Design and Operation of Net-Zero Smart Resilient Buildings and Infrastructure

Supervisory details

Supervisor: Andreas K Athienitis
Department: Building, Civil, and Environmental Engineering, Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science 
University: Concordia University, Montreal, Canada 
Start date: Flexible (Fall 2025, Winter 2026, Fall 2026) 
PhD Fellowship: 35K CAD per year for 4 years
Postdoc Fellowship: 50K CAD per year (renewable)

Project overview

This project develops and demonstrates resilient, carbon-neutral building and infrastructure energy systems that integrate onsite renewables, storage, EVs, and smart grid interaction. It emphasizes building-integrated photovoltaics, thermal storage, and advanced HVAC, with applications in new construction and retrofits. Outcomes include scalable, modular energy-positive designs and roadmaps to guide decarbonization of the built environment, influence policy, and enhance comfort, resilience, and aesthetics through integrated solar and thermal technologies.

Role description

• Design, install, and test liquid PV/T systems for water heating and infrastructure de-icing integrated with heat pumps and thermal storage.
• Develop and validate data-driven model-predictive control (MPC) strategies for optimizing building energy use with integrated renewable technologies.
• Create and evaluate test protocols for Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) and BIPV/T systems focusing on durability, safety, and performance.
• Use numerical simulation and simplified building models to optimize thermal performance and energy flexibility in smart grid-interactive buildings.
• Apply machine learning techniques for energy load forecasting, demand response, HVAC control optimization, and automated model calibration.
• Contribute to policy development and standards for net-zero building designs, solar microgrids, and scalable renewable energy integration.

Requirements

• Building Energy Performance Assessment
• Computational Simulation
• Integrated Building Design
• Energy Efficiency
• Robust Performance Systems
• Sustainable Design Criteria 

What we offer

• Fully funded PhD and postdoctoral positions with a competitive annual stipend, including additional funding for research-related travel, conferences, and collaboration with industry and policy partners.
• Hands-on experience with cutting-edge solar energy systems, building-integrated photovoltaics, and advanced thermal system technologies tested in laboratory and real-world building environments.
• Structured mentorship within a multidisciplinary team, with strong support for publishing research in top-tier journals and presenting at international conferences.
• A vibrant research environment at Concordia University in Montreal, recognized globally for excellence in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable infrastructure innovation.

Questions/contact

For all questions, please contact Alisa Makusheva at alisa.makusheva@concordia.ca.