Berkeley Decarb Tool Launched as Alpha Version
CBE has developed an open-source web tool to support building decarbonization analysis during early design phases, allowing users to compare the operational carbon emissions of HVAC systems under various equipment configurations and emissions scenarios. This tool provides a significant improvement over current design resources, which may use overly simplified assumptions, for example, using annual grid emissions instead of hourly values, or omitting refrigerant leakage. This tool is one of many deliverables being created under a multi-year study on decarbonizing large commercial buildings. Read about the tool, see the video, and try it.
Webinar for Case Studies and Implementation for Advanced HVAC Decarbonization, July 8, 2:00 – 3:45 pm PDT
This webinar will present three emerging HVAC strategies, with detailed case studies that can move innovations from research to implementation. Carlos Duarte will present a new simulation study that explores how radiant systems can reduce strain on the grid during peak demand hours. Jiwon Park will discuss a case study of an all-electric medical office building that implemented heat recovery chillers. Tharanga Jayarathne will describe the field implementation and validation of a novel control strategy in three commercial buildings. Read more details.
New Industry Partners Represent Broad Diversity of CBE Consortium
We are pleased to introduce three new industry partners who joined the CBE consortium this spring. Kajima is a global general contractor and developer headquartered in Japan, and the key liaisons to CBE are with Kajima’s Technical Research Institute Singapore (KaTRIS) which supports technology research across the enterprise. We are also joined by RE:VISION West, a California-based real estate development company rethinking how buildings are designed, constructed, and adapted, with a current focus on workforce housing. David Baker Architects, a nationally recognized architecture and urban design firm with a focus on sustainable housing and mixed-use communities, joins CBE as an A/E/C/ Partner. These partnerships bring valuable expertise across construction, development and design, and we look forward to the opportunities their involvement will create.
Development of Evidence-Based Natural Ventilation Guidelines
Natural ventilation offers a low-energy approach to bringing outdoor air into buildings, yet current design standards rely on unverified assumptions that create uncertainty for building professionals. With funding from ASHRAE and additional support from CBE Industry Partners, CBE will investigate the foundational rules governing natural ventilation design under ASHRAE Standards 62.1 and 62.2. This multi-method study will include full-scale chamber studies, wind tunnel tests and computational fluid dynamics. Project deliverables include robust design guidelines, new metrics and online design tools. Read more or see this short video.
CBE Celebrates 2026 MS and PhD Building Science Graduates
A huge congratulations to the 2026 graduates from CBE’s affiliated academic program, the Building Science, Technology and Sustainability Program. MS graduates Quinn Graessle and Angela Kou presented their most recent research at the April IAB meeting, and will start work with member firms Taylor Engineers and PAE, respectively. MS grad Navya Sharad will complete her research on room design and social VR. PhD graduates include Arfa Aijazi, an assistant professor at University of Waterloo, and Chai Um, who will join CBE as a postdoctoral researcher. We send our warmest wishes and look forward to seeing the future contributions of these emerging professionals.
Recent Awards and Publications
Below we feature new awards and publications by CBE researchers, faculty, graduate students and research affiliates.
Jiwon Park Wins Best Paper Award at International Conference
A paper by lead author and PhD student Jiwon Park received the best paper award at IAQVEC 2026. Jiwon presented research on the condensation risk in radiant cooling panels with elevated air movement. This study is important because while radiant cooling is energy-efficient, its cooling capacity may be limited by concerns about condensation. The authors found that combining elevated air movement, for example with ceiling fans, may reduce the risk of water droplets growing large enough to drip, by transporting them away from the panel surface while they are still small. The paper was completed with co-authors from leading universities around the world and with support of CBE Industry Partner Sanken and its U.S. subsidiary GET.
Undergraduate Researcher Gayle Boyd Gains Award for Building Materials Study
Gayle Boyd, an Environmental Economics and Policy major, received an award to conduct research on decarbonizing building materials, in collaboration with CBE’s Matt Roberts. Gayle has developed a cost estimation methodology that can be implemented across many material types. She will next use this methodology to estimate the cost of specific decarbonization strategies, for example comparing fuels used in the production of steel. This work is part of a study focused on reducing emissions from building materials, with funding from the California Air Resources Board.
New publication: Ten Questions Concerning Low-Cost Indoor Air Quality Sensors: Perspectives from Research and Practice
A recent paper looks at questions about using low-cost indoor air quality (IAQ) sensors in buildings, addressing topics such as sensor capabilities, validation methods, deployment frameworks, and the ethical implications of widespread use. While challenges remain, advances in analytics and open data initiatives are positioning low-cost IAQ sensors to become integral to building operations and environmental health research.
New publication: Room Surface Convective Heat Transfer with Ceiling Fans and Its Effect on Radiant Cooling Systems
A recent study using CFD and energy simulations found that ceiling fans increase a radiant system’s cooling heat transfer rate by 9 to 47%. The authors suggest that ceiling fans be considered part of a building’s thermal delivery strategy. “When integrated thoughtfully with systems such as radiant cooling, ceiling fans can help expand the comfort envelope, improve system performance, and support lower-energy operation.” This study was funded by CBE Industry Partner Clark Pacific. Read the LinkedIn summary or see the full paper.
New publication: Envelope-Driven Comfort Risk in Residential Demand Response
During demand response (DR) events, customers may have different comfort experiences based on their climate and season. A new paper simulated DR events across 37 U.S. locations, and found that summer overheating risk is nearly universal, while winter risks are lower except in older, poorly insulated homes. The authors suggest that summer programs, particularly in warmer regions, need shorter event windows and pre-conditioning strategies, and also that region-specific DR designs be tailored to their specific conditions. See more in the LinkedIn summary or full paper.