Dr. A. Athienitis

Dr. Andreas Athienitis, Professor
Concordia University Research Chair - Tier I in Solar Energy
Department of Building, Civil & Environmental Engineering
E-mail.
Telephone: 514-848-2424 Ext 8791
Fax: 514-848-7965

Mailing address
Dept. of Building, Civil & Environmental Engineering
Concordia University, Rm: EV-6.139
1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. West
Montréal, Québec, Canada, H3G 1M8

Office location
1515 St. Catherine W.
Rm: EV-6.159
Montréal, Québec, Canada, H3G 2W1
(Metro: Guy-Concordia - Guy Exit)

Biography

Dr. Andreas K. Athienitis obtained a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering (1981) from UNB, and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Waterloo (1985). His research interests are in solar energy engineering, energy efficiency, optimization and control of building thermal systems, building-integrated photovoltaics and daylighting. He is the author of more than 110 refereed papers, the Mathcad electronic book "Building Thermal Analysis" and a book on "Thermal Analysis and Design of Passive Solar Buildings" published by James and James. Awards include ASHRAE Carrier best paper award. He has served as Associate Editor of the ISES Journal "Solar Energy", member of ASHRAE Technical Committees, and has played a key role in the engineering design of several green buildings which include ground cooling/heating, advanced daylighting systems and photovoltaics. He is also the Scientific Director of the NSERC Solar Buildings Research Network and Concordia University Research Chair Tier I.

Education

• Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering, May 1985, University of Waterloo, Waterloo Canada
• B.Sc. Mechanical Engineering, May 1981, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton Canada

Honors and Awards

• Willis H. Carrier Best Paper Award from American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (1991).
• Izaak Walton Killam Post_Doctoral Scholarship (University of Alberta, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 1985_87).
• Commonwealth Scholarship (University of New Brunswick: 1978_81).

Scholarly and Professional Activities

• Consultant for the design of several green buildings which include features such as advanced daylighting systems, ground cooling/heating, hybrid ventilation, photovoltaics and thermal storage.
• Associate Editor for Passive Systems, ISES Journal Solar Energy.
• Member of the Radiant Heating and Cooling Technical Committee (TC 6.5) of ASHRAE.
• Member of the Building Operation Dynamics Technical Committee (TC 4.6) of ASHRAE.

Professional Society Memberships

• Member, Order of Engineers of Quebec
• Member, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).
• Member, International Solar Energy Society (ISES).

Research Interests and Activities

Solar Decathlon House located at Loyola Campus: it includes an advanced BIPV/T system, motorized blinds and other energy efficiency measures.

My research activities are focused on integration of solar energy systems into buildings to generate electricity, useful heat and for daylighting. This is also the focus of Theme 1 of the newly established NSERC Solar Buildings Research Network (SBRN). My long term vision is the realization of the solar building operating in Canada as an integrated advanced technological system that approaches the net zero-energy target. To achieve this goal, in collaboration with leading researchers across the country, we have established the SBRN.

A key element of our approach is that solar technologies are integrated in an optimal manner with energy efficiency measures, with the building envelope and with HVAC systems, so the potential energy savings are even higher than separately applying the two approaches and reductions in total cost may be realized.

Current projects

(funded by NSERC, NRCan, CMHC, Hydro Quebec and other industries in the SBRN):

• Development of innovative photovoltaic-thermal systems and their integration into building envelope and with HVAC;
• Solar optimization of perimeter zones and double façades
• Integrated modelling, simulation and design of sunspaces/atria;
• Integrated modelling, design and control of direct gain systems with floor heating;
• load and demand management in solar-optimized buildings.

Research Facilities

Façade section of solar-daylighting lab in EV building; it will be used in the project on solar optimization of perimeter zones with different types of motorized blinds and perimeter heating.

My main research facilities are the Solar-Daylighting lab on the 16th floor of the EV building and an outdoor test facility consisting of 3 test-rooms on the roof of BE building. The Solar-Daylighting lab and its adjacent atrium as well as the roof of EV and BE will be used for many unique projects of the Network. A variety of equipment has been acquired, including solar instruments, particle image velocimetry system, heat flow meters. Our lab also includes an artificial sky (3 x 3 x 3 m) facility.

Our unique outdoor test facility is currently being used to investigate innovative solar façade and roof systems funded by NSERC strategic grant and industrial/NRCan support.

A recently established facility at Loyola Campus is the Solar Decathlon house. This 800 square foot house participated in the 2005 Solar Decathlon competition in Washington DC and upon its return was set up on a permanent foundation as a demonstration solar house and research facility. We have received the 1st place energy efficiency award for this house from NHBA and an award from BP Solar for our well integrated PV-thermal system.

BIPV/T double façade test facility, including PV and motorized blinds (one of three test-rooms in outdoor test facility on the roof of the BE-building).

Teaching

• ENGR 681: ENERGY RESOURCES: CONVENTIONAL AND RENEWABLE
• BLDG 6731: BUILDING ILLUMINATION AND DAYLIGHTING
• BLDG 6661: HYGROTHERMAL PERFORMANCE OF THE BUILDING ENVELOPE
• BLDG 341: BUILDING ENGINEERING SYSTEMS

Publications

Selected Journal Papers

1. Charron R. and Athienitis A.K., 2006, "Design and Optimization of Net-Zero Energy Solar Homes", ASHRAE Transactions, Vol. 112, Pt. 2.
2. Pasini M. and Athienitis A.K., 2006, "Systems Design of the Canadian Solar Decathlon House", ASHRAE Transactions, Vol. 112, Pt. 2.
3. Charron R. and Athienitis A.K., 2006, "A Two Dimensional Model of a Double Façade with Integrated Photovoltaic Panels" ASME Journal of Solar Energy Engineering, in press.
4. Karava P., Stathopoulos T. and Athienitis A.K., 2006, "Wind-driven Natural Ventilation Analysis", Journal Solar Energy, accepted Dec. 2005, in press.
5. Charron R. and Athienitis A.K., 2006, "Optimization of the Performance of Double-Façades with Integrated Photovoltaic Panels", Journal Solar Energy, Vol. 80, pp. 482-491.
6. Park K-W. and Athienitis A.K., 2005, "Development and Testing of an Integrated Daylighting Control System", ASHRAE Transactions, Vol. 111, Pt. 1, pp. 218-226.
7. Tzempelikos A. and Athienitis A.K., 2005, "Integrated Thermal and Daylighting Analysis and Design of Office Buildings", ASHRAE Transactions, Vol. 111, Pt. 1, pp. 227-238.
8. Chatzidakis S.K., Athienitis A.K., Chatzidakis K.S., 2004, "Computational Energy Analysis of an Innovative Isothermal Chamber", Int. Journal of Energy Research, Vol. 28, No. 11, 899-916.
9. Park K.-W. and Athienitis A.K., 2003, "Workplane Illuminance Prediction Method for Daylighting Control Systems", Journal Solar Energy, Vol. 75(4), 277-284.
10. Chen T. and Athienitis A.K., 2003, "Investigation of Identification Issues in Building Thermal Parameter Estimation", Journal Building and Environment, Vol. 38, No. 8, pp. 1027-1038.
11. Karava P., Stathopoulos T. and Athienitis A.K., 2003, "Investigation of the Performance of Trickle Ventilators", Journal Building and Environment, Vol. 38, pp. 981-993.
12. Athienitis A.K. and Tzempelikos A., 2002, "A Methodology for Detailed Calculation of Room Illuminance Levels and Light Dimming in a Room With Motorized Blinds", Journal Solar Energy, Vol. 72 (4), pp. 271-281.
13. Chatzidakis S. , A.K. Athienitis and K. Chatzidakis, 2002 "A Numerical Simulation Study of a New Environmental Chamber", ASHRAE Transactions, Vol. 108, 113-118.
14. Athienitis A.K, 2002, "Reset control strategies for radiant heating", ASHRAE Trans., Vol. 108, pp. 1005-1013.
15. Mora R., English M. and Athienitis A.K., 2001 "Assessment of Thermal Comfort During Surgical Operations", ASHRAE Transactions, Vol. 107, Part 1, pp. 52-62.
16. Athienitis A.K. and Yang Chen, 2000, "The Effect of Solar Radiation on Dynamic Thermal Performance of Floor Heating Systems", Journal Solar Energy, Vol. 69, No. 3, 9, pp. 229-237.
17. Athienitis A.K. and Ramadan H., 1999, "Numerical Model for a Building with Transparent Insulation", Journal Solar Energy Vol. 67 No. 1, pp.101-109.
18. Athienitis, A.K., (1999), "Thermal Analysis of Buildings in a Mathematical Programming Environment and Applications", Journal Building and Environment, Vol. 34, pp. 401-415.
19. Chen Y. and Athienitis A.K., 1998, "A 3-D Numerical Investigation of the Effect of Cover Materials on Heat Transfer in Floor Heating Systems", ASHRAE Trans., Vol. 104, Pt.1 , pp. 1350 - 1355.
20. Athienitis, A.K., 1997, "Theoretical Investigation of Thermal Performance of a Passive Solar Building with Floor Radiant Heating", Journal Solar Energy, Vol.61, No. 5, pp. 337-345.
21. Athienitis, A.K., Liu, C., Hawes, D., Banu, D. and Feldman, D., (1997) "Investigation of the Thermal Performance of a Passive Solar Test-room with Wall Latent Heat Storage", Building and Environment, Vol. 32, No. 5, pp. 405-410.
22. Athienitis, A.K. and Chen, T., 1997, "Numerical Study of Thermostat Setpoint Profiles for Floor Radiant Heating and the Effect of Thermal Mass, ASHRAE Trans., Vol. 103 Pt. 1, pp. 939-949.
23. Chen, T. and Athienitis, A.K., 1996, "Ambient Temperature and Solar Radiation Prediction for Predictive Control of HVAC Systems and a Methodology for Optimal Building Heating Operation", ASHRAE Trans., Vol. 102, No. Pt. 1, pp. 26-38.
24. Athienitis, A.K., 1994, "A Numerical Model of a Floor Heating System", ASHRAE Trans., Vol. 100, Part 1, pp. 1024-1030.
25. Athienitis, A.K., 1993, "A Methodology for Integrated Building HVAC System Thermal Analysis", Building and Environment, Vol. 20, No. 4, pp. 483-496.
26. Athienitis, A.K. and Akhniotis, E., 1993, "A Methodology for Computer Aided Design and Analysis of Passive Solar Buildings", Computer Aided Design, Vol. 25:4, pp. 203-214.
27. Athienitis, A.K. and Chen, T., 1993, "Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of Floor Heating with Thermal Storage", ASHRAE Transactions, Vol. 99, Part 1, pp. 1049-1057.
28. Chen, T. and Athienitis, A.K., 1993, "Computer Generation of Semi Symbolic Thermal Network Functions of Buildings", Building and Environment, Vol. 28:3, pp. 301-309.
29. Athienitis, A.K. and Haghighat, F., 1992, "A Study of the Effects of Solar Radiation on the Indoor Environment", ASHRAE Transactions, Vol. 98, Part 1, pp. 257-261.
30. Athienitis, A.K. and Stylianou, M., 1991, "Method and Global Relationship for Estimation of Transmitted Solar Energy Distribution in Passive Solar Rooms", Journal Energy Sources, Vol. 13, No. 3, pp. 319-335.
31. Athienitis, A.K. and Shou, J., 1991, "Control of Radiant Heating Based on the Operative Temperature", ASHRAE Transactions, Vol. 97, Part 1, pp. 787-794.
32. Athienitis, A.K., Stylianou, M. and Shou, J., 1990, "A Methodology for Building Thermal Dynamics Studies and Control Applications", ASHRAE Transactions, Vol. 96, Part 2, pp. 839-848 (Willis H. Carrier Best Paper Award).

Books

1. Athienitis A.K. and Santamouris M. (2002) "Thermal Analysis and Design of Passive Solar Buildings", James and James, London UK.
2. Athienitis, A.K., (1999) "Building Thermal Analysis", Electronic Mathcad Book - 2nd Edition - in Civil Eng. Library, Mathsoft Inc., Boston, U.S.A.

Graduate Students Supervision

I am currently supervising 4 Ph.D and 5 M.A.Sc. students, as well as two post doctoral fellows / research associates. Employers of graduated students include SNC- Lavalin, Natural Resources Canada – CANMET, Hong Kong Polytechnic and several large engineering design and consulting firms. Students interested in Solar Network projects may contact the Solar Network Manager Meli Stylianou or myself.