Distinguished Lecturer, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), 2026
Excellent Reviewer Award, The Journal of Building Energy Efficiency, 2025
Catalyst: Leaders – International Leader Fellowship, The Royal Society of New Zealand, 2023
The Fulbright US Scholar, US Department of State, 2023
Textbook Recognition Award (one of the two), The College of Engineering & Applied Science (CEAS), University of Colorado at Boulder, 2023
The 2021 Best Paper Award, Buildings Journal, 2023
Nominated for the College of Engineering & Applied Science (CEAS) Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award, 2022
The World’s Top 2% Scientists by Stanford University, 2021-2025
Fellow, The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), 2020
Distinguished Achievement Award, Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder, 2020
Best Paper Award, The 2nd International Conference of International Alliance for Sustainable Urbanization and Regeneration (IASUR), China, 2019
Faculty Research Award (the only one), The College of Engineering & Applied Science (CEAS), University of Colorado at Boulder, 2019
Fellow, The International Building Performance Simulation Association (IBPSA), 2019
Fellow, The International Academy of International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate (ISIAQ), 2018
The 2017 Best Paper Award, International Journal of Building Simulation, 2018
The JSPS Invitational Fellowship for Research, The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, 2018
The Gold Award of New Product & Technology (one of the ten), The 2016 World Internet of Things (IoT) Conference and Exposition, China, Oct 30-Nov 1, 2016
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
Conference Award from the Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØ Council on Research and Creative Work, 2008 and 2012.
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) (Fellow)
International Building Performance Simulation Association (IBPSA) (Fellow)
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) (Fellow)
US Green Building Council (USGBC)
American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE)
China Green Building Council (CGBC)
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
Sustainable Building and Urban Design
Renewable Energy and Climate Change
Latest Publications
Yue C*, Li Z, Wang J, Zhang Q, Zhai Z, Jack MW. 2026. Numerical Investigation of the Thermal Environment in a Data Center Under Dynamic Server Loads Driven by Artificial Neural Network Models. Buildings, 16(14), 2780.Ìý
Miller SL, Yan S*, GarcÃa A, Wang L, Zhai Z et al. 2026. Potential Airborne Transmission of SARS-COV-2 through Bathroom Ventilation Ducts Associated with an Outbreak in a Residential Building in Santander, Spain, 2020. PLOS One, May 12,Ìý.Ìý
ZouÌýS,ÌýLiuÌýJ,ÌýDaiÌýY,ÌýChenÌýJ,ÌýYueÌýC*,ÌýZhaiÌýZ. 2026. Study on the Performance of the Multi-Cooling Source Hybrid Energy System in Data Centers under Different Climate Conditions. Renewable Energy, Volume 270, 15 August, 125904.
Zhai ZJ and Alattar M*. 2026. Disparities in Climatic Parameters between Weather Station and Building Microenvironment: Important or Not? Intelligent Climate and Eco-Environment, Volume 1, November, 100003.Ìý
Ran J,ÌýGuo Z,ÌýLi J,ÌýWang T,ÌýZhu Y,ÌýYang B,ÌýZhai Z,ÌýZhangÌýQ. 2026. Modeling and Performance Analysis of a Novel Air-Liquid Hybrid Cooling System for High-Power Containerized AI Data Centers. Energy, Volume 360, 30 September, 141836.
ChenÌýS,ÌýZhang Q,ÌýHuÌýM,ÌýZhaiÌýZ,ÌýLiÌýJ,ÌýGuoÌýZ. 2026. Double-Layer Multi-Objective Optimization for Combined Cooling and Waste Heat Recovery Systems in Data Centers. Energy Conversion and Management,ÌýVolume 356, 15 May, 121349.
Wu Y,ÌýJinÌýM,ÌýZhaiÌýZ,ÌýLiÌýY,ÌýYang B. 2026.ÌýExperimental Study on a Superhydrophobic and Superoleophilic Nanofiber Membrane with Vine-Interwoven Hierarchical Structures for Capturing Performance of Oily Particulate Filtration. Powder Technology, 15 June, 122495, Volume: 477.
Zhai ZJ, Santamouris M, Niu J-L. 2026.ÌýValidation Practices for Simulation-Based Research. Energy and Buildings, 116853.
Zhai Z and Ferrer A*. 2026. Energy Impact of Transparent Photovoltaic Windows. EBES Sustainable Building,ÌýVolume 1, Issue 1, March, 100003.
Chen S, Zhang Q, Zhu Y, Zhai Z, Li J, Guo Z. 2026. Performance Optimization and Uncertainty Analysis of Integrating Data Center Cooling with Waste Heat Recovery System. Journal of Refrigeration, Vol. 47, No. 1, February, Pages: 59-70.Ìý
YanÌýS*,ÌýWangÌýL,ÌýZouÌýJ,ÌýShuÌýC,ÌýBerquistÌýJ,ÌýZhaiÌýZ. 2026. Bayesian Grey-Box Modeling of Classroom Ventilation Using CO2 Measurements in Canadian Primary Schools. Building and Environment, Volume 293, 1 April, 114332.Ìý
RanÌýJ,ÌýZhang Q,ÌýZhuÌýY,ÌýZhaiÌýZ,ÌýLiÌýJ,ÌýGuoÌýZ,ÌýWangÌýT. 2026. Co-Optimization of Thermal-Aware Workload Scheduling with Deep Reinforcement Learning-Based Cooling Control in Data Centers. Energy, Volume 344, 1 February, 139965
Djafar AG, Pratiwi N, Mohamad Y, Zhai ZJ. 2025.ÌýThe Application Potential of Net Zero Energy Building Using Rooftop Photovoltaics Case Study of Apartments in Gorontalo Province. International Journal of Applied Power Engineering (IJAPE), 14: 743-743.Ìý
Meng F, Zhang Q, Zou S, Zhai Z, Liao S, et al. 2025. Simulation Optimization of a Hybrid System Combining Thermosyphon and Vapor Compression Used in 5G Base Stations Based on A Grey-Box Model and Genetic Algorithm. Journal of Building Engineering, 2025, 111, 113367.
DaiÌýY,ÌýZhuÌýF,ÌýTuÌýW,ÌýZhuÌýH,ÌýQinÌýD,ÌýWangÌýH,ÌýZhai Z. 2025. Urban Air Mobility in the Built Environment: A Review of Aerodynamic Interactions, Thermal Effects, and Simulation Challenges. Sustainable Cities and Society.Ìýhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2025.106853.Ìý
Zhou X,ÌýYang Y,ÌýDengÌýQ,ÌýCai M,ÌýLi C,ÌýLiu M,ÌýZhai Z.Ìý2025. Ensuring Accurate Outdoor Thermal Comfort Research: How to Select Representative Measurement Sites for Local Climate Zone. Building and Environment,Ìý.ÌýÌý
Chen S, Zhang Q, Zhai Z, Liu H, Chen G, Lei J, Liao S. 2025. MILP Optimization of the Multi-Heat Pump Waste Heat Recovery System Integrated with Full-Free Cooling Data Center through Lake Water. Energy, Volume 318, 134823.
Yan S*, Zou J, Shu C, Berquist J, Brochu V, Veillette M, Hou D, Duchaine C, Zhou L, Zhai Z, Wang L. 2025. Implementing Bayesian Inference on A Stochastic CO2-Based Grey-Box Model. Indoor Environments, Volume 2, Issue 1, 100079.Ìý
Li H*, Guo H, Zhai Z. 2025.ÌýEvaluating The Effectiveness of Ventilation Strategies in Mitigating Short-Term and High-Concentration Indoor Pollutants Within A Typical Apartment Building. Building and Environment, Volume 270, 112520.
Lou X, Zhang Q, Ma Z, Zhai Z, Ee YJ, Sopian K, Zhou H, Meng X. 2025. Field investigation on the performance of a novel hybrid cooling system for containerized energy storage batteries under mismatched conditions. Energy, Volume 334, 137693.Ìý
