Our students received the Best Poster Award at the New York State Green Building Conference for the poster titled, "Comprehensive IoT-based Monitoring of Air Quality and Thermal Comfort: An Indoor-Outdoor University Campus Case Study." This research utilizes an integrated IoT sensor network to analyze the relationship between outdoor environmental conditions and indoor comfort levels, providing a data-driven framework for improving building performance and occupant health.

Dr. Shayan Mirzabeigi was received the ASHRAE 2025 Best Paper Award for the article titled “Miscellaneous Electric Loads Prediction By Deep Learning Implementation: An Educational Case Study,” co-authored with Dr. Bing Dong. We are so grateful for the recognition from ASHRAE and for the opportunity to accept this award in Phoenix, AZ, and we are proud to contribute to the advancement of building energy and environmental research.

Dr. Shayan Mirzabeigi was named to the inaugural class of SUNY’s AI for the Public Good Fellows by SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. The 20 SUNY faculty and staff fellows are experts in their fields of study – ranging from health sciences to sustainable resources management to English. The AI for the Public Good Fellows will serve as a resource to SUNY’s colleges and universities, providing targeted support for faculty and staff who are updating courses and learning activities to incorporate AI literacy, including the effective and ethical use of AI and teaching students to critically evaluate AI-generated content.

The environmental and economic landscapes of Syracuse are expected to undergo substantial change over the next several years. The city’s transformation is being driven by major urban developments; most notably, the demolition and reconstruction of the Route 81 highway and the establishment of a Micron chip manufacturing facility directly north of Syracuse (Clay). Both ventures are expected to stimulate Syracuse’s economy and create new residential and work opportunities, with improved access to the city’s downtown areas and potential job openings at the nearby Micron facility. Researchers from local institutions, including Syracuse University, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and SUNY Upstate Medical University are collaborating with community partners to better understand the environmental and health impacts of the city’s major upcoming developments.

A multidisciplinary team led by the Syracuse University faculty in the School of Architecture and the College of Engineering & Computer Science designed a building retrofit approach that would help combat climate change. The team was awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to retrofit two apartment buildings on Syracuse University’s South Campus. The retrofit of the two apartment buildings was completed in summer 2024. The research team will continue monitoring the buildings for improved energy efficiency, air quality, and comfort through the spring of 2026.