Publications

Research Publications and Patents

BEST22-01 and BEST23-03: Evaluation of Field Methods for Assessment of Architectural Window Degradation
  1. Tenent RC, Watts A, Shah B, Likins-White M, Zhai Z, Kocer C, Demirocak D. 2022. Durability Evaluation of Advanced Fenestration Technologies. Buildings XV Conference, Dec 05 – Dec 08, 2022, Clearwater Beach, Florida. (PDF)
  2. Madison Likins-White, Robert C. Tenent, Zhiqiang (John) Zhai (2023). Degradation of Insulating Glass Units: Thermal Performance, Measurements and Energy Impacts. Buildings, 12(2): 551. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13020551. (PDF)
  3. Abdullah Alkhamees (2025). Establishment of an In-Situ Methodology for Window Evaluation: Center of Glass U-Value. University of Colorado Boulder. MS Thesis. (PDF)
  4. Zhiqiang (John) Zhai and Adam Ferrer (2026). Energy Impact of Transparent Photovoltaic Windows. submitted to EBES: Sustainable Building.
BEST22-02: Integrated and Smart Controls for Combined Heat Pump and Domestic Water Heater for Residential Buildings
  1. Phani Arvind Vadali, Moncef Krarti (2025). Combined design and control optimization of heat pumps in residential buildings. Energy 326. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2025.136317. (PDF)
  2. Phani Arvind Vadali, Moncef Krarti (2023). Combined design and control optimization of heat pumps in residential buildings. Report.
BEST22-03: Energy-Reduction M&V using Calibrated Simulation (IPMVP Option D)
  1. Amanda O’Donnell, Barrett Trenholme, Omar Hamad, Duncan Prahl, Honey Berk (2023). Summary Report 1.2.3.c. – Research Viability of Generating Energy Models for the Entire Municiple Building Portfolio. Report. (PDF)
  2. Amanda O’Donell, Duncan Prahl (2023). Generating Energy Models of Existing Buildings using Open Data. Seminar 9: Modeling Existing Buildings I, 2023 ASHRAE Building Performance Analysis Conference. (PDF)
BEST22-05: Flexible Insulated Panels for Retrofitting Existing Building Envelopes
  1. Utsav Dahal, Moncef Krarti (2025). Thermal Impacts of Air Cavities Associated with Insulated Panels Deployed for Exterior Building Envelope Assemblies. Energies, 18(13): 3573. https://doi.org/10.3390/en18133573. (PDF)
  2. Kyle Biega, Moncef Krarti (2024). Evaluation of Exterior Insulated Panels for Residential Deep Energy Retrofits. Energies, 17: 3988. https://doi.org/10.3390/en17163988. (PDF)
  3. Kyle Biega (2023). Exterior Insulated Panels for Residential Deep Energy Retrofits: A literature review and product proposal. Report.

BEST22-06: Making Reinforcement Learning Practical for Building Control using Surrogate Models

  1. Zoltan Nagy, Gregor Henze, Sourav Dey, Javier Arroyo, Lieve Helsen, Xiangyu Zhang, Bingqing Chen et al. (2023). Ten questions concerning reinforcement learning for building energy management. Building and Environment, 110435. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2023.110435.
  2. Sourav Dey (2023). Making Reinforcement Learning Practical for Building Energy Management. University of Colorado Boulder. PhD Dissertation.
BEST23-01: Sustainable Air Source Heat Pump Systems for Electified Transition Markets in the Multi-Family Buildings Sector
  1. David Garraway, S. M. Abdur Rob, Geoffrey Turbeville, Samual Chussid, Prathap Ramamurthy, Jorge E. Gonzalez-Cruz (2024). Improved performance of Transcritical R744 Gas Coolers for Efficient Heat Pumps in the Northeastern US Winter Markets. ASME 2024 18th International Conference on Energy Sustainability. 
  2. David Garraway, S M Abdur Rob, Geoffrey Turbeville, Prathap Ramamurthy, Jorge E. Gonzalez-Cruz (2023). Development of Electrified Transcritical R744 Heat Pump Systems for Northeastern Winder Markets. Proceedings of the ASME 2023 17th International Conference on Energy Sustainability. ES2023-107045. https://doi.org/10.1115/ES2023-107045. 
  3. Jorge Gonzalez-Cruz (2024). Combined HVAC and Water Heating System Utilizing Transcritical CO2 Working Fluid. Application # 63/617,133. Date Submitted: 1/3/2024
BEST23-02: Development of Automated Electrification Retrofit Analysis Tool
  1. Phani Arvind Vadali, Ashit Harode, Moncef Krarti (2026). A Simplified and Automated Building Energy Retrofit Analysis Tool. Submitted.

BEST23-04: Testing and Evaluation of Thermal Energy Storage Panels Integrated with Heat Pumps

  1. Moncef Krarti (2024). Switchable Phase Change Material Systems for Building Envelopes. Application # 17/511,080. Date Submitted: 10/26/2021. Date Granted: 11/19/2024.
BEST23-05: Evaluation of Hygrothermal and Energy Efficiency and Condensation Risk of Secondary Windows
  1. Yuqian Gu, Ziyang Yu, Haiying Peng, Robert C. Tenent, Zhiqiang (John) Zhai. Evaluating Hygrothermal Performance of Detachable Secondary Glazing for Single-Glazed Window Retrofits. To be submitted to Energy and Buildings.
BEST23-06: Making Reinforcement Learning Practical for Building Control through Human Feedback
  1. Sourav Dey, Gregor P. Henze (2026). Reinforcement Learning Building Control: An Explainable Artificial Intelligence and Scalable Approach to Transfer Learning. Submitted to Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence. 
  2. Sourav Dey, Gregor P. Henze (2024). Reinforcement Learning Building Control: An Online Approach with Guided Exploration Using Surrogate Models. J. Eng. Sustain. Bldgs. Cities, 5(1): 011005. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4064842. (PDF)
  3. Sourav Dey, Thibault Marzullo, Xiangyu Zhang, Gregor Henze (2023). Reinforcement learning building control approach harnessing imitation learning. Energy and AI, 14: 100255. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egyai.2023.100255. (PDF)
BEST24-01: Enhancing Thermal Energy Harvesting and Storage using Monolithic Mesoporous Metamaterials (MMMs) and Phase Change Materials (PCMs)
  1. Amit Bhardwaj, Blaise Fleury, Bohdan Senyuk, Eldho Abraham, Jan Bart ten Hove, Taewoo Lee, Vladyslav Cherpak, Ivan I. Smalyukh. Mesoporous optically clear heat insulators for sustainable building envelopes. Science 390(6778): 1171-1176. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adx5568. (PDF)
  2. Ivan Smalyukh (2025). Solar Heat-Shifting Bricks using Transparent Thermal Insulators and Phase Change Materials. Application #63/811,412. Date Submitted: 5/23/2025.
BEST24-02: Embodied Energy and Embodied Carbon Analysis of Residential & Commercial Building Envelopes
  1. Megan S. Quinn, Matthew A. Jungclaus, Jonathan M. Broyles, Wil V. Srubar III (2025). A multi-objective performance assessment of prototypical residential wall assemblies in the United States, Energy and Buildings, 374(B), 116385. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.116385. (PDF)
  2. Megan S. Quinn, Jonathan M. Broyles, Martín I. Torres, Wil V. Srubar III (2025). Integrating Parametric Design with Probabilistic Life Cycle Assessment to Quantify the Embodied Carbon Intensity of Residential Wall Assemblies in the United States, in preparation.
BEST24-03: Feasibility Evaluation of Net-Positive Window Systems
  1. Eric Ohene, Michael D. McGehee, Moncef Krarti (2026). Evaluation of Smart Glazing Properties for Net Positive Windows in Commercial Buildings. Energy and Buildings, accepted. (PDF)
  2. Eric Ohene, Michael D. McGehee, Moncef Krarti (2025). Quantifying energy benefits from window improvement strategies for commercial buildings. Energy and Buildings 347, Part 1: 116239. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.116239. (PDF)
BEST24-04: Design & Techno-Economic Assessment Tool for ASHP Systems for Cooling, Heating and Hot Water
  1. S. M. Abdur Rob, David Garraway, Geoffrey Turbeville, Prathap Ramamurthy, Jorge E. Gonzalez-Cruz (2025). Experimental Performance Analysis of R410A Heat Pump System in Northeastern US Winter Climates. J. Eng. Sustain. Bldgs. Cities, 5(4): 041004. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4067154.