid Dynamics Programs (Leon Glicksman and Qingyan Chen) 

First Books from Doctoral Projects

Akbar, Jamel A. , Crisis in the Built Environment: the Case of the Muslim City. Singapore: Concept Media; New York, N.Y. 1988. (Arabic version is ʻImārat al-arḍ fī al-Islām, Jiddah: Dār al-Qiblah lil-Thaqāfah al-Islāmīyah; Bayrūt: Muʼassasat ʻUlūm al-Qurʼān, 1992.) 

Akšamija, Azra , Mosque Manifesto: Propositions for Spaces of Coexistence. Berlin: Revolver Publishing 2015. 

al-Hathloul, Saleh Ali , The Arab-Muslim City: Tradition, Continuity and Change in the Physical Environment. Riyadh: Dar Al Sahan, 1996. 

Allais, Lucia , Designs of Destruction: The Making of Monuments in the Twentieth Century. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2018. 

Anderson, Christy , Inigo Jones and the Classical Tradition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007. 

Anderson, Glaire D. , The Islamic Villa in Early Medieval Iberia: Architecture and Court Culture in Umayyad Córdoba. Burlington, VT: Ashgate 2013. 

Ballon, Hilary , The Paris of Henry IV. New York/Cambridge: Architectural History Foundatioin/The MIT Press, 1991 

Bhatt, Ritu , Rethinking Aesthetics: the Role of Body in Design. New York, NY and Oxon, England, UK: Routledge 2013. 

Çelik Alexander, Zeynep , Kinaesthetic Knowing: Aesthetics, Epistemology, Modern Design.   Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2017 

Fenske, Gail , The Skyscraper and the City: The Woolworth Building and the Making of Modern New York. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2008. 

Grignon, Marc, Loing Du Soleil: Architectural Practice in Quebec City During the French Regime. New York: P. Lang, 1997. 

Grigor, Talinn , Building Iran: Modernism, Architecture, and National Heritage Under the Pahlavi Monarchs. New York: Periscope Publishing, distributed by Prestel, 2009. 

Haglund , Karl , Inventing the Charles River. Cambridge, MA, The MIT Press 2003. 

Hamadeh, Shirine , The City's Pleasures: Istanbul in the Eighteenth Century. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2008. 

Hays, K. Michael , Modernism and the posthumanist subject: the architecture of Hannes Meyer and Ludwig Hilberseimer. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press, 1992. 

Isenstadt, Sandy , The Modern American House: Spaciousness and Middle Class Identity. Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press, 2006 

Jarzombek, Mark , On Leon Battista Alberti: His Literary and Aesthetic Theories. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1989. 

Karimi, Pamela , Domesticity and Consumer Culture in Iran: Interior Revolutions of the Modern Era. London, UK; New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group 2013. 

Kauffman, Jordan , Drawing on Architecture: The Object of Lines, 1970-1990. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2018. 

Keyvanian., Carla L. , Hospitals and Urbanism in Rome, 1200-1500. Leiden; Boston: Brill 2015. 

Koss, Juliet , Modernism After Wagner. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2010. 

Kraynak, Janet L. , Nauman Reiterated. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press 2014. 

Kroiz, Lauren , Creative Composites: Modernism, Race, and the Stieglitz Circle. Berkeley: University of California Press; Washington, D.C : The Phillips Collection 2012. 

Lamprakos, Michele , Building a World Heritage City: Sanaa, Yemen. Burlington, VT: (Ashgate) Routledge 2015. 

Last, Nana , Wittgenstein's House: Language, Space, & Architecture. New York: Fordham University Press, 2008. 

Lenssen, Anneka , Beautiful Agitation. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2020. 

León, Ana María , Modernity for the Masses: Antonio Bonet's Dreams for Buenos Aires. University of Texas Press, Austin, TX 

Lopez-Duran, Fabiola , Eugenics in the Garden: Transatlantic Architecture in the Crafting of Modernity. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, 2018. 

McLaren, Brian L. , Architecture and Tourism in Italian Colonial Libya: An Ambivalent Modernism. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2006. 

Moon, Iris Jee , The Architecture of Percier and Fontaine and the Struggle for Sovereignty in Revolutionary France. London; New York: Routledge, 2017.  

Morshed, Adnan Z. , Impossible Heights Skyscrapers, Flight, and the Master Builder. Minneapolis; London University of Minnesota Press 2015. 

Osman, Michael , Modernism's Visible Hand: Architecture and Regulation in America. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 2018. 

Otero-Pailos, Jorge , Architecture's Historical Turn: Phenomenology and the Rise of the Postmodern. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 2010. 

Pai, Hyungmin , The Portfolio and the Diagram: Architecture, Discourse, and Modernity in America. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2002. 

Pedret, Annie , Team 10: An Archival History. London, UK; New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group 2013. 

Pezolet, Nicola , Reconstruction and the Synthesis of the Arts in France, 1944-1962 Abingdon, Oxon ; New York : Routledge, 2018 

Pollak, Martha , Turin 1564-1680: Urban Design, Military Culture, and the Creation of the Absolutist Capital. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1991. 

Rabbat, Nasser , The Citadel of Cairo: A New Interpretation of Royal Mamluk Architecture. Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1995. 

Rizvi, Kishwar , The Safavid Dynastic Shrine: Architecture, Religion and Power in Early Modern Iran. London, UK: I.B. Tauris, 2011. 

Schwarzer, Mitchell , German Architectural Theory and the Search for Modern Identity. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1995. 

Sheren, Ila , Portable Borders: Performance Art and Politics on the U.S. Frontera Since 1984. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, 2015. 

Siry, Joseph M. , Carson Pirie Scott: Louis Sullivan and the Chicago Department Store. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1988. 

Steiner, Hadas A. , Beyond Archigram: The Structure of Circulation. New York, NY: Routledge, 2009. 

Stieber, Nancy , Housing Design and Society in Amsterdam: Reconfiguring Urban Order and Identity, 1900-1920. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1998. 

Urban, Florian , Neo-Historical East Berlin: Architecture and Urban Design in the German Democratic Republic 1970-1990. Farnham, UK: Ashgate, 2009. 

Vicario, Niko , Hemispheric Integration   Materiality, Mobility, and the Making of Latin American Art Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2020. 

Vujosevic, Tijana , Modernism and the Making of the Soviet New Man Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press, 2017. 

Wheeler, Katherine , Victorian Perceptions of Renaissance Architecture. Farnham Surrey, UK; Burlington, VT: (Ashgate) Routledge, 2014. 

Widrich, Mechtild , Performative Monuments: The Rematerialisation of Public Art Manchester, United Kingdom; New York: Manchester University Press, 2014 

Wong, Winnie Won Yin , Van Gogh on Demand: China and the Readymade. Chicago, IL; London, UK: University of Chicago Press, 2013. 

Building Technology Open House

• Christoph Reinhart The Daylighting Handbook II Building Technology Press, 2018
• John Fernandez, et al. Surveying the Environmental Footprint of Urban Food Consumption Journal of Industrial Ecology, 21.1, 2017
• Nathaniel Jones, Christoph Reinhart Real-Time Visual Comfort Feedback for Architectural Design PLEA International Conference on Passive and Low Energy Architecture, Los Angeles, 2016
• Yijiang Huang, et al. FrameFab: robotic fabrication of frame shapes ACM Transactions on Graphics, Volume 35 Issue, November 6, 2016

Building Science (MASc, MBSc, PhD)

Part of the Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science

Program Overview

Format : Full-time

Degree Earned : Master of Applied Science, Master of Building Science or PhD

This unique interdisciplinary graduate program delivers research and application of building physics fundamentals to the interaction between components of a building, its users and the environment. Newly established PhD degree in building science for Fall 2019 expands research opportunities in this growing field. This high-quality, professionally relevant program prepares students for careers in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry or academia.

At a Glance

Admissions information.

• Completion of a four-year undergraduate (or equivalent) degree from an accredited institution
• Minimum grade point average (GPA) or equivalent of 3.00/4.33 (B) in the last two years of study
• Statement of interest
• Transcripts
• Two letters of recommendation
• English language proficiency requirement
• Completion of a master’s degree in building science, civil engineering, mechanical engineering or a related applied science field from an accredited institution
• Minimum grade point average (GPA) or equivalent of 3.33/4.33 (B+)

More information on  admission requirements . Due to the competitive nature of our programs, it is not possible to offer admission to everyone who applies that meets the minimum entrance requirements for the program. 

Program-specific requirements

Check Application Deadline

Students are encouraged to submit applications prior to the first consideration date to increase their chances of securing financial support for their graduate studies. Applications received after the first consideration date will be accepted and reviewed based on spaces remaining in the program.

See application dates .

Financing Your Studies

For detailed graduate tuition and fees information please visit  Fees by Program .

For information on scholarships, awards and financing your graduate studies visit  Financing Your Studies.

Research Areas

• Architectural Acoustics and Noise Control
• Building Automation
• Daylighting and Energy-Efficient Lighting Design
• High-Performance Building Envelopes
• Intelligent Sensors and Instrumentation for Buildings
• Low-Energy Building Design
• Performance Assessment of Existing Buildings
• Recycling and Reuse of Construction Materials and Components
• Renewable Energy Systems
• Resilience in Urban Design
• Sustainability in Built Environment
• Zero-Carbon Buildings

Sample Courses

Core courses.

• Building Science Theory
• Building Envelope Systems
• Ecological and Resource-Efficient Design
• Energy-Efficient Building Services and Renewable Energy Systems
• Building Design Seminar/Studio

Elective Courses

• Building Performance Assessment
• Building Performance Simulation/Modelling
• Building Science and Architecture Research Methodology
• Detail Design Project
• Lighting Design in Buildings
• Renewable Energy System for Buildings
• Building Envelope Restoration 

Building Science (MASc, MBSc) graduate program calendar

• Building Science lab and equipment
• Computer-Aided Design Lab
• Lab for Building Automation
• Studio-based education that encourages collaboration and experiential learning

Graduate Admissions

Admissions information and how to apply

Graduate Studies Admissions Office 11th Floor, 1 Dundas Street West Toronto, ON Telephone: 416-979-5150 Email:  [email protected]

For information specific to programs, please see the program contact information below.

Program Contacts

Dr. Russell Richman Graduate Program Director BArch, MASc, PhD, PEng Telephone: 416-979-5000 ext. 556489 Email: richman @torontomu.ca

Mimi Lam Graduate Program Administrator Telephone: 416-979-5000 ext. 552684 Email: [email protected]

“Buildings require many systems that must function simultaneously. I enjoy the challenge of fitting these pieces together to maximize durability, performance and space quality.” Matthew Tokarik, MASc alumnus

Student Profile:  Toronto students design zero-energy laneway home  (external link) 

Architecture and building science master’s students, in collaboration with the University of Toronto, received the grand prize at a U.S. Department of Energy competition for their zero-energy laneway house design.

Find curriculum, course descriptions and important dates for Building Science (MASc, MBSc).

Once you’ve made an informed choice about which program(s) you are going to apply to, preparing your application requires careful research and planning.

At Toronto Metropolitan University, we understand that pursuing graduate studies is a significant financial investment. Funding comes from a combination of employment contracts (as a teaching assistant), scholarships, awards and stipends. There are a number of additional funding sources – internal and external – available to graduate students that can increase these funding levels.

As an urban innovation university, Toronto Metropolitan University offers 60+ cutting-edge, career-oriented graduate programs, as well as 125+ research centres, institutes and labs, in a wide range of disciplines. Our close connections with industry, government and community partners provide opportunities to apply your knowledge to real-world challenges and make a difference.

School of Architecture

College of design.

Building Science

The Building Science group concentrates on the interdisciplinary research of physical phenomena in the built environment.     We aim to provide more understanding of building energy usage and occupant comfort through the application of physics-based and data-driven approaches.     Our research is a tool to inform designers, engineers, and building managers on the realities of their designs to better inform decision-making and design optimization processes.

A More Climate-Resilient Native American Architecture

With the increasing effects of climate change, Native American communities are being impacted adversely due to their high dependence on land and the ecosystem. Even though Indigenous people have always respected nature, followed sustainable practices, and minimally contributed to climate change, they are currently more vulnerable to extreme climatic conditions. Indigenous people have built climate-responsive buildings and passed their vernacular knowledge to their future generations; however, the efficiency of traditional styles has been reducing over time and does not remain as effective with the changing climate. It is necessary to integrate advanced building technologies with the vernacular architecture of Native Americans to construct climate-resilient buildings. This research paper suggests some climate resilient design strategies formed by a group of architects and building scientists from across the world (Egypt, India, Iran, Mexico, and USA), trying to help Native American communities in Alaska fight climate change after being approached for a cultural centre project in Tyonek, Alaska. Taking that as a case study, this paper aims to combine Indigenous people’s cultural and architectural practices with advanced green building technologies and quantify the resilience of the buildings against harsh climatic conditions such as cold drafts, extreme temperature, humidity, and moisture using simulations.  

Modeling of Transient Conduction in Envelope Assemblies

As buildings age, retrofits are becoming an increasingly important topic for the ever-growing and aging existing building stock. To compare designs or evaluate in-service building envelopes, thermal modeling is utilized to evaluate the thermal performance of envelope assemblies; however, it can be difficult to model the thermal performance of as-built assemblies due to degradation or missing documentation. To address this issue, transient thermal modeling can be applied to infer the properties of as-built envelope assemblies. This paper presents a review of the literature and published methods to model and infer the transient conductive performance of building envelopes. This review serves as a survey of existing transient conduction algorithms to evaluate performance, computational speed, and relevance for inverse modeling applications. In addition to the literature review, this work also evaluates the computational performance of the most prevalent transient conduction algorithms against the ASHRAE 1052-RP toolkit to assess inverse modeling potential.

Predicting Building Envelope Construction

From in-situ thermal testing.

When embarking on a retrofit of a building envelope, it is extremely important to understand the composition of the assembly. This practice is currently done by destructive and invasive material testing or demolition, which is sometimes not possible when in historic or protected buildings. To address this problem, in-situ thermal testing can be utilized along with machine learning classification algorithms to infer the composition of an assembly. In this paper, a proof-ofconcept K-nearest neighbors classification model is developed to classify assembly composition from effective thermal resistance, effective thermal mass, and assembly cladding. This model was trained and tested utilizing a synthetic dataset producing an F1-score of 94.6%. This model was also validated with experimental data from a 100-year old wall assembly, confirming the model’s real-world validity. This study serves as a framework for inferring as-built envelope assembly composition, all without having to damage or disturb the building.

Overheating Assessment in Passivhaus Dwellings

The influence of prediction tools.

Thermal comfort during the summer in the Passivhaus concept relies mainly on natural ventilation to provide indoor cooling. Do airflow modeling tools accurately predict overheating in summer and for anticipated warmer climates? What effect do simplifications of airflow modeling techniques have on the overheating assessment of Passivhaus dwellings? Measured data and a calibrated thermal model are employed in the present study to address this question. The calibrated model is then used to create a standalone building energy model (BEM), a BEM coupled with an airflow network model (AFN), and a BEM coupled with an AFN supported by the wind pressure coefficients obtained from computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation. The outcome of each modeling approach was then compared against each other within three different European climates. Results showed that the overheating frequency prediction found with the default design infiltration and natural ventilation inputs commonly used in the literature agreed fairly with those obtained from the AFN + CFD in temperate or colder climates (< 2% difference), but were significantly underestimating overheating in Passivhaus buildings located at warmer climates (9.4% difference). For Passivhaus dwellings in warmer climates, the airflow modeling approach is unlikely to provide for an accurate estimation of the overheating incidence.

Deteriorate

A model to simulate envelope r-value fluctuations in natural porous insulation.

As the threat of climate change is exacerbated by increasing energy demand and the carbon emissions linked to it, driving down energy consumption is a goal that building professionals must seek to prioritize due to the key role that buildings play in global energy consumption. The use of insulation to drive down building energy consumption is an effective strategy in climates where a large temperature variation exists between indoor and outdoor conditions. Natural-based insulations, which are typically porous, offer an insulation solution with low to negligible embodied energy. The porosity of these materials however can decrease thermal performance due to moisture build-up. Due to the need to employ these materials more commonly and to anticipate their behavior for more informed decision-making, we propose a computationally efficient model that discretizes porous insulation into three distinct layers: Solid, Air, and Moisture. The model associates moisture build-up in the pores using material-specific Sorption Isotherms. We run a simulation using our model on a building utilizing cellulose insulation. Results show that the model is validated by matching experimental data reported by other authors in terms of thermal conductivity and R Value changes. Comparing the outcome to experimental values shows promise in mimicking thermal conductivity fluctuations in porous materials.

Diverse Occupancy and Presence Sensing Technology

A Framework to Simulate Diverse Occupancy and Presence Sensing Technology to Regulate Heating and Cooling Energy in Residential Buildings

With the rapid progression of human sensing technologies, High Performance Buildings are inevitably moving towards the wide-scale automation of occupancy detection for energy efficiency purposes. Occupancy patterns influence energy consumption in buildings by governing the Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems to regulate indoor comfort. The integration of emerging sensing systems in residential buildings requires low-cost, low-resolution alternatives that might be subject to inaccuracies and result in errors. This project adopts a simulation-based workflow to examine the impact of system sensing errors, like human false sensing, using occupancy schedules to quantify energy loss.

Towards Understanding an Imperfect Built Environment

A Methodology for In-Situ Characterization of Building Envelope Thermal Performance 

As buildings age, retrofits are becoming an increasingly important topic for the ever-growing and aging existing building stock. Following construction, a building's energy footprint typically remains relatively stagnant, effectively locking-in that building's energy usage for its lifetime. The goal of this work is to utilize the power of thermography and transient heat transfer modeling to non-intrusively characterize the thermal properties of a building's envelope to inform energy modeling, facade design, and project appraisal.  

Streamlined CFD Simulation Framework

To generate wind-pressure coefficients on building facades.

Building energy modeling software generally comes with capable airflow network solvers for natural ventilation evaluation in multi-zone building energy models. These approaches rely on pressure coefficient arrays representing different wind directions derived from simple box-shaped buildings without contextual obstructions. For urban or obstructed sites and more complex building shapes, however, further evaluation is needed to avoid geometric oversimplification. In this study, we present an automated and easy-to-use simulation workflow for OpenFOAM-based exterior airflow simulations to generate pressure coefficient arrays for arbitrary building shapes and contextual situations. The workflow is compared to other methods commonly used to obtain pressure coefficients for natural ventilation analysis. Finally, we assess for which climate zones and building types modelers should rely on more accurate CFD-based pressure coefficients and where it may be justifiable to rely on easier and readily available analytical approaches to determine pressure coefficients. Results suggest that existing workflows lead to significant error in predicted comfort hours for climates in the global South and modelers should consider CFD based façade pressure coefficient.

Heat Transfer for Architectural Applications with OpenFOAM

Although recent advancements in computational architecture show promising capabilities, it remains difficult for architects to conduct advanced simulations due to the limited software interoperability. For thermal bridging analyses, the architectural community traditionally relies on specific software tools that are not integrated into a CAD environment. To integrate such analyses into the ongoing design process, we implement a software tool to run heat transfer simulations with OpenFOAM from Grasshopper and Rhinoceros. This paper presents an implementation for box-shaped geometries and compares its results to a thermal bridge analysis from a validated simulation engine. We show that OpenFOAM’s chtMultiregionFoam solver is capable of accurately predicting temperature distributions in a geometry setup with 13 different regions and 8 different materials. In conclusion, we show that heat transfer studies can be highly automated and integrated into an iterative design process.

Master's Capstone Project by Madison Prince

A Comprehensive Retrofit Analysis and Optimization of Thermal Comfort and Energy Use in an Existing Academic Residence Hall Building

American academic campuses are in flux and attract students who are primarily living away from home for the first time. However, almost half of the United States’ built environment was constructed before 1970, meaning existing buildings will continue to age and deteriorate unless retrofits are applied to resolve this inevitable problem. This project identifies the crucial energy losses within an existing campus residence hall as a base case and provides two alternative retrofit solutions for optimal energy efficiency goals as a side-by-side comparison. 

Yasser El Masri

Ph.d. alumni.

Sahithi Datla

Vitor L. Goncalves

Tyler Pilet

Madison Prince

Tarek Sherif

Ph.d. student.

Patrick Kastner

Assistant professor.

Tarek Rakha

Associate professor.

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Ph.D. in Architecture

• About Architecture
• Building Science, Technology, and Sustainability

History, Theory, and Society

The Ph.D. in architecture is a research degree appropriate for those seeking careers in teaching and scholarship in architecture and its related areas, or in roles in government or professional consultation that require depth in specialization and experience in research.

The Program

Berkeley’s Ph.D. program in architecture is interdisciplinary in outlook, reaching into the various disciplines related to architecture and incorporating substantial knowledge from outside fields. Students admitted to this program carry out a program of advanced study and research, both on the basis of formal class work and of individual investigation. Work centers on three related fields of study, the major field (the basis for the dissertation), and one-to-two minor fields, at least one of which must be from a discipline outside architecture.

Fields of Study

The Ph.D. degree emphasizes course work and supervised independent research in one of the following areas of study:

• Building Science, Technology and Sustainability (BSTS)
• History, Theory and Society (HTS)

Major fields outside these fields or combinations thereof may also be proposed at the time of admission.

Course work is individually developed through consultation with an academic adviser. Outside fields of study may take advantage of the University’s varied resources. Recent graduates have completed outside fields in anthropology, art history, business administration, city and regional planning, computer science, various engineering fields, psychology, women’s studies, geography and sociology.

The following are members of the Ph.D faculty, broken into one of two offered areas of study. Please also review the current list of all faculty in the Architecture Department for other faculty and specialities. A sampling of faculty research is described on the faculty research projects page.

Building Science, Technology and Sustainability

Requirements

The Ph.D. program in architecture is governed by the regulations of the University Graduate Division and administered by the departmental Ph.D. committee. Specific degree requirements include:

• A minimum of two years in residence.
• Completion of a one-semester course in research methods.
• Satisfaction of a foreign language requirement for those in the History, Theory and Society.
• Completion of one-to-two outside fields of study.
• A written qualifying examination, followed by an oral qualifying examination.
• A dissertation.

Course requirements for the degree include:

BSTS Master of Science and PhD Handbook for 2023-2024 and 2024-2025

For previous years' handbooks, please contact graduate advising .

Ph.D. Alumni List

• Ph.D. Alumni — Building Science, Technology and Sustainability
• Ph.D. Alumni — History, Theory, and Society

PhD in Sustainable Building Systems

Become a thought leader in green building and sustainability in the built environment..

The PhD program in sustainable building systems will prepare you to be a leader in scientific discourse and practical applications in the field of green building and sustainability in the built environment.  

The PhD takes three to five years to complete. During the course of your studies, you’ll undertake a thorough exploration of topics like site selection and environmental modification, design of buildings and structures, choice of materials and structural systems, selection and sizing of building energy systems, construction processes, and waste streams. 

You’ll benefit from the interdisciplinary approach that involves faculty in architecture, civil and environmental engineering, and other departments. Our location in the Olver Design Building offers proximity to the Departments of Architecture and Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning (LARP), two academic units whose work also centers on the built environment.

The program’s holistic approach to education, including considerations of the life cycle of building systems, will give you a key advantage on the job market.

Related offerings

Students interested in our PhD in Sustainable Building Systems may also be interested in these other offerings.

• Bachelor of Science in Building and Construction Technology
• Minor in Building and Construction Technology
• Master of Science in Sustainable Building Systems
• Sustainable Building Construction Certificate (Online)

Sustainable Building and Construction Management

Learn about building design, building science and technology, project management, and sustainable business practices.

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