PhD Dissertations
Building Performance and Diagnostics (BPD)

Vivian loftness track chair |  view program details

2020

Dr. Malini Srivastava, Purposeful Play: Serious, pervasive, energy games bridge the energy-efficiency gap
(Vivian Loftness • Azizan Aziz • Tom Fisher, Urban Design, University of Minnesota • Casper Harteveld, Game Science and Design, Northeastern University • Joel Ross, Information School, University of Washington)

Dr. Lola Ben Alon, Natural Buildings: Integrating Earthen Building Materials and Methods Into Mainstream Construction (Vivian Loftness • Erica Cochran Hameen • Kent A. Harries, CEE, University of Pittsburgh)

2019

Siliang Lu, An interactive hybrid cooling system featuring personalized controls with adaptive thermal comfort and non-intrusive sensing techniques (Erica Cochran Hameen • Omer Tugrul Karaguzel • Berangere Lartigue)

Chenlu Zhang, Bio-sensing and Deep Reinforcement Learning Control System for Personalized Thermal Comfort and Energy Efficiency (Vivian Loftness • Sivaraman Balakrishnan, Statistics • Ömer Tugrul Karagüzel • Azizan Abdul Aziz)

Hetal Parekh, Policy Interventions to Catalyze Uptake of Energy Efficiency Upgrades in the US
(Erica Cochran Hameen • Deborah Stine • Aurora Sharrard • Nora Wang)

Zhiang Zhang, Whole Building Energy Model Assisted HVAC Supervisory Control via Reinforcement Learning
(Khee Poh Lam • Mario Berges, CEE • Gianni Di Caro, Computer Science • Adrian Chong, National University of Singapore)

Eleni Katrini, Creating the Everyday Commons: spatial patterns of sharing culture
(Vivian Loftness • Cameron Tonkinwise, Design, University of Technology Sydney • Matthew Mehalik, Heinz School)

2018

Rohini Srivastava, Integrating Financial, Environmental and Human Capital - the Triple Bottom Line - for High Performance Investments in the Built Environment
(Vivian Loftness • Erica Cochran Hameen • Mathew Mehalik, Heinz School • Robert Sroufe, Duquesne University)

2017

Chao Ding, Urban-scale Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Modeling and Natural Ventilation Prediction Model Based on Coupled Indoor and Outdoor Interactions (CIOI)
(Khee Poh Lam • Ramesh Krishnamurti • Kenji Shimada, MechE, Biomedical Eng • Nyuk Hien Wong, Design and Environment, National University of Singapore)

Shalini Ramesh, An Energy and Cost Performance Optimization Platform for Commercial Building System Design
(Khee Poh Lam • Kristen Kurland, Heinz School • Steve Kardinal Jusu, Singapore Institute of Technology • Mikako Harada, Autodesk)

Weili Xu, An Energy and Cost Performance Optimization Platform for Commercial Building System Design
(Khee Poh Lam • Vivian Loftness • Chris Hendrickson, CEE)

Zhun Min 'Adrian' Chong, Bayesian Calibration of Building Energy Models for Large Datasets
(Khee Poh Lam • Matteo Pozzi, CEE • Godfried Augenbroe, Georgia Tech • Nyuk Hien Wong, National University of Singapore)

2015

Ji-Hyun Park, Are Humans Good Sensors? Using Occupants as Sensors for Indoor Environmental Quality Assessment and for Developing Thresholds that Matter (Vivian Loftness • Volker Hartkopf  • Aziz Azizan • Daniel Nagin, Heinz School)

Nina Baird, Future Infrastructure: A Critical Evaluation of the Environmental Performance of District Open Loop Geothermal Heat Pump Systems (Vivian Loftness • Gerald Mattern • Volker Hartkopf • Laura Schaefer, MechE, Univ. Pittsburgh)

Jie Zhao, Design-build-operate Energy Information Modeling For Occupant-oriented Predictive Building Control
(Khee Poh Lam • Vivian Loftness • Erik Ydstie, ChemE)

2014

Rongpen Zhang, Dynamic Optimization of Integrated Active-Passive Strategies for Building Enthalpy Control
(Khee Poh Lam •  Laura Schaefer, MechE, Univ. Pittsburgh • Trevor Bailey, United Technologies Research Center • Lorenz Biegler, ChemE)

Erica Cochran, Sustainable Schools and Neighborhoods: The Impact Of School Building Physical Characteristics And Neighborhood Attributes On Student Performance And Health
(Vivian Loftness • Khee Poh Lam • Kristen Kurland • Cliff Davidson, Civil Engineering, Syracuse)

2013

Omer Tugrul Karaguzel, Simulation-Based Parametric Analysis of Building Systems Integrative Solar Photovoltaics
(Khee Poh Lam • Vivian Loftness • Laura Schaefer, MechE, Univ. Pittsburgh)

2012

Yuebin Yu, Model-based Multivariate Control of Conditioning Systems for Office Buildings
(Volker Hartkopf • Vivian Loftness • John Wiss, MechE • Bruce Krogh, ECE • Yan Lu, Siemans)

Yang Hu, Advanced Exergy Analysis for a Solar Double Stage Absorption Chiller
(Volker Hartkopf • Vivian Loftness • Laura Schaefer, MechE, Univ. Pittsburgh)

2011

Rui Zhang, Advanced Building Thermal Simulation Coupling of Finite Volume Method and Nodal System
(Khee Poh Lam • Yongjie Zhang, MechE • Shi-Chune Yao, MechE) 

Yi Chun Huang, An Integrated Scalable Lighting Simulation Tool
(Khee Poh Lam • Ömer Akin • Doug James, Computer Science, Cornell)

Yun Gu, The Impact of Real-time Knowledge Based Personal Lighting Control on Energy Consumption, User Satisfaction, and Task Performance in Offices (Volker Hartkopf • Vivian Loftness • Richard Day, Bio-Statistics, University of Pittsburgh)

2010

Bing Dong, Integrated Building Heating, Cooling and Ventilation Control
(Khee Poh Lam • Charles Neuman, ECE • Burcu Akinci, CEE)

Viraj Srivastava, Advanced Office Environment Control
(Volker Hartkopf • David Archer, MechE • Bruce Krogh, ECE • Osman Ahmed, Siemans)

Joon Ho Choi, CoBi: Bio-Sensing Building Mechanical System Controls for Sustainably Enhancing Individual Thermal Comfort
(Vivian Loftness • Volker Hartkopf • Artur Dubrawski, Robotics • Gerry Mattern)

2009

Yun-Shang Chiou, An Occupant-Driven Integrative Household System For Residential Building Energy Simulation
(Khee Poh Lam • Kathleen Carley, SCS • Cliff Davidson, CEE • Michael Johnson, Public Policy, UMass)

Fred Betz, Combined Cooling, Heating, Power, and Ventilation (CCHP/V) Systems Integration
(Volker Hartkopf • David Archer, MechE • John Wiss, MechE)Ming Qu,

Ming Qu, Model Based Design and Performance Analysis of Solar Absorption Cooling and Heating System
(Volker Hartkopf • Khee Poh Lam • David Archer, MechE)

Chaoqin Zhai, Performance Modeling of Desiccant Wheel Design and Operation
(Khee Poh Lam • David Archer, MechE • Volker Hartkopf • Michael Sahm, Carrier • John Fischer, Semko)

2008

Ming Qu, Model Based Design and Performance Analysis of Solar Absorption Cooling and Heating System (Volker Hartkopf • Khee Poh Lam • David Archer, MechE)

Chaoqin Zhai, Performance Modeling of Desiccant Wheel Design and Operation
(Khee Poh Lam • David Archer, MechE • Volker Hartkopf • Michael Sahm, Carrier • John Fischer, Semko)

2007

Ying Hua, Designing Open-plan Workplaces for Collaboration: An Exploration of the Impact of Workplace Spatial Settings on Space Perception and Collaboration Effectiveness (Vivian Loftness • Volker Harkopf • Robert Kraut, HCI)

2006

Hongxi Yin, An Absorption Chiller in a Micro BCHP Application: Model-based Design Performance Analysis
(Volker Hartkopf • David Archer, MechE • David Claridge, Engineering, Texas A & M)

2004

Heakyung Cecilia Yoon, Performance of Office Workers Under Various Enclosure Conditions in State-of-the-art Open Workplace (Vivian Loftness • Volker Hartkopf • Paul Fischbeck, SDS+EPP • Richard Stern, ECE)

2003

Jayada Boonyakiat, A Model-based Approach to Ventilation Control in Buildings
(Volker Hartkopf • Ardeshir Mahdavi • Robert Ries, CEE, Univ. Pittsburgh • Harold Zhang, Economics, GSIA)

Zhengchun Kevin Mo, An Agent-based Simulation-assisted Approach to Bi-lateral Building Systems Control
(Ardeshir Mahdavi • Volker Hartkopf • Stephen Lee • Robert Ries, CEE, Univ. Pittsburgh • Katia Sycara, Robotics)

Kristie Bosko Mertz, A Representational Framework for Building Systems Control
(Ardeshir Mahdavi • Stephen Lee • Robert Ries, CEE, Univ. Pittsburgh)

2002

Prechaya Mahattanatawe, A Computational Environment for Performance-based Building Enclosure Design and Operations
(Ardeshir Mahdavi • Volker Hartkopf • Khee Poh Lam, Architecture, NUS • Robert Ries, CEE, Univ. Pittsburgh)

2001

Beran Gürtekin Çelik, Constructing and Navigating the Design-Performance Space
(Ardeshir Mahdavi • Volker Hartkopf • Paul Fischbeck, SDS+EPP)

Hesham Eissa, Computational Visualization as Means of Lighting Design Evaluation
(Ardeshir Mahdavi • Roberta Klatzky, Psychology • Jane Siegel, SEI)

2000

Georg Suter, A Representation for Design Manipulation and Performance Simulation
(Ardeshir Mahdavi • Ramesh Krishnamurti • Volker Hartkopf • Bernd Brugge, Computer Science, TU Munich)

1999

Seongju Chang, A Hybrid Computational Model for Building Systems Control
(Ardeshir Mahdavi • Volker Hartkopf • Sebastian Thrun, Robotics • Bernd Bruegge, Computer Science, TU Munich)

Vineeta Pal, Integrated Computational Analysis of the Visual Environment in Buildings
(Ardeshir Mahdavi • Volker Hartkopf • Robert Kraemer, Physics)

Rohini Brahme, Computational Support for Building Energy Systems Analysis
(Ardeshir Mahdavi • Volker Hartkopf • Vivian Loftness • Gerry Mattern)

Robert John Ries, Computational Analysis of the Environmental Impact of Building Designs
(Ardeshir Mahdavi • Volker Hartkopf • Indira Nair, EPP)

Jayakrishna Shankavaran, The Benefit Indices of User-Based HVAC and Lighting Infrastructures
(Vivian Loftness • Volker Hartkopf • Stephen Lepore, Social Psychology • Ardeshir Mahdavi)

Satish Kumar, A Computational Framework for the Concurrent Evaluation of Thermal Comfort and Energy Use in Buildings
(Ardeshir Mahdavi • Volker Hartkopf • Steve Fenves, CEE)

1998

Nyuk Hien Wong, Computational Air Flow Modeling for Integrative Building Design
(Volker Hartkopf • Ardeshir Mahdavi • Cliff Davidson, CEE)

1997

Kung-Jen Tu, The Effects of Organizational Workplace Dynamics and Building Infrastructure Flexibility on Environmental and Technical Quality in Offices (Vivian Loftness • Volker Hartkopf • Ardeshir Mahdavi • Kathleen Carley, SDS+EPP)

1996

Zhonghu Li, A Computational Environment for Active Lighting Design Support
(Ardeshir Mahdavi • Volker Hartkopf • Vivian Loftness)

Paul Matthew, Integrated Energy Modeling for Computational Building Design Assistance
(Ardeshir Mahdavi • Volker Hartkopf • Vivian Loftness • Rema Padman, Management Science)

1994

Liana Berberidou-Kalliova, An Open Daylighting Simulation Environment
(Ardeshir Mahdavi • Volker Hartkopf • Vivian Loftness • Robert Kraemer, Physics)

Khee Poh Lam, A Computational Design Support System for Interactive Hygrothermal Analysis of Building Enclosures
(Volker Hartkopf • Ardeshir Mahdavi • Vivian Loftness • Melvin Siegel, Robotics Institute)

1991

Pierre Cote, Vector Field Representation for Concurrent Evaluation of Architectural Design Variables
(Volker Hartkopf • Steven Fenves, CEE • Vivian Loftness • Ardeshir Mahdavi • Skip Van Wyk)

Mao Lin Chiu, Office Investment Decision-making and Building Performance
(Volker Hartkopf • Vivian Loftness • Aydan Kutay, Robotics Institute)