Closing the Water-Energy-Food loop
MSc scholarship in Building, Civil, and Environmental Engineering
Last updated: July 14, 2025, 11:42 a.m.
Supervisory details
Supervisor: Bruno Lee
Department: Building, Civil, and Environmental Engineering, Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science
University: Concordia University, Montreal, Canada
Start date: Flexible (Fall 2025 preferred)
MSc scholarship: 22K CAD per year for 2 years
Project overview
This project integrates building-based greenhouses into urban and remote communities to decarbonize food production and support electrification. By reusing waste heat and CO₂ from buildings, these greenhouses enable local, year-round food production while reducing emissions and energy costs. The project addresses technical, policy, structural, and community engagement barriers through a multidisciplinary approach. In partnership with Indigenous organizations, municipalities, and industry, it promotes scalable, resilient solutions for sustainable food and energy systems across Canada.
Role description
This role focuses on optimizing energy and CO₂ use in building-integrated greenhouses across diverse climates and building types.
- Develop and validate integrated energy models using simulation tools (EnergyPlus, multi-zone models) and on-site measurement data to optimize waste heat and CO₂ utilization for enhanced crop growth.
- Design and test ventilation and airflow control systems, incorporating renewable energy and energy storage solutions to reduce grid dependency and improve energy efficiency.
- Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and Indigenous partners to address technical, policy, and operational challenges for sustainable, climate-resilient greenhouse systems.
- Conduct laboratory experiments using advanced methods (CFD, PIV) to validate thermal airflow and energy models, supporting scalable deployment in urban and remote communities.
- Building Energy Performance Assessment
- Computational Simulation
- Integrated Building Design
- Energy Efficiency
- Robust Performance Systems
- Sustainable Design Criteria
- Background in Building Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, or related fields with an emphasis on energy systems, building performance, or sustainable design.
- Experience with building energy simulation software (e.g., EnergyPlus, CFD tools) and strong skills in computational modeling and data analysis.
- Knowledge of HVAC systems, renewable energy integration, and thermal/airflow dynamics is highly desirable.
- Proficiency in data analysis and modeling using tools such as Python, MATLAB, or R to support simulation-driven design decision-making.
- Interest or experience in sustainable agriculture, greenhouse technologies, or food-energy nexus will be an asset.
- Strong communication and collaboration skills to work effectively with diverse stakeholders, including Indigenous communities and multidisciplinary research teams.
Please combine the following documents into a single PDF file.
- Letter of intent strongly aligned with the project and the research domain of the professor
- Academic CV
- Transcripts
- References
- Publications, if any
- Any other documents that might benefit your file
Please indicate if applying for more than one position in your cover letter and email. Applications must be in screen-readable PDF or Word formats.
If you are already in Canada, or if you’re a Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident, please highlight this in your communications.
Send your PDF file to bruno.lee@concordia.ca with the subject as:
Closing the Water-Energy-Food-Loop_Your Name_MSc
Deadline to apply
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Questions/contact
For all questions, please contact Alisa Makusheva at alisa.makusheva@concordia.ca.
