News

Faculty Fellows Research: Assessing Chemical Impact

If we’re interested in thinking about urban areas as landscapes, it’s nice to know what’s coming into the system and helpful to know how the landscape functions.Professor Charles Driscoll

Charles DriscollCharles Driscoll

University Professor of Environmental Systems and Distinguished Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Syracuse University

See a list of Professor Driscoll’s published research

Project
Professor Driscoll is measuring atmospheric deposition—the chemicals reaching the Earth through rain and air—in Central New York, comparing sites in urban Syracuse, including the SyracuseCoE green roof, with rural Skaneateles.

Backstory
The Syracuse project is an offshoot of Driscoll’s long-standing research on the effects of acid and mercury deposition and climate change on forest, aquatic, and coastal ecosystems in the Northeast and elsewhere. Driscoll also recently began collaborating with researchers at Boston University who are taking similar measurements in Boston, to develop models to evaluate how urban landscapes are different from rural landscapes in responding to climate change and urban air pollution. He’s also sharing information with the National Atmospheric Deposition Program, which is increasing its research focus on urban areas.

Nuts and Bolts
Driscoll began measuring atmospheric deposition at the SyracuseCoE headquarters in 2011. Last year, he added additional sites in Syracuse to compare levels and patterns of contaminants over the course of the year. He’s also assessing the function of the SyracuseCoE green roof in terms of its ability to retain water, nutrients, and trace metals. “We measure many more chemicals than is routine,” Driscoll says. Because there have been few measurements taken in urban areas and some of these chemicals are not typically measured, Driscoll believes some of the patterns found in Syracuse have never before been reported. As an additional comparison, he established a testing station in Skaneateles identical to the one at SyracuseCoE.

What He’s Found
Not surprisingly, overall air pollution levels in Syracuse are higher than those in Skaneateles, significantly impacted by highway auto emissions, construction activities, and road salt. But there were chemicals with higher levels in the rural setting, including phosphorus. “There are harmful algal blooms in Skaneateles Lake that people think are driven by inputs of phosphorus. We think the phosphorus we’re measuring is going to be a large input to the lake,” he says. “We learn things from these measurements that stimulate interest in new areas that we didn’t really intend.”

SyracuseCoE Impact
Driscoll’s project has been funded over four rounds of the Faculty Fellows Program. In addition to research funding, the SyracuseCoE green roof provides a world-class research environment. “There’s a lot of interest in green infrastructure, and the SyracuseCoE green roof is a Cadillac roof,” he says. “I don’t think there’s a green roof in the world that outperforms it.”

Practical Application
Few studies have been done of atmospheric deposition in urban areas. “If we’re interested in thinking about urban areas as landscapes, it’s nice to know what’s coming into the system and helpful to know how the landscape functions,” he says.

Engineered by Corning, Designed by Syracuse Architecture: The Architectural Applications of Corning® Willow Glass®

Dr. Daekwon Park (Assistant Professor at Syracuse School of Architecture) and Dr. Sean Garner (Senior Research Associate at Corning Inc.) discuss the experimental collaboration process between designers at Syracuse School of Architecture and scientists at Corning Incorporated. The collaboration was conducted as a semester-long directed research studio course for the Master of Science students at Syracuse School of Architecture. Dr. Daekwon Park and his students focused on developing creative and innovative architectural application derived from the plethora of innovative glass and ceramic technologies at Corning including Willow Glass, Gorilla Glass, and Fiber Optic Lighting among others. Dr. Sean Garner coordinated and led the team of experts including scientists, engineers, and marketing experts at Corning to support and guide the research process.
 
The experimental collaboration process, which was both productive and informative for both entities, can serve as a good case study for other early-stage industry-academia collaboration endeavors.
 

Presenters:

Daekwon ParkDr. Daekwon Park

DDes, AIA, LEED AP
Assistant Professor, Syracuse University School of Architecture
Faculty Research Fellow, SyracuseCoE
 
Daekwon Park is a registered practicing architect and assistant professor at Syracuse University School of Architecture. He is a faculty research fellow and director of the Material Archi-Tectonic Research Lab (MATR LAB) at the Syracuse Center of Excellence. Park is also the founder of the multidisciplinary design practice MATR Studio based in Syracuse, NY. His research, practice, and pedagogy investigate the intersection between design, material technology, and environmental science with an emphasis on how it influences the way the built environment is designed, built, and occupied.
 
 
 

Dr. Sean Garner

Senior Research Associate, Corning Inc.
 
Sean M. Garner received a B.Eng. degree in Engineering Physics (Applied Laser and Optics) from Stevens Institute of Technology in 1993 and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering (Electrophysics) from the University of Southern California in 1998. Sean joined Corning Incorporated in 1998 working in the area of materials processing and device prototyping, and today he continues this work at the company’s Science and Technology Center as a Senior Research Associate. For more information on Sean see this news article on Corning’s website.
 

 

 

Moderated By:

Gary GirzadasGary Girzadas

Executive Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, Syracuse University
 
Gary Girzadas directs a team of dedicated professionals who champion innovative partnerships with industry and foundation organizations. He focuses on strategically aligning the mission of Syracuse University with partners in a range of technical, social science, and cutting edge policy areas and sectors.  With extensive higher education experience, Gary works to develop holistic university partnerships that energize signature areas of strength. Over his tenure in the field he has developed gifts, grants, sponsored research, corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs and philanthropic support for local, national, and global projects.
 
 
 
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Research & Technology Forum Series 

SyracuseCoE offers regularly scheduled forums and networking showcasing innovative research, technologies and other opportunities of interest to stakeholders and community members. Past topics have included groundbreaking industry projects to modernize the HVAC systems at the Sistine Chapel, workshops to help state agencies develop funding priorities, and research on the impact of “green” buildings on cognitive function. To receive notice of these events, sign up for email updates at the “Join our mailing list” tab at the bottom right corner of the website. Visit the Research & Technology Forum page to see the archive.

From the Front Lines: Deep Energy Retrofit Solutions

New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) has partnered with the Dutch initiative EnergieSprong to challenge market development of feasible deep energy retrofits. Beginning with six pilot projects focused on affordable multifamily housing, teams throughout the State search to flush out demand forecasts, industry investment, and regulatory constraints to drive market transforming solutions to net zero, or near net zero retrofits targeting the State’s existing building stock.

Where do the origins of this concept lie? This leads us on an adventure through the Netherlands, where market development has been in process for nearly ten years. A team of architects, engineers, financiers and owners took the opportunity to experience, first-hand, the advancements in technology and financing principles involved with developing market ready deep energy retrofits.

We bring this information back to North America for implementation, sharing details of cost compression including industrialization of architectural components, pre-fabricated mechanical systems, and finance models showing the ability for such retrofits to become viable in a market driven economy. Most importantly we make connections to New York State and North America, assessing compatibility and the opportunity to adapt and expand upon metrics seen for nearly a decade overseas.

Presenters:

Tom King

CPHD, LEED AP
Designer King + King Architects
Tom is a Certified Passive House Designer and Tradesperson, trained in the construction, detailing and energy modeling of high-performance buildings. At King+King he lives in the details. Designing high performing envelope systems for all buildings, large and small. Whether it be Net Zero, Passive House, new construction or renovation, complying with limited budgets and Energy Codes, or striving toward the highest performance metrics; every building stands to benefit from air tight construction, continuous insulation and high quality detailing coupled with integrated mechanical system strategies. Tom pushes this boundary and challenges colleagues and consultants alike to think, design, and construct more holistically.

Tom is a graduate of Stevens Institute of Technology, where he held a leading role in the research, design and construction of the SURE House’s resilient and sustainable components. The SURE House is a net zero energy prototype for resilient residential construction targeting coastal neighborhoods increasingly affected by a changing climate. The Stevens SURE House team, led by six graduate students including Tom, won an unprecedented seven of ten competitions at the 2015 US Department of Energy Solar Decathlon competition. Tom holds a Master’s in Engineering from Stevens and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from Roger Williams University.

Sadie McKeown

Executive VP and COO
Community Preservation Corporation

McKeown oversees the company’s lending activities, business operations and investor relations, as well the operation of its regional field offices located throughout New York. McKeown is also responsible for spearheading the company’s innovative “underwriting efficiency” practice that incorporates energy and water efficiency features into the financing of first mortgages for multifamily building owners. CPC has used this new underwriting method to leverage nearly $6.4 million in additional mortgage financing to fund more than 3,600 units of energy-efficient multifamily housing across NYS.

After starting her career at CPC as a Mortgage Originator in 1992, McKeown later served as Senior VP and Director of Lending in CPC’s Hudson Valley Region, where she led the company’s Downtown Main Street initiatives. McKeown earned her Master’s Degree in Human Services Administration with a concentration in Housing from Cornell University. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from Fordham University.

 
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Research & Technology Forum Series 

SyracuseCoE offers regularly scheduled forums and networking showcasing innovative research, technologies and other opportunities of interest to stakeholders and community members. Past topics have included groundbreaking industry projects to modernize the HVAC systems at the Sistine Chapel, workshops to help state agencies develop funding priorities, and research on the impact of “green” buildings on cognitive function. To receive notice of these events, sign up for email updates at the “Join our mailing list” tab at the bottom right corner of the website. Visit the Research & Technology Forum page to see the archive.

Call for Proposals: Up to $10,000 available for SyracuseCoE Partners

2019 Innovation Fund Round 1 Call for Proposals Open to Partners

The deadline has passed.

The Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems (SyracuseCoE) invites proposals to the SyracuseCoE Innovation Fund from current SyracuseCoE Partners for up to $10,000. The Innovation Fund is funded by SyracuseCoE Partner Program and is designed to support Partners’ efforts to overcome barriers to the commercialization of potentially transformative innovations. Projects must be aligned with commercialization of innovative products/technologies and focused on one or more of SyracuseCoE’s three core areas:

  • Indoor Environmental Quality and Building Energy Efficiency
  • Clean & Renewable Energy
  • Water Resources

To apply, you must submit the application and required documents by 5:00pm EST, Friday, March 8th, 2019.

Small Packaged Heat Pumps: Rethinking Everything

Heat pumps are a key strategy for eliminating fossil fuel use, being promoted by everyone from savvy HVAC contractors to national environmental groups to city and state agencies, but split system heat pumps are costly. Wouldn’t a small packaged solution be a hit in the market? Multifamily per-room heat loss is becoming so small, whether through deep energy retrofits or high-performance new construction, that a small packaged heat pump might really be JUST what’s needed for widespread adoption.

Imagine: no refrigerant piping, no refrigerant pipe insulation or chases, no licensed refrigeration tech, no outdoor pad, no outdoor electrical disconnect, not even an outdoor unit of any sort! How about costs in the $1000-2000 range instead of $5000-10,000 or more. Taitem’s recent study of existing and emerging technology reveals that we’re not quite there yet. 

Where are we? What’s out there? Do current packaged terminal heat pumps come close? And if not, could they with some design modifications? What else is available or being developed? Watch our January R&T below for a lively discussion of getting downright small with heat pumps.

Presenters:

Ian Shapiro, PE, LEED AP

Senior Engineer
Taitem Engineering

Ian founded Taitem in 1989. He is the co-author of the books Green Building Illustrated (2014) and Energy Audits and Improvements for Commercial Buildings (2016), both published by Wiley. He has been a visiting lecturer at Cornell University, Tompkins Cortland Community College, and Syracuse University. He holds an undergraduate degree from McGill University, and an M.S. from Columbia University, both in mechanical engineering. Ian is a licensed engineer in the states of New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania. In his spare time, Ian enjoys to spend time with family and friends, write poetry, and play soccer and basketball.

 

 

Evan Hallas

Senior Energy Analyst
Taitem Engineering

With ten years of experience in building science and energy efficiency, Evan has a deep understanding of building systems, strong communication skills, and a commitment to quality. Evan recognizes the importance of getting the details right, and to support this, he splits his time between the office and being out in the field.

 

 

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Research & Technology Forum Series 

SyracuseCoE offers regularly scheduled forums and networking showcasing innovative research, technologies and other opportunities of interest to stakeholders and community members. Past topics have included groundbreaking industry projects to modernize the HVAC systems at the Sistine Chapel, workshops to help state agencies develop funding priorities, and research on the impact of “green” buildings on cognitive function. To receive notice of these events, sign up for email updates at the “Join our mailing list” tab at the bottom right corner of the website. Visit the Research & Technology Forum page to see the archive.

SyracuseCoE Has Student Internships Available!

Students play an integral role in the success of SyracuseCoE. As part of a student-focused research university we have the privilege to engage a diverse group of students in varying capacities throughout the year. Staff interns, members of the Summer Industry Collaboration Internship Program, and student researchers are just a few of the roles students have at SyracuseCoE to participate in experiential learning and real-world industry collaboration that addresses emerging opportunities and societal needs. Visit the links below for all the internship info!

What’s it like to work at SyracuseCoE as an Intern?

SyracuseCoE Building Systems Intern

SyracuseCoE seeks candidates to work as Intern, 10-40 hours a week, to assist Facilities Manager in providing support for HVAC, Mechanical, and Electrical building systems. This internship position is available immediately and has the potential to be extended throughout the remainder of 2019.

UTC Center for Intelligent Buildings: A Living Showcase of What’s Possible

The UTC Center for Intelligent Buildings is a first-of-its-kind technology, innovation and collaboration center showcasing United Technologies products and integrated systems.

Located in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, the center features solutions and interactive displays from UTC’s Comfort, Control and Security brands (CCS), creating a living showcase of what’s possible when technologies are implemented intelligently and integrated to increase efficiency, protect people and property, and enhance the occupant experience.

This presentation focuses mainly on the building’s HVAC innovations, and, time-permitting, we will visit the building operations remotely, via its building automation system.

Presenter:

Bill ChadwickWilliam (Bill) Chadwick

Principal Systems Engineer
UTC Building Solutions Group, AdvanTEC
United Technologies Corporation

Bill is part of the global UTC Building Solutions Group, which serves as a central point of contact for key accounts and delivers highly engineered solutions to solve customer problems in various vertical markets. Bill Chadwick serves as principal systems engineer within the AdvanTEC technology & engineering group.

Bill has more than 45 years of building systems engineering experience. He has:

  • Expertise in HVAC systems analysis, design, and integration; indoor air quality design and remediation; and building systems control and integration.
  • Held positions within consulting engineering and architectural firms where he designed, engineered, and directed the design of HVAC, plumbing and fire protection systems for commercial, institutional and industrial buildings, new and remodeled.
  • Provided HVAC system design consultation for The New Falcon Stadium, Atlanta, GA, and the Residence Antilia, Mumbai, India
  • Developed various award-winning, custom solutions, including an innovative HVAC solution for the Sistine Chapel, which reduced energy use more than 30% while doubling the load.
  • Determined the MEP system selections and served as the design consultant for UTC’s new Center for Intelligent Buildings, designed to use 40% less energy despite increasing outdoor air ventilation by over 50% to improve IAQ and occupant productivity.

Bill has served on industry advisor boards for both the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems, and the Center for High Performance Buildings at Purdue University. He received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, and a Certificate in Indoor Environmental Quality, Syracuse University. Bill is a Licensed Professional Engineer in MI, OH, NY and PA. He is a Certified Energy Manager from the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE), and is a LEED® Accredited Professional BD+C from the U.S. Green Build Council (USGBC). He remains active in ASHRAE as a Life Member.

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Research & Technology Forum Series 

SyracuseCoE offers regularly scheduled forums and networking showcasing innovative research, technologies and other opportunities of interest to stakeholders and community members. Past topics have included groundbreaking industry projects to modernize the HVAC systems at the Sistine Chapel, workshops to help state agencies develop funding priorities, and research on the impact of “green” buildings on cognitive function. To receive notice of these events, sign up for email updates at the “Join our mailing list” tab at the bottom right corner of the website. Visit the Research & Technology Forum page to see the archive.

Inficon Facility Tour

As part of the TEC Innovates Program, monthly factory tours engage suppliers and regional business partners throughout the region, allowing cluster firms to network and learn more about new industry developments. In November, AM-TEC firms and partners toured Inficon expansion facility, in East Syracuse, NY. Founded in 1969 and headquartered in Switzerland, INFICON is a leading provider of innovative instrumentation, critical sensor technologies, and advanced process control software that enhance productivity and quality in sophisticated industrial vacuum processes. These analysis, measurement and control products are essential for gas leak detection in air conditioning/refrigeration, and automotive manufacturing. They are vital to equipment manufacturers and end-users in the complex fabrication of semiconductors and thin film coatings for optics, flat panel displays, solar cells and industrial vacuum coating applications. Other users of vacuum based processes include the life sciences, research, aerospace, packaging, heat treatment, laser cutting and many other industrial processes. Inficon leverages expertise in vacuum technology to provide unique, toxic chemical analysis products for emergency response, security, and environmental monitoring.
 
Inficon welcomed the AM-TEC group with a tour of the facility, including its new 64,000 sq. ft expansion with 20,000 sq. ft certified clean room space. The highly efficient and flexible design included state-of-the-art technology with an online Building Management System, Ultraclean process gas distribution, and automated Vertical Lift Module storage system.
 
Learn more about SyracuseCoE TEC Innovates and Factory Tours. Learn more about Inficon.

U.S. Policy Options to Decrease Emissions of Carbon Dioxide to Mitigate Changing Climate

Carbon dioxide is the dominant human-generated greenhouse gas responsible for changing climate. The two largest sources of carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S. are from electric utilities and transportation activities. In 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that if the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found that greenhouse gases are a threat to public health, their emissions needed to be regulated. In 2009 through the Endangerment Finding, the EPA indeed found that climate change is a threat to public health. As a result of these decisions, the Obama Administration implemented new fuel economy standards for vehicles and proposed standards of carbon dioxide emissions from existing powerplants through the Clean Power Plan (CPP). These policies were a large part of the U.S. commitment to decrease carbon dioxide in the Paris Climate Agreement. The Trump Administration has not been supportive of these initiatives. But due to the Endangerments Finding, they cannot just cancel but need to replace these policies. The Trump plan to replace the fuel economy standards was released earlier in August and the Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) plan was released a few weeks later to replace the CPP.
 
Professor Driscoll’s presentation examines the approaches, benefits and costs of ACE compared with the CPP and no policy options. Carbon dioxide emissions standards for U.S. power plants will influence the fuels and technologies used to generate electricity, alter emissions of pollutants, and influence ambient air quality and public and ecosystem health. ACE is an “Inside the fence line” approach which improves the heat rate efficiency of individual power plants. As a result, older coal plants are made more efficient and operate for longer periods resulting in increases in carbon dioxide and emissions of co-pollutants, such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury and fine particulate matter which impact human health. In contrast, the CPP would use a “beyond the fenceline” flexible approach that promotes energy efficiency and renewables. Carbon standards to curb global climate change can also provide immediate local and regional health and ecosystem co-benefits, but the magnitude depends on the design of the standards. 
 

Presenter:

Charles Driscoll

Professor Charles T. Driscoll

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Syracuse University
 
Charles T. Driscoll is a Distinguished and University Professor at Syracuse University. He received his BS from the University of Maine and MS and PhD from Cornell. Driscoll’s research addresses the effects of disturbance on forest, freshwater and marine ecosystems, including air pollution (acid and mercury deposition), land-use, and climate change. Driscoll has testified at Congressional and state legislative committee hearings, and served on many local, national and international committees. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering.
 
 
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Research & Technology Forum Series

SyracuseCoE offers regularly scheduled forums and networking showcasing innovative research, technologies and other opportunities of interest to stakeholders and community members. Past topics have included groundbreaking industry projects to modernize the HVAC systems at the Sistine Chapel, workshops to help state agencies develop funding priorities, and research on the impact of “green” buildings on cognitive function. To receive notice of these events, sign up for email updates at the “Join our mailing list” tab at the bottom right corner of the website. Visit the Research & Technology Forum page to see the archive.

CHAMPS and Annex68 Meet Again at SyracuseCoE

Syracuse, NY –Leading researchers from around the world convened again at the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy (SyracuseCoE) to take part in a workshop and meeting on advanced building systems. The events examined the major challenges facing the combined heat, air, moisture and pollutant simulations for the design and operation of sustainable buildings, featured the most recent progress, and discovered opportunities for further collaboration.

The 15th International Forum and Workshop on Combined Heat, Air, Moisture and Pollutant Simulations (CHAMPS) included presentations by the international visitors and Syracuse University faculty and students. The 6th Expert Meeting of IEA-EBC Annex 68 Indoor Air Quality Design and Control in Low Energy Residential Buildings was held on the same day at SyracuseCoE. The two events had a joint public meeting, with topics at the forum including indoor environment quality models, energy performance research, healthy and intelligent buildings strategies and site planning around the effects of climate change.

Both events highlighted the importance of creating high-performance buildings that improve human health and performance while remaining sustainable and reducing building energy use. Research has indicated that people spend up to 80% of their time in indoor environments and 40% of building energy consumption goes to normal operations of heating, cooling and lighting. Industrialization has made it more critical than ever to develop sustainable buildings that boost human quality of life while reducing energy consumption.

15th Annual International Forum and Workshop on CHAMPS Organizers
Danish Technical University, Denmark
Dresden University of Technology, Germany
Nanjing University, China
Syracuse University, U.S.A.
University College of London, U.K.
University de la Rochelle, France
University of Tokyo, Japan

Aims and Scope
CHAMPS 2018 and IEA-EBC Annex-68 will have a joint public meeting in the afternoon of September 30, 2018 to discuss the major challenges facing the combined heat, air, moisture and pollutant simulations for the design and operation of sustainable buildings, highlight the most recent progresses, and identify opportunities for further collaboration. Topics may include:

1. Whole building IEQ and energy performance: Modeling and simulation of combined heat, air, moisture, and pollutant transport processes in and around buildings, and how these processes impact IEQ and building energy efficiency;
2. Healthy and intelligent buildings: Interaction and interdependencies between IEQ and energy efficiency measures, effectiveness of source reduction, ventilation and air cleaning strategies; model-based predictive control, application of internet of things (IOTs) technology in distributed building environmental control;
3. Climate, community and site planning: Climate change effects on IEQ, urban and community planning, micro-urban climate and energy efficiency of building clusters;
4. Building envelope performance: hygrothermal performance of buildings in different climates, leakage and moisture control, envelope-integrated ventilation and energy storage systems, energy and durability;
5. Micro-environment around occupants: demand-based personal environmental control, occupant behavior and impacts on IEQ and energy efficiency;
6. Design studio: Methods and tools for coordinated and integrated urban and building systems design, building information modeling (BIM), CHAMPS simulation framework, software, and optimization techniques, common databases of materials, assemblies, building topologies, climates, and real-world versus design performances.
7. Case studies: Applications of CHAMPS for building systems design and model-based predictive controls.

SyracuseCoE previously hosted the 13th International Forum and Workshop on CHAMPS in 2016. The city of Syracuse is a leader in the international community of indoor air quality and sustainable building technology. Previous events such as the 2018 International Building Physics Conference and upcoming expos like the Emerging Technology Showcase draw global experts and researchers to Syracuse.

Eight Student Presentations on Research and Innovation Projects Win Awards at Annual SyracuseCoE Student Poster Competition

Eight Student Presentations on Research and Innovation Projects Win Awards at Annual SyracuseCoE Student Poster Competition

There were eight winners of the 2018 SyracuseCoE Student Poster Competition. Thirty-four student posters from six institutions were judged on September 24 during the International Building Physics Conference (IBPC2018) co-hosted by SyracuseCoE and Syracuse University. Judges engaged poster contestants and posters were judged on project layout and design of posters, as well as student’s knowledge and ability to explain posters and answer questions from judges.

“These competitions put student’s hard work in the spotlight and gives them a valuable opportunity to present their research with a broad group of people,” said Ed Bogucz, SyracuseCoE executive director and associate professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Syracuse University. “We look forward to hosting the annual SyracuseCoE Student Poster Competition every year to applaud student’s success.”

Posters were judged in three categories: undergraduate, master’s, and Ph.D. winners:

Undergrad Winners:

1st Place: Andres Inga, SUNY Oswego, Physics, Characterization of Ferromagnetic and Ferroelectric Heterostructure; Faculty Advisor: Shireen Adenwalla

2nd Place: Jason Cho, Syracuse University, The Discovery of the Optimal Greenest Source of Urban Irrigation; Faculty Advisor: Charley Driscoll

3rd Place: Kyle Bautista, SUNY Oswego, Adolescent Education and Physics, Success in American Public Schools: Creative Building Strategies for Enhanced Education; Faculty Advisor: Carolina Ilie

Master’s Winners:

1st Place: Lucie Worthen, Syracuse University, Environmental Engineering, Validation of the PCSWMM LID Module for an Extensive Green Roof in Syracuse, NY; Faculty Advisor: Cliff Davidson

2nd Place: Stephanie Haller, Ehsan Sabaghian, and Rawad El Kontar, Syracuse University, Architecture, Community Energy: Technical and Social Challenges, and Integrative Solutions; Faculty Advisors: Jason Dedrick, Elizabeth Krietemeyer, Tarek Rakha

PhD Winners:

1st place: Shreyas Pathreeker, Syracuse University, Chemical Engineering, Using Visible Light to Develop Advanced Battery Electrodes; Faculty Advisor: Ian D. Hosein

2nd Place: Francielli Silva Genier, Syracuse University, Chemical Engineering, Solid Polymer Electrolyte Networks for Calcium Ion Conduction; Faculty Advisor: Ian D. Hosein

3rd Place: Leila Nikdel, Clarkson University, Environmental Science and Engineering, Comparison of Different Energy Savings Strategies in Residential Buildings; Faculty Advisor: Susan Powers

Poster judges included Daniel Betts, BeCool Inc; Bill Chadwick, United Technologies Corporation; Aimee Clinkhammer, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation; Bob DelZoppo, SRC Inc.; Michael Genovese, NYSERDA; Ben Larsen, King + King Architects; Chonghui Liu, CNY ASHRAE; Dave Martini, Air Innovations; Mary Reidy, National Grid; and Adam Walburger, CDH Energy.

International Building Physics Conference, IBPC2018 a success!

September, 2018 —  SyracuseCoE and Syracuse University hosted IBPC2018, the International Building Physics Conference. The tri-annual event had a broad reach and brought over 300 guests from 33 countries, but it was the enthusiasm of discussions for scientific discovery in building physics that made this event a success. We’d like to thank all of our sponsors for making IBPC2018 possible, as well as our accomplished speakers for presenting engaging and innovative material. Thank you to all participants for their valuable contributions!

Thank you as well to the IABP and our conference chairs, co-chairs, and technical committee for all their efforts and support in the organization and execution of the event.

We wish everyone the best with continuing research, and look forward to reconvening in Copenhagen, Denmark! In the meantime, please check out the IBPC2018 photo album to relive some of the best moments from the conference.

Read Building physics today and future challenges: learning from IBPC2018

Experts from 33 Countries Convene in Syracuse for the 7th International Building Physics Conference

Experts on the science and engineering of buildings and urban environments convened in Syracuse, NY September 23 to 26, for the 7th International Building Physics Conference (IBPC). More than 300 attendees from 33 countries gathered to present original research and findings, demonstrated and exhibited innovative green building technologies, and discussed future challenges and opportunities.

The theme of the conference was “Healthy, Intelligent, and Resilient Buildings and Urban Environments.” The conference program included six keynote presentations, more than 250 podium and poster presentations, workshops, networking, and more.

The conference takes place every three years as part of the official international conference series of the International Association of Building Physics (IABP). The IBPC2018 is the first time the conference is being held in the United States; previously, the conference was held in Eindhoven, The Netherlands (2000); Leuven, Belgium (2003); Montreal, Canada (2006); Istanbul, Turkey (2009); Kyoto, Japan (2012); and Torino, Italy (2015).

Read more here.