John Z. Zhai

Education:

• Ph.D., Building Technology, MIT, 2003
• Dr.Eng., Fluid Mechanics, Tsinghua University, 1999
• M.Sc., Fluid Mechanics, Tsinghua University, 1995
• B.Sc., Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, 1994

Honors and Distinctions:

• The "Changjiang Scholar" Professorship Award, the Ministry of Education, China, 2016
• Distinguished Lecturer by American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), 2014.
• Invited Participant for 2010 US Frontiers of Engineering (US FOE) Symposium and Invited Organizer for 2011 US FOE Symposium by National Academy of Engineering of US
• Research Development Award, Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder, May, 2010
• Distinguished Service Award (DSA) of American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), May, 2010
• William Mong Visiting Research Fellowship in Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, 2009
• 2008 Best Paper Award, International Journal of Building Simulation, 2009
• Sustainability Award of Green Faculty, University of Colorado at Boulder, 2008
• The Charles A. and Anne Morrow Lindbergh Foundation Project Award, 2007
• Young Researcher Award, Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder, 2007
• Presidential Fellowship, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1999–2003
• Grant-in-Aid Fellowship, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), 2001
• Martin Family Society of Fellows for Sustainability, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2000

Professional Affiliations:

• International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate (ISIAQ)
• International Building Performance Simulation Association (IBPSA)
• American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
• US Green Building Council (USGBC)

Interests:

• Computational Fluid Dynamics and its Applications in Building and Environment
• Heat Transfer and Energy Analysis of Building Systems
• Building Indoor Environment Quality: Thermal Comfort and Indoor Air Quality
• Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) Systems
• Building Vulnerability and Safety
• Renewable Energy and Sustainable Building Design

Latest Publications:

• Zhai Z and Liu X. 2016. Sensitivity Analysis of the Probability-Based Inverse Modeling Method for Indoor Contaminant Tracking. International Journal of Low-Carbon Technologies, DOI: 10.1093/ijlct/ctw019.
• Wang H and Zhai Z. 2016. Advances in Building Simulation and Computational Techniques: A Review between 1987 and 2014. Energy and Buildings, 128: 319–335.
• Zhai Z. 2016. Breathing Wall: Concept and Thermal Performance. Cityscape: A Journal of Policy Development and Research, 18(2): 203-208.
• Tong Y, Zhai Z, Wang C, Zhou B, Niu X. 2016. Possibility of Using Roof Openings for Natural Ventilation in a Shallow Urban Road Tunnel. Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 54: 92-101.
• Xue Y, Liu W, Zhai Z. 2016. New Semi-Lagrangian-Based PISO Method for Fast and Accurate Indoor Environment Modeling. Building and Environment, 105: 236–244.
• Chang Y, Zhang Q, Zhai Z. 2016. Numerical Simulation of the Filtration Process in Fibrous Filters Using CFD-DEM Method. Journal of Aerosol Science, 101: 174–187.
• Youssef AMA, Zhai Z, Reffat RM. 2016. Genetic Algorithm Based Optimization for Photovoltaics Integrated Building Envelope. Energy and Buildings, 127: 627–636.
• Feng Qi, Zhai Z, Dang G. 2016. Building Height Estimation Using Google Earth. Energy and Buildings, 118: 123–132.
• Chen X, Zhang Q, Zhai Z. 2016. Energy Saving Potential of a Ventilation System with a Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage Unit under Different Climatic Conditions. Energy and Buildings, 118: 339–349.
• Previtali JM and Zhai Z. 2016. A Taxonomy of Vernacular Architecture. Energy and Buildings, 110: 71–78.