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
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
Zhai Z and Liu X. 2016. Sensitivity Analysis of the Probability-Based Inverse Modeling Method for Indoor Contaminant Tracking. International Journal of Low-Carbon Technologies, DOI: 10.1093/ijlct/ctw019.
Wang H and Zhai Z. 2016. Advances in Building Simulation and Computational Techniques: A Review between 1987 and 2014. Energy and Buildings, 128: 319–335.
Zhai Z. 2016. Breathing Wall: Concept and Thermal Performance. Cityscape: A Journal of Policy Development and Research, 18(2): 203-208.
Tong Y, Zhai Z, Wang C, Zhou B, Niu X. 2016. Possibility of Using Roof Openings for Natural Ventilation in a Shallow Urban Road Tunnel. Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 54: 92-101.
Xue Y, Liu W, Zhai Z. 2016. New Semi-Lagrangian-Based PISO Method for Fast and Accurate Indoor Environment Modeling. Building and Environment, 105: 236–244.
Chang Y, Zhang Q, Zhai Z. 2016. Numerical Simulation of the Filtration Process in Fibrous Filters Using CFD-DEM Method. Journal of Aerosol Science, 101: 174–187.
Youssef AMA, Zhai Z, Reffat RM. 2016. Genetic Algorithm Based Optimization for Photovoltaics Integrated Building Envelope. Energy and Buildings, 127: 627–636.
Feng Qi, Zhai Z, Dang G. 2016. Building Height Estimation Using Google Earth. Energy and Buildings, 118: 123–132.
Chen X, Zhang Q, Zhai Z. 2016. Energy Saving Potential of a Ventilation System with a Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage Unit under Different Climatic Conditions. Energy and Buildings, 118: 339–349.
Previtali JM and Zhai Z. 2016. A Taxonomy of Vernacular Architecture. Energy and Buildings, 110: 71–78.
