The Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems (SyracuseCoE) will serve as the organizing host of Healthy Buildings 2027 America, a flagship conference of the . The conference will be held June 20–23, 2027, in Syracuse.

Under the theme “Intelligent Environments: Designing, Retrofitting and Operating for a Healthy, Affordable and Resilient Future,” the conference will bring together subject matter experts from around the world, including researchers, architects, engineers, public health experts and policymakers, to address challenges in the built environment.

Keynotes, panels and breakout sessions will highlight scalable, effective and efficient technologies, collaborative design methods and practices, and policy pathways to healthier indoor environments across all building types and communities.

Healthy Buildings 2027 America will be chaired by Conference President , Ph.D., and Conference Co-President , Ph.D. The conference organizing committee leverages the expertise of faculty from the , , and , as well as the State University of New York’s .

The expertise will span disciplines that include mechanical engineering, civil and environmental engineering, geography, public health, architecture and chemistry. The scientific committee is composed of international experts in indoor environmental quality, building science, health and wellness.

Creating a Healthy Building Environment

“We are thrilled to welcome the global healthy buildings community to Syracuse again in 2027,” says Dong, SyracuseCoE’s co-director and Traugott Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. “This conference is a celebration of collaboration, bringing together brilliant minds from across the world to share ideas, forge new partnerships and shape a future where every person, in every building, can have a healthy indoor environment. We look forward to an inspiring and transformative conference.”

“We look forward to welcoming everyone to Syracuse for an intellectual and enjoyable conference,” says Zhang, SyracuseCoE’s executive director and interim department chair of mechanical and aerospace engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. “There is so much to discover and exchange to advance science and technology for the built environment.”

The goal of the Healthy Buildings conference series is to advance intelligent, inclusive, cost-effective and future-ready solutions to the converging challenges of climate change, public health disparities, aging infrastructure and rising construction costs. The conference will cover research themes, including the following:

• AI Applications in Healthy Buildings
• Smart Health Monitoring and Control
• Advanced and Sustainable Materials
• Retrofit and Resilience Strategies
• Intelligent New Building Design and Life Cycle Analysis
• Community-Scale Intelligence and Public Health
• Occupant Behavior, Health and Wellness in Buildings

“ISIAQ is very excited about the innovative slate of topics to be presented at the Healthy Buildings conference, as they are critically important to everyone interested in indoor environments around the world,” says Professor , ISIAQ President.

Healthy Buildings 2027 America will take place at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown in Syracuse. Abstract submissions open this month, and sponsorship opportunities are available. Conference registration will open in 2027. For more information, visit .

University researchers with groundbreaking ideas in semiconductors, microelectronics or advanced materials are invited to apply for an entrepreneurship-focused hybrid course offered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program through Syracuse University this fall. The virtual course, which runs through September and October, includes an opportunity for an in-person immersion experience at SEMICON West, North America’s premier microelectronics conference, in San Francisco in October.

Interested working individual researchers and innovators .

The course provides hands-on entrepreneurship training and one-on-one coaching tailored to researchers working in far-reaching sectors that are critical to the next generation of semiconductor innovation. Successful applicants will be researchers working on solutions to enhance the performance and efficiency of electronic devices with applications to semiconductors across industries including big chip fabrication projects, consumer electronics, automotive, telecommunications, healthcare, artificial intelligence hardware and high-power materials.

Applications might range from 3D integrated circuits, system-on-chip integration and computing chips for tasks like pattern recognition, learning and sensory processing. Big data and machine learning innovations are also of interest, as well as conventional semiconductor design and manufacturing applications. The course benefits anyone interested in being part of the research, design, commercialization and supply chain associated with these industries.

Offered jointly by Syracuse University and Cornell University as part of the Interior Northeast I-Corps Hub (IN I-Corps), this NSF-sponsored course is open to faculty, postdocs, Ph.D. and master’s students, undergraduates and community-based startups working on semiconductor-related technologies with commercial potential.

Syracuse’s NSF I-Corps program is a partnership between and . The Syracuse Center of Excellence () serves as tech scout for the program.

The course opens for pre-course work on Monday, Sept. 21, and will follow this schedule:

Virtual:

Session 1: Monday, Sept. 28, from 10 a.m. to noon

Session 2a: Wednesday, Sept. 30 (individual mentoring sessions)

Session 2b: Friday, Oct. 2, from 10 a.m. to noon

Session 3: Wednesday, Oct. 5, from 10 a.m. to noon

Session 4: Wednesday, Oct. 7 (individual mentoring sessions)

In-person at SEMICON West in San Francisco:  

Tuesday, Oct. 13, through Thursday, Oct. 15

Virtual wrap-up:

Session 6: Wednesday, Oct. 21, from 10 a.m. to noon

Teams selected to participate may receive up to $5,000 in travel reimbursement, enabling participants to conduct in-person customer discovery interviews and attend specialized workshops during SEMICON West. Participation in this conference provides unmatched exposure to global industry leaders, cutting-edge technologies and potential collaborators or customers. Conference attendees include executives, engineers, startups and policy leaders shaping the future of chips.

Participants who complete regional courses may be eligible to receive lineage and a letter of recommendation for the  which includes a $50K grant). Learn more about courses here: and .

For questions about this SEMICON course, contact Linda Dickerson Hartsock, advisor for strategic initiatives for Syracuse University Libraries, at ldhart01@syr.edu

The blueprint for a better building may be hiding beneath the forest floor.

To design sustainable, weather-resistant structures, is studying the fungal networks that span thousands of acres underground—among the most expansive living organisms on Earth.

Mycelium is the fiber network behind fast-growing mushroom colonies that can span miles. Its underground strands connect to transfer water, nutrients and minerals, helping mushrooms grow and eventually emerge aboveground.

Qin’s research explores how these natural fibers can be harvested, grown and engineered into high-performing materials that could reshape how we construct buildings for generations to come.

“We focus on how these mycelium fibers grow and flourish and how those fibers can be used to replace a lot of the synthetic polymers,” says Qin, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering in the . “We then apply that knowledge to the fundamental mechanics behind designing the internal structures of buildings to make them lighter, stronger and more resistant to dynamic forces like impact from earthquakes.”

From the Forest Floor to the Laboratory

Qin’s team begins its work at the most fundamental level, with a single spore. Researchers introduce mushroom spores into a carefully prepared growing medium then use time-lapse imaging to monitor how the fibers grow, branch and connect.

By adjusting such environmental conditions as humidity, temperature and substrate stiffness, the group can influence how quickly and densely the mycelium network develops.

Once the network reaches maturity, it becomes a natural adhesive.

When introduced to biomass materials like wood chips or sawdust, mycelium fibers grow into the gaps between particles and bind everything together, functioning like a biological version of wood glue without any synthetic chemicals.

“The beautiful thing is you don’t need to use glue or any synthetic adhesive,” Qin says. “Instead, you just use this natural fiber system to bind biomass together, and it spontaneously grows.”

The result is a material that resembles medium-density fiberboard but is produced entirely from natural components.

Qin calls the bonding process “biowelding,” a technique that effectively joins wood components the way welding joins steel, but without heat, chemicals or combustion risk.

To optimize the recipe for these composite materials, Qin’s lab uses artificial intelligence. Because biomass sources vary widely in particle size and chemical composition, no single equation can reliably predict the best combination of pressure, temperature and material inputs.

Instead, the team runs large-scale experiments and uses machine learning tools to identify which variables produce the lightest, strongest and most durable results.

“Using machine learning and AI is a very powerful tool that helps us understand these complex systems and figure out the correlation between this complex structure and the performance of the materials in that structure,” Qin says.

A Greener Way to Insulate

One of the most promising applications of Qin’s research involves building insulation, and Qin has discovered that mycelium insulation avoids many of the traditional negatives associated with current insulation options like fiberglass, cellulose and polystyrene.

Mycelium comes from a renewable source that is petroleum-free and possesses a much smaller carbon footprint than other insulation choices. Qin’s research has also shown that mycelium provides effective insulation while allowing the building to breathe.

“It’s a sustainable source, a green material,” Qin says. “It’s also safer and cheaper for scaled manufacturing purposes.”

In collaboration with mechanical and aerospace engineering colleagues and and , an assistant professor in the School of Architecture, Qin is developing mycelium-based insulation panels specifically designed for building retrofits, targeting older houses across New York state that have proven to be energy inefficient.

In 2024, the University received $846,000 from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to develop and demonstrate MycoCore, a product aimed at addressing a lack of low-carbon insulated façade systems for deep energy retrofits through a unique panelized solution manufactured with engineered bio-composites using regional agri-waste. Wilson serves as the principal investigator, while Qin, Bing and Jensen are co-principal investigators.

Mycelium research at the University began in 2019 with the interdisciplinary Mycelium Research Group—formed from internal research seed funding—examining mycelium building materials as one objective within the Architecture-led exploratory project.

Filtering the Air We Breathe

When Qin arrived at Syracuse University from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he created the , a research group studying biomechanics and biomaterials to improve the efficiency and performance of building materials.

His research earned Qin a in 2022. But in the beginning, while Qin recognized the benefits of using mycelium as an adhesive, he didn’t realize the mushroom’s unique network structure could also address air filtration challenges.

Working with Zhang and mechanical and aerospace engineering colleague , Qin’s lab is now exploring how mycelium materials can be integrated into heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems to capture airborne particles and absorb chemical gases that slowly release from synthetic wood products, furniture and paint.

“Once we start to collect samples and put them in the microscope, we see this unique complex network structure,” Qin says. “Once we do the mechanical testing, we see how this complex network connects to the mechanical, thermal and many material responses. At that point, we start to explore many different applications.”

This work is supported by a Center of Excellence faculty fellowship Qin received last year.

Qin credits the NSF CAREER grant with allowing his team of student researchers to spend four years exploring mycelium’s potential.

“We knew mycelium can be used as an adhesive, but we knew much less about the insulation or the air filtering implications,” Qin says. “The NSF CAREER grant really allowed us to explore the fundamental scientific applications found in mycelium while discovering all of the related applications. It was a game changer.”

Artificial intelligence (AI) is already making substantial changes in every industry, shifting how we work, learn and organize our daily lives. But how can AI tools shape the field of building science? That was the central question at the Industry Summit on Artificial Intelligence for the Built Environment, organized by , Traugott Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science and co-director of the (SyracuseCoE).

Structured as a working session, the May 4 summit featured expert panelists from industry, academia and government agencies, with 12 companies represented and a total of 35 participants. After opening remarks from Professor Dong, the first panel of the day explored AI applications in smart and human-centered buildings. Presentations included:

• From Equipment to Ecosystem: An AI Strategy for Thermal Energy Systems and the Built Environment, presented by Josiah Johnston, senior director of data science at Daikin Open Innovation Lab Silicon Valley
• AI in Buildings: A Perspective From the Field, presented by William Healy, senior director at TRC Companies
• Using AI for Building Optimization, presented by Evan Torkos, vice president for strategy at Nantum AI
• The Restoration of a Building or Home’s Comfort, a New Set of Opportunities With AI, presented by Michael Birnkrant, chief architect, service and aftermarket at Carrier Corporation

A moderated discussion led by SyracuseCoE’s executive director, , gave attendees a chance to dig deeper into these AI advances before breaking for a student poster session and lunch.

The afternoon panel widened the lens to AI’s role in building-connected infrastructure, covering the following topics:

• Load Flexibility and Electrified Commercial Buildings, presented by Mark Bremer and Julia Griffith from National Grid
• Hallucination of AI in Critical Infrastructure, presented by Herbert Dwyer, founder and CEO of EMPEQ
• A Semantic Foundation Unlocks Rapid Deployment of AI in the Built Environment, presented by Andrew Rodgers, co-founder of ACE IoT Solutions
• AI-Powered Communities: From Data to Resilience, presented by Nancy Min, co-founder and CEO of ecoLong
• Using GenAI to Accelerate Decarbonizing NYC Commercial Real Estate, presented by Thomas Yeh, consulting technical advisor, NYSERDA

The summit concluded with small group discussions: four breakout groups each co-facilitated by Syracuse University faculty and populated with a cross-section of academic and industry voices. This format ensured that the day’s themes were stress-tested in conversation and built the foundation for future collaborations. Dong plans to apply for funding for an interdisciplinary research center, such as a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center, that will advance university-industry partnerships in the healthy buildings field.

The summit made clear that AI’s role in the built environment is no longer speculative—it is operational and growing rapidly. From smarter HVAC to grid-scale flexibility to community resilience, the challenge now is deploying these tools thoughtfully, sustainably and at scale.

This event was supported by the University’s  through their Team Building for Large, Collaborative Grants program.

To be notified of future events and opportunities, sign up for SyracuseCoE’s ���ǰ���.

The in Environmental and Energy Systems (SyracuseCoE) has awarded more than $44,000 in funding to advance innovative faculty research at Syracuse University in collaboration with industry partners. Three professors in the will receive 2026 SyracuseCoE Faculty Fellow awards.

SyracuseCoE’s Faculty Fellows program is designed to catalyze new, externally sponsored research projects that contribute to economic growth and workforce development with New York state businesses. All applicants are required to partner with a New York state company seeking technology, intellectual property or technoeconomic expertise.

The 2026 Faculty Fellows are:

• �ʰ��Ǵڱ�����ǰ���, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE)
• �ʰ��Ǵڱ�����ǰ���, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE)
• �ʰ��Ǵڱ�����ǰ���, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS)

Lao’s project, “Biomass Filter Material and Its Integrated Device to Remove Water Contaminants,” aims to create a biomass filter that uses solar heating to clean polluted water without electricity or specialized infrastructure. MAE professor  will serve as co-principal investigator, and Syracuse-based startup  is the project’s industry partner.

Qin’s project, “Mycelium-based Double Network Composites for Indoor Air Filtration,” will develop and optimize mycelium–polypropylene network composites for use in indoor air filtration systems, aiming to remove contamination from volatile organic compounds and fine particulate matter. Qin will partner with and MAE professor .

Qiu’s project, “Neuromorphic Inspired Environment Sensing for Smart Buildings Control and Monitoring,” will use Syracuse University’s LEED Platinum facility at 727 E. Washington Street as a testbed. , SyracuseCoE Co-Director and MAE professor, will collaborate with Qiu on this effort to develop a processing framework capable of predicting and diagnosing complex patterns in building monitoring sensors. Qiu will leverage industry partnerships built through her role as the University’s site director for the NSF Industry-University Collaboration Research Center for Alternative Sustainable and Intelligent Computing.

“We thank all the applicants who made significant effort in developing strong proposals and collaborative relationships with industry partners,” says , MAE interim department chair and Executive Director of SyracuseCoE.

“It has been a difficult decision in the final selection of awardees, as we received significantly more high-quality proposals than we can fund. We will continue to seek other ways that we can support innovation through SyracuseCoE’s shared research and development labs, networking and joint proposals to external funding agencies and industries.”

As New York State’s Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems, SyracuseCoE advances research and commercialization activities that support clean energy, healthy buildings, and resilient communities.

Since 2015, the SyracuseCoE Faculty Fellows program has allocated over $1.1 million to research and development projects led by more than 70 faculty members from the University and its academic partners, including SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, SUNY Upstate Medical University and SUNY Oswego.

“Every dollar we dedicate to the Faculty Fellows program is an investment in our regional economy, strengthening Central New York’s research and development ecosystem for companies, including startups,” says Zhang.

(SyracuseCoE) has awarded funds to two startups through its 2025-26 Innovation Fund pitch competition.

�ճ���� is a seed fund supported through  memberships and offered to help companies overcome research and development barriers to commercialization, leveraging the support of SyracuseCoE-affiliated universities, faculty and students. Projects must address a challenge within SyracuseCoE’s broad core focus areas of healthy and efficient buildings, clean energy and resilient, low-carbon communities.

Two startups in SyracuseCoE’s Partner Program, �����Ի���, were selected to receive awards of $7,500 each for research and development projects.

KLAW Industries was awarded funding to study the chemical, mechanical and physical properties of utilizing windowpane waste glass in high-performance, low-carbon concrete. Based in Binghamton, New York, KLAW Industries diverts contaminated glass from the waste stream and repurposes it into a patent-pending material to replace cement in concrete mix. The company will work in partnership with Mohammad Uzzal Hossain at Department of Sustainable Resources Management.

PanLys was awarded funding to validate its Visible-Light Photocatalytic Oxidation (VL-PCO) technology for continuous microbial control in HVAC systems. Partnering with Syracuse University faculty, the startup will test coated filters and in-duct modules to measure microbial reduction, airflow performance and energy impact under U.S. building conditions. PanLys develops innovative technology that protects people from harmful microorganisms in high-traffic indoor spaces, such as hospitals, restaurants, research and development labs and offices.

Innovation Fund pitches are evaluated by a group of external reviewers. SyracuseCoE gratefully acknowledges the panel of volunteer reviewers for lending their time and expertise, including Jim D’Agostino (TDO), Jeff Fuchsberg (Center for Advanced Systems and Engineering at Syracuse University), Indaria Jones (Couri Hatchery Business Incubator at the Whitman School of Management), John Lawyer (Syracuse University alumnus), and Tong Lin (SyracuseCoE).

“We are delighted to collaborate with companies to turn research into real-world impact,” says Bing Dong, Traugott Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and SyracuseCoE co-director. “Congratulations to KLAW Industries and PanLys!”

SyracuseCoE is New York State’s Center of Excellence for Environmental and Energy Systems. Support for the Innovation Fund is provided by members of the SyracuseCoE Partner Program. To date, the Innovation Fund has invested over $640,000 in more than 60 projects throughout New York State and beyond.

Eligibility for Innovation Fund awards is open to all current members of the . To learn more about joining the SyracuseCoE Partner Program, contact Tammy Rosanio at tlrosani@syr.edu.

The Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems (SyracuseCoE) is now for the 2026 Faculty Fellows Program. Faculty members are invited to submit proposals of up to $15,000 for innovative research and development projects related to healthy and efficient buildings, clean energy and resilient, low-carbon communities.

This program is open to faculty members who hold full-time appointments at Syracuse University, SUNY Upstate Medical University and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF). Proposals must include engagement with one or more industry partners. SyracuseCoE welcomes proposals that engage multiple faculty members, including interdisciplinary teams from multiple departments, colleges and/or institutions.

Faculty Fellow funding may be used for expenses associated with research, development and demonstration projects, including (but not limited to): use of laboratories and equipment, research materials and supplies, and student employment. Faculty members are encouraged to review the for details on eligibility, funding restrictions, proposal format and reporting requirements.

“SyracuseCoE Faculty Fellow awards are an excellent opportunity for researchers to build collaborative relationships with New York state companies that can grow into mutually beneficial R&D partnerships,” says Jianshun “Jensen” Zhang, mechanical and aerospace engineering interim department chair and executive director of SyracuseCoE.

Awards will be announced in December 2025. Selected Faculty Fellows will have the opportunity to join SyracuseCoE’s innovation ecosystem, contributing to educational programming, industry collaboration and future sponsored funding proposals. Fellows will also present their work at the annual Innovation Showcase in August 2026.

The Faculty Fellow Program is supported by Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology & Innovation (ESD/NYSTAR). Since 2015, SyracuseCoE has allocated over $1 million to research and development projects led by more than 70 SyracuseCoE Faculty Fellows at Syracuse University, SUNY ESF, SUNY Upstate Medical University and SUNY Oswego.

Applications must be submitted through Syracuse University’s . The deadline to apply is Friday, Nov. 21. Questions about the program can be directed to Tammy Rosanio, associate director of partner programs .

When junior , an environmental engineering major in the , was growing up, her parents taught her the sensibility of re-using goods, thrifting what she needed and making the best use of everything she had. Around her Bentonville, Virginia, home, she picked up things at auctions, thrift stores and even out of the garbage. “Dumpster diving,” something she had wanted to try, became part of her routine once she arrived at Syracuse University.

One day, a Department of Public Safety officer stopped Lubkemann at a campus dumpster and asked for identification.  After confirming her student status, the officer recounted how the night before, he’d ejected a man who wasn’t a student for doing the same thing Lubkemann was doing.

“That was one of the most impactful experiences I’ve had, not only at the University but in my life,” Lubkemann explains. “To me, it was so unjust that a piece of plastic set me apart from others who might need things.” She says she recognized that removing the person from the scene “might have been the difference between a man and his dinner.”

After that incident, Lubkemann began to reflect on her privileged student status and the injustice that she could access found objects on campus while others were barred from obtaining those throwaway goods. “I grew up very privileged, but I was instilled with the value of not taking more than you need. There are things in the garbage that aren’t actually garbage. A lot of stuff is thrown away before its expiration date,” Lubkemann says. “I found my calling in environmental engineering due to the critical shortage of professionals in the field and by a passion for sustainability, which I see as not just an environmental issue but also a social and economic imperative.”

A ‘Revamped’ Idea

After observing high levels of textile waste on campus and how those without a vehicle have limited access to donate clothing or buy affordable used things,  Lubkemann devised the idea for her business, “.”

Her company is a research-based, pioneering, sustainability-driven mobile enterprise redefining textile waste management through a mobile thrift store and donation hub, currently operating from a repurposed minibus. It takes in discarded yet valuable textiles from their point of disposal and offers an accessible, community-centered solution that diverts waste from landfills while ensuring that high-quality secondhand goods remain in the local economy.

Lubkemann spoke about her idea with ,  Syracuse University Libraries strategic initiatives advisor and a faculty member in the . She encouraged Lubkemann to submit her idea for a mobile donation center/thrift store/re-distribution hub in the competition. Lubkemann then developed a 10-page business plan, entered the competition and won $5,000.

“I never thought anyone would find interest in this; I thought it was a pipe dream. Who would think a top U.S. university would invest in such a small idea? But Linda gave me the confidence to pursue it, and that was one of the things that totally launched me into this initiative. I like to say Revamped was born from a dumpster, which gives me hope any idea or dream can take shape if you work towards it. It’s really taken off from there,” she says.

Adding Funds, Growth

Lubkemann has continued to refine and grow her company and gain funding. She has won $25,000  from campus competitions since November 2024, including the at the , a award, the and research monies. Her achievements include the following:

• Obtaining a DBA (“doing business as”) certificate and starting a limited liability corporation (Ava Lubkemann LLC).
• Acquiring a minibus and outfitting it to serve as mobile thrift shop/donation center.

  

• Establishing a account for potential investors.
• Hosting pop-up sales, cross-campus co-branding events and creating a to distribute on campus.
• Researching textile waste distribution to define more community re-distribution channels.
• Contacting local businesses seeking storage space for additional collected items.
• Ideating two podcasts about Revamped and sustainable living.
• Asking the Sustainability Management group to add sustainable entrepreneurship student ambassadors.
• Contacting George Washington University and Lewis and Clark College to gauge their interest in replicating the Revamped program.

That’s hardly Lubkemann’s limit. From finding goods, to reworking and repairing them, to setting up the mobile store and planning distribution points, she does most of Revamped’s work herself, helped by , the company’s marketer, a student in the Newhouse School of Public Communications.

Ava is also a resident advisor, entrepreneur-in-residence at the  student business incubator, a part-time Orange Innovation Scholar worker and a research fellow on the ’s Carbon Capture Team. She continues to enter competitions such as and present at the . She’s also taking 17 course credits.

The Long View

The busy student has no shortage of vision, either. Lubkemann envisions expanding the company and hopes its success lets her form a 501C3 nonprofit organization to funnel a mass accumulation of textile waste to people who really need it.

“That’s what matters to me, trying to make a positive impact in the community. I was raised on the principle, ‘Wherever you go leave it a better place than you found it,” Lubkemann says. “I think that’s the core of making Revamped what I want it to be—a community-oriented program that connects universities with their communities and advocates for the little guy and people who are in need.”

Goods can be purchased from Revamped’s Instagram page, listing, or soon-to-launch website, revampedthrift.com. Lubkemann also plans to announce future campus sales and events via those avenues.

The (ECS) is excited to announce that Professor Jianshun “Jensen” Zhang has been appointed interim department chair of mechanical and aerospace engineering (MAE), as of July 1, 2025. Zhang serves as executive director of the (CoE) and is one of the premier experts worldwide on built environment systems.

Zhang received a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1991, worked as a researcher at the National Research Council of Canada for eight years and joined Syracuse University in 1999. He has over 35 years of research experience in built environmental systems and has authored and co-authored more than 200 peer-reviewed journal papers and over 100 conference papers. His areas of expertise include combined heat, air, moisture and pollutant simulations in buildings, material emissions, air filtration/purification, ventilation, indoor air quality and intelligent control of building environmental systems.

Zhang has developed advanced experimental methods, tools and equipment, as well as computer simulation models and environmental control technologies. Over his last 25 years with the University, he has established and sustained an active research program in building energy and environmental systems with over $20 million in sponsored research.

He also teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in the areas of building energy and environmental systems and fundamental heat and mass transfer. He has advised and co-advised over 20 Ph.D. students, over 20 M.S. students and eight postdoctoral fellows.

Zhang is a member of the International Academy of Indoor Air Science (ISIAQ fellow) and a fellow of the American Society for Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers. He is also currently the vice president of the Indoor Air Quality, Ventilation and Energy Conservation Association. He served as president and chairman of the board of the International Association of Building Physics from 2018-21. He is also editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Ventilation and associate editor of Science and Technology for the Built Environment.

“Professor Zhang is one of the best respected researchers, educators and leaders in his field. I am especially grateful for his willingness to serve as interim department chair because he has been so intentional about mentorship and support of other faculty,” says ECS Dean J. Cole Smith. “Although we will miss Dr. Young Moon’s steady leadership of MAE, I am excited to see the innovative actions Professor Zhang will take to move MAE forward.”

“I am truly honored and excited to have the opportunity to serve the department, college, university and the profession in this new role. I sincerely thank the faculty, staff and ECS leadership for their trust and support, and thank Professor Young Moon for leading and serving MAE over the last decade. MAE has highly talented and very student-caring faculty and staff running excellent undergraduate and graduate programs. I am looking forward to working with them more closely to advance MAE to the next level,” says Zhang.

�ʰ��Ǵڱ�����ǰ��� was recently selected to lead a workshop on artificial intelligence (AI) at , the Conference and Workshop on Neural Information Processing Systems. Founded in 1987, NeurIPS is one of the most prestigious annual conferences dedicated to machine learning�����Ի���AI research.

Dong’s workshop proposal, “UrbanAI: Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Smart Cities,” will focus on AI tools and technologies that can optimize urban areas. From transportation infrastructure and traffic management to power systems and building HVAC, integrated machine learning solutions can make cities more efficient and reduce carbon emissions. The workshop will convene experts from diverse backgrounds to address the multifaceted challenges of urban sustainability.

A collaborative effort, Dong is organizing the workshop in partnership with colleagues from Harvard, Columbia, the University of Washington and Mila, a Canadian research institute founded by Yoshua Bengio. Professor Bengio is the recipient of the A. M. Turing Award, known as the “Nobel Prize of Computing.”

Zixin Jiang, a Ph.D. candidate in Dong’s lab, will also participate in the conference as a speaker on an expert panel on AI applications for urban environments.

“It is a great honor to collaborate with leading computer scientists worldwide to tackle future smart city challenges,” says Dong. “This is the first workshop at NeurIPS focused on this important topic. We live in a world full of AI applications, and it’s crucial to understand where they may take us, especially regarding energy and environmental issues.”

Dong is the Traugott Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in the and the Associate Director of Grid-Interactive Buildings at the . He leads the , an interdisciplinary research group working on advanced building controls, building energy system modeling, and indoor environmental quality.

NeurIPS is highly competitive, with a workshop proposal acceptance rate just under 20%. The 2025 conference will take place Dec. 2-7 in San Diego, California.

The smoke from more than 100 Canadian wildfires is reaching many regions within the U.S., including as far south as Georgia. Air quality is deteriorating in the Midwest, Great Lakes and Northeast, prompting health advisories in many cities. In Canada, more than 25,000 residents across three provinces have been evacuated due to the worsening air conditions.

The  (SyracuseCOE) is advising residents to take simple steps to protect indoor air quality and personal health in the event of increased smoke levels.

, professor and associate director of building science and community programs at Syracuse University, provides air quality recommendations below which can be quoted directly. He is also available for interview.

“Get ready ahead of time by purchasing or borrowing a HEPA air cleaner and/or a higher-efficiency furnace filter, and masks for going outdoors.” — Professor Ian Shapiro, Syracuse University

Recommendations include:

1. Use Air Cleaners With HEPA Filters: Portable air cleaners equipped with HEPA filters can significantly reduce airborne particulate concentrations within minutes.

2. Run HVAC Fan Continuously: If your home has a forced-air heating or cooling system, locate the thermostat setting labeled “Fan” and switch it from “Auto” to “On.” This will continuously circulate indoor air through the system’s filter, removing particulates. This practice is safe and effective year-round. This is significantly more effective if your system has a high-efficiency filter, such as a filter rated “MERV 13” or higher. If not, consider at least installing a filter rated “MERV 11”, instead of a standard efficiency filter.

3. Close Windows and Doors: Keep all windows and doors shut to minimize the entry of outdoor smoke into your home during smoky conditions.

4. Limit Use of Exhaust Fans: While bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans remove moisture and cooking fumes, they also pull outdoor air into the house. During wildfire smoke events, limit their use to reduce the intake of contaminated air.

5. Wear a Mask Outdoors: When spending time outside, especially if air quality worsens, wear a well-fitting mask to help filter inhaled particles.

The Syracuse University Center of Excellence, led by , conducts cutting-edge research on indoor and outdoor air quality. The center is currently monitoring air quality across multiple locations in downtown Syracuse and continues to provide science-based guidance to the community.

To learn more or to set up interviews, contact:

Daryl Lovell
Associate Director of Media Relations
University Communications
M��315.380.0206

Peter Wirth has a two-fold strategy when it comes to renovating his home.

The Brooklyn, New York, native has called Central New York home for more than 40 years. Nestled on a quiet cul-de-sac in Fayetteville, New York, the 1960s-era Craftsman house he shares with his wife, daughter and their cat “Spice” not only features many attractive upgrades in aesthetics and design, but most importantly cuts back on their climate footprint with every improvement plan and project.

“I think what probably got me on the path was I believe in science,” says Wirth, co-founder of the . “I’m trying to remove or reduce our consumption of fossil fuels in the house.”

Wirth keeps energy efficiency at the center of his home upgrades, generating his own renewable energy with rooftop solar panels, and getting his hot water on demand through an updated tankless water heater. His sustainability goals led him to make one of his biggest home upgrades yet—adding an air-sourced heat pump to his natural gas furnace, creating a hybrid heating and cooling system that runs much more efficiently.

“I think once you go to an electric heat pump, you’d never think about doing a gas furnace again,” says Wirth.

Getting more people to consider heat pumps for their homes and businesses has been a mission point for , professor of practice in the College of Engineering and Computer Science and the associate director of Building Science and Community Programs at the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems. He launched his mechanical engineering career more than three decades ago with designing heat pumps.

Systems That Heat and Cool

While the word heat can lead people to limit the technology to only its warming effect, these systems work to both heat and cool structures.

Shapiro says heat pumps work by moving heat from the outdoor air to the indoor space, similar to how a refrigerator moves heat from the inside to the outside. The heating and cooling system uses electricity to move heat rather than generating it directly. Even on a cold Central New York day with an outdoor temperature below freezing, the pump can effectively pull warm air from the outdoors to heat the inside of a home or building.

“That free outdoor heat is renewable,” Shapiro says. “And much of the electricity is carbon free from sources such as hydroelectricity and solar. If New York state meets its goals by 2040, it will all be clean electricity.”

Residence as a Living Lab

Wirth opened his home to Shapiro’s graduate mechanical engineering students as a “living lab” to execute research questions and learn directly from homeowners about the real-world implications of heat pump technology. The collaboration has proven fruitful for researchers and Wirth. Syracuse researchers were able to identify ways to make his heat pump and home more efficient, and the hands-on work will help students in their professional fields.

“Syracuse has been an ideal place to study heat pump performance in cold climates and older homes,” says mechanical and aerospace engineering Ph.D. student, Sameeraa Soltanian-Zadeh ’26. “These field studies help bridge the gap between lab-tested efficiency and real-world performance.”

“As more buildings transition from traditional fossil fuel heating systems to heat pumps, improving their operational efficiency will be crucial,” says Ji Zhou ’28, another Ph.D. student in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, who plans to work in a heat pump research lab post-graduation.

, with requirements for all new buildings to use electric heat and appliances by 2026 and all existing buildings by 2030. Shapiro estimates there are more than 100,000 heat pumps currently in use in New York state. He anticipates more growth in the years to come as fossil-fuel powered energy becomes more expensive.

For homeowners like Wirth, finding ways to cut down on carbon consumption and reduce greenhouse gases is a personal mission now powering his home and his life.

“For me to recommend to other people to do things without doing them myself, I just can’t do it,” says Wirth. “It would feel hollow. I need to walk the talk.”

Video captured, edited and produced by Amy Manley, senior multimedia producer

Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems (SyracuseCoE) is pleased to announce that four local organizations have been selected for the 2025 . This program provides SyracuseCoE Partners with funding to host a paid summer intern. Student interns work on projects related to indoor environmental quality, high-performance/green building design, energy efficiency, and water resources.

The organizations selected are:

• , a startup based in Ithaca, New York, that uses AI-powered technology to provide real-time equipment insights for site auditors, engineers and other HVAC professionals.
• , a startup located in Binghamton, New York, that diverts contaminated glass from the waste stream and repurposes it into a patent-pending material to replace cement in concrete mix.
• , a startup based in Potsdam, New York, that develops and manufactures innovative power electronics for applications in solar, battery storage, electric vehicle charging, and grid support.
• , a non-profit housing and community development organization with offices in Syracuse and Buffalo, New York.

Each organization will receive up to $4,000 to host an undergraduate or graduate student this summer. The Industry Collaboration Student Internship Program provides students with critical work-based learning experiences offering hands-on technical skill development and work experience. Ultimately, the program aims to increase post-graduation student retention in Central New York.

“SyracuseCoE is pleased to support local partners manage their talent needs, while also providing meaningful learning experiences for students,” says SyracuseCoE Executive Director . “Since 2004, SyracuseCoE has funded more than 140 student internships with industry partners under this program. This year, we’re pleased to also support an internship with a community-based partner, for the first time since this program was initiated.”

Student interns will present their work on a project poster at SyracuseCoE’s annual Innovation Showcase, to be held in August 2025.

Participation in this internship program is one of the benefits of the . To learn more or join the program, contact Tammy Rosanio, Associate Director of Partner Programs, at tlrosani@syr.edu.

On Feb. 14, Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems (SyracuseCoE) hosted the first Smart Cities Research @ SU workshop, led by , associate professor at the School of Information Studies (iSchool). Professor Erdogan is one of the recipients of a 2024 SyracuseCoE Faculty Fellow award. This past year, SyracuseCoE to support 11 research and innovation projects led by faculty members from Syracuse University and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

Erdogan is the director of the , an interdisciplinary research hub focused on the interaction of human, physical and natural systems and on connecting the interdependencies between them. The center seeks to leverage information science and digital technologies to inform public policy, advancing sustainability and resiliency.

Professor Erdogan’s Faculty Fellow project, “Smart Cities Research Network Development for Sustainable and Resilient Communities,” aims to bring together faculty members, government agencies, and community partners to develop an institutional framework for smart cities research. A smart city is one that utilizes sensor networks, advanced Information Communication Technologies (ICT), Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, big data analytics and cloud computing to deliver services more efficiently and improve quality of life for residents. The applications can span almost all aspects of city governance including but not limited to mobility, resilience and disaster response, environmental monitoring, energy efficiency, engagement and community, economic development, housing, waste management and more.

The Feb. 14 event was the first of two workshops supported by this Faculty Fellow award. With a strong interdisciplinary approach, the workshop engaged faculty from the School of Information Studies (the iSchool), the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, the School of Architecture and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Government stakeholders also attended, including representatives from the City of Syracuse’s Office of the Mayor and from the Syracuse Metropolitan Transportation Council (SMTC).

To kick off the workshop, Professor Erdogan, along with iSchool Associate Dean for Research and SyracuseCoE Executive Director , gave opening remarks. Jennifer Tifft, Director of Strategic Initiatives for the City of Syracuse, and Vincent Scipione, Director of Digital Services for the City of Syracuse, shared relevant initiatives and research needs at the municipal level. Faculty from across SU then gave lightning talks to highlight ongoing scholarship. also facilitated a working session to identify research themes and areas for potential collaboration.

“This workshop was a crucial step in establishing a collaborative foundation for smart city research at SU and positioning the university as a leader in smart city innovations,” says Erdogan. “At its core, this initiative is about using technology and data for social good, about creating sustainable and resilient communities. Meaningful smart city research begins with collaboration, which is why bringing together key community members was essential.”

“In this first workshop, we focused on engaging faculty and government partners, leveraging our collaboration with the City of Syracuse to identify critical problems, develop potential real-world applications, and explore how Syracuse can help lead in smart city innovation. Looking ahead, our next workshop will expand this effort by engaging community organizations and industry partners. We want to build a research network that actively listens to and serves the community, ensuring technology is used to meet real needs.”

“SyracuseCoE is pleased to host and support this and future workshops on smart cities research and collaborations,” says Zhang. “In collaboration with our academic, industrial and community partners, SyracuseCoE is establishing a multiscale air quality, stormwater, and energy flow monitoring system testbed across Syracuse. The multiscale testbed and its near-real-time data will open ample opportunities for both academic research and industrial innovations in the development of smart city technologies and systems, including preliminary results that support applications for externally sponsored collaborative research projects.”

Faculty who are interested in joining the second Smart Cities Research @ SU workshop should contact Professor Sevgi Erdogan at serdogan@syr.edu.

is hosting “The Ideas Exchange: Sparking Innovation at Syracuse University” on Tuesday, March 4, from 2:30 to 5 p.m. on the first floor of Bird Library. Students from across campus eager to explore the frontiers of innovation, entrepreneurship and creativity are invited to attend this student-designed and student-led event to engage with experts, resources and peers in a dynamic and interactive environment.

is more than just a networking event—it’s an incubator for ideas, where students can find inspiration, seek guidance and connect with the right resources to bring their projects to life. The event features two simultaneous components: The Resource Emporium and Ask the Experts. Sponsored by SU Libraries, the Syracuse University NSF I-Corps and the Orange Innovation Team, this event is for aspiring entrepreneurs, innovators and those simply curious about the creative and startup ecosystem on campus.

At the heart of The Idea Exchange is the Orange Innovation Team, including Orange Innovation Scholars Ava Lubekmann, Jair Espinoza, Aidan Turner and Thomas O’Brien and Intelligence ++ Scholars Isaac Munce and Trey Augliano. These student leaders have curated an experience that fosters collaboration, encourages curiosity and provides direct access to some of the most valuable resources available on campus.

The Resource Emporium: Your Gateway to Innovation

On the first floor of Bird Library, a diverse lineup of organizations will host information tables to provide students with resources to help develop their ideas, start businesses and enhance their creative projects. Whether students are looking to create a prototype, launch a creative idea, secure funding for an idea or learn more about innovation on campus, The Resource Emporium will offer access to the right tools and people to take their ambitions further. Participating groups include:

• Blackstone LaunchPad–Campus hub for entrepreneurship
• CASE–Center for Advanced Systems and Engineering
• Couri Hatchery–Student venture incubation
• D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families
• E-Club–Entrepreneurship student organization
• FADS–Fashion and design society
• Innovation Law Center–Legal guidance for startups
• Intelligence ++–Inclusive design and assistive technology
• Invent@SU–Rapid prototyping and invention resources
• Maker Space–Hands-on creative workshops and prototyping
• NEXIS–Emerging technology research
• NSF I-Corps at Syracuse University
• The Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement (SOURCE)–Undergraduate research support
• Startup Garage–Early-stage startup mentoring
• Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems
• TEDx Syracuse University–Platform for innovative ideas and storytelling
• WISE–Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship

Ask the Experts: Conversations That Ignite Ideas

In a format inspired by “Human Library” events, the Ask the Experts session will feature more than 20 confirmed peer specialists and professionals across various fields engaging in small-group conversations. These sessions, held in the Peter Graham Scholarly Commons (Room 114 in Bird Library), will provide students with the chance to ask questions from student and alumni thought leaders, receive tailored advice and gain valuable insights into the skills needed to thrive in innovation, creation and entrepreneurship.

Each discussion will be an opportunity to learn from expert peers and experienced professionals while sparking innovative ideas through engaging conversations. The curated topics and expert insights are designed to empower students with practical knowledge and the confidence to move forward with their ventures.

The expert insights will be in the areas of content creation, pitching, brand development and many more.

Mix It Up: Networking and Refreshments

To wrap up the event, attendees can mingle and network from 4:30 to 5 p.m. in the Peter Graham Scholarly Commons. Light refreshments will be provided, creating a casual and welcoming environment for students to connect with peers, experts, and resource representatives.

Why Attend The Idea Exchange?

The Idea Exchange presents an unparalleled opportunity for students to tap into the University’s vast network of innovation resources. Whether you have a business idea, a research project, or a creative endeavor, this event will help you take the next step by:

• Gaining access to key innovation resources: Meet representatives from leading campus programs.
• Engage with experts: Learn from professionals who can provide real-world insights.
• Build your network: Connect with fellow students who share your passion for innovation.
• Find inspiration: Discover ideas and opportunities to explore.

For more information, visit Bird Library 123, home of “The IDEA Studio,” or email OrangeInnovation@syr.edu.