Seungjae Lee is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering at the University of Toronto, leading the Intelligent and Interactive Buildings (IIB) Laboratory since 2021. Dr. Lee’s research focuses on developing reliable and scalable artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for building energy systems. Prior to joining U of T, Seungjae Lee was a postdoctoral research associate in the Grid Interactive Controls group at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Oak Ridge, Tennessee). He received a Ph.D. (2019) in Civil Engineering from Purdue University and a B.S. (2009) and M.S. (2011) in Architectural Engineering from Yonsei University. Prior to starting his Ph.D. studies, he worked at HANMI C&E, a building HVAC commissioning and building energy audit company, for 3.5 years.
The mission of the Intelligent and Interactive Buildings (IIB) Lab is to mitigate climate change and improve the quality of life by realizing intelligent and interactive buildings. We create advanced solutions for the design, operation, maintenance, and retrofit of building systems to improve building energy performance, indoor environmental quality, occupant health and comfort, and grid reliability and resilience. We also explore uncharted fields of building science research to increase the depth and breadth of domain knowledge and facilitate engineering innovation.
We pursue seamless integration of AI technologies and building domain knowledge to develop effective, reliable, and scalable AI-based solutions and to discover transferrable new knowledge. Our core research tools are modern probabilistic machine learning, stochastic optimal control, statistical causal inference, and IoT technologies as well as physics-based simulation tools and empirical models.
Team
Alumni
Projects
Identifying Factors that Impact Portable Air Cleaner Performance
This project examines how people and the environment can impact the performance of portable air cleaners through a literature review, modelling, and an intervention study.
Particle Filter System Control
This project uses novel simulation techniques to evaluate how different control strategies for central filtration systems and portable air cleaners to optimize health outcomes while reducing energy usage.
Digital Twinning of Building Cooling Systems
Development of GenAI-based Design Tool for Residential Complexes
High-Resolution Building Energy Model Bayesian Calibration Framework
This project aims to develop a framework that enables the Bayesian calibration of a building energy simulation model with hourly or sub-hourly historical building operational data.
Grid-Interactive Smart Campus Buildings
This project aims to develop a novel and scalable building energy modelling and optimal control framework by using modern AI techniques to optimize campus building HVAC operations and transform campus buildings into grid-interactive smart buildings.
Wellbeing and the Built Environment: Exploration of Multi-unit Residential Buildings (MURBs)
Research exploring the impact of multi-unit residential buildings and office buildings on inhabitant wellbeing
Development of a causal inference framework for human-building interaction research
We develop a causal inference framework that enables the development of probabilistic causal models that explain occupant needs, behaviours, and their corresponding decision-making processes.
Publications
Journal Publications
| Journal Publications |
|---|
| Zhang, H., Lee, S., Tzempelikos, A. "Bayesian meta-learning for personalized thermal comfort modeling." Building and Environment 249 (2024): 111129. |
| Nagy, Z., Gunay, B., Miller, C., Hahn, J., Ouf, M., Lee, S., Hobson, B., W., Abuimara, T., Bandurski, K., André, M., Lorenz, C., Crosby, S., Dong, B., Jiang, Z., Peng, Y., Favero, M., Park, J., Y., Nweye, K., Nojedehi, P., Stopps, H., Sarran, L., Brackley, C., Bassett, K., Govertsen, K., Koczorek, N., Abele, O., Casavant, E., Kane, M., O'Neill, Z., Yang, T., Day, J., Huchuk, B., Hellwig, R., T., Vellei, M. "Ten questions concerning occupant-centric control and operations" Building and Environment nan (2023): 110518. |
| Chen, Z., O’Neill, Z., Wen, J., Pradhan, O., Yang, T., Lu, X., Lin, G., Miyata, S., Lee, S., Shen, C., Chiosa, R., Piscitelli, M. S., Capozzoli, A., Hengel, F., Kührer, A., Pritoni, M., Liu, W., Clauß, J., Chen, Y., Herr T. "A review of data-driven fault detection and diagnostics for building HVAC systems" Applied Energy 339 (2023): 121030. |
| Li, Y., Im, P., Lee, S., Bae, Y., Yoon, Y., Lee, S. "Sensor Incipient Fault Impacts on Building Energy Performance: A Case Study on a Multi-Zone Commercial Building." Buildings 13(2) (2023): 520. |
| Zhang, H., Tzempelikos, A., Liu, X., Lee, S., Cappelletti, F., Gasparella, A. "The impact of personal preference-based thermal control on energy use and thermal comfort: field implementation." Energy and Buildings 284 (2023): 112848. |
| Cui, B., Dong, J., Lee, S., Im, P., Salonvaara, M., Hun, D., Shrestha, S. "Model predictive control for active insulation in building envelopes." Energy and Buildings 267 (2022): 112108. |
| Bae, Y., Bhattacharya, S., Cui, B., Lee, S., Li, Y., Zhang, L., Im, P., Adetola, V., Vrabie, D., Leach, M., Kuruganti, T. "Sensor impacts on building and HVAC controls: A critical review." Advances in Applied Energy 4 (2021): 100068. |
| Tzempelikos, A., Lee, S. "Cool Roofs in the US: The Impact of Roof Reflectivity, Insulation and Attachment Method on Annual Energy Cost." Energies 14(22) (2021): 7656. |
| Liu, X., Lee, S., Bilionis, I., Karava, P., Joe, J., Sadeghi, A. "A user-interactive system for smart thermal environment control in office buildings." Applied Energy 298 (2021): 117005. |
| Zhang, L., Leach, M., Bae, Y., Cui, B., Bhattacharya, S., Lee, S., Im, P., Adetola, V., Vrabie, D., Kuruganti, T. "Sensor impact evaluation and verification for fault detection and diagnostics in building energy systems: A review." Advances in Applied Energy 3 (2021): 100055. |
| Lee, S., Karava, P., Tzempelikos, A., Bilionis, I. "A smart and less intrusive feedback request algorithm towards human-centered HVAC operation." Building and Environment 184 (2020): 107190. |
| Lee, S., Karava, P. "Towards smart buildings with self-tuned indoor thermal environments – A critical review." Energy and Buildings 224 (2020): 110172. |
| Lee, S., Joe, J., Karava, P., Bilionis, I., Tzempelikos, A. "Implementation of a self-tuned HVAC controller to satisfy occupant thermal preferences and optimize energy use." Energy and Buildings 194 (2019): 301-316. |
| Lee, S., Karava, P., Tzempelikos, A., Bilionis, I. "Inference of thermal preference profiles for personalized thermal environments with actual building occupants." Building and Environment 148 (2019): 714-729. |
| Xiong, J., Tzempelikos, A., Bilionis, I., Awalgaonkar, N., Lee, S., Konstantzos, I., Sadeghi, A., Karava, P. "Inferring personalized visual satisfaction profiles in daylit offices from comparative preferences using a Bayesian approach." Building and Environment 138 (2018): 74-88. |
| Sadeghi, A., Lee, S., Karava, P., Bilionis, I., Tzempelikos, A. "Bayesian classification and inference of occupant visual preferences in daylit perimeter private offices." Energy and Buildings 166 (2018): 505-524. |
| Lee, S., Bilionis, I., Karava, P., Tzempelikos, A. "A Bayesian approach for probabilistic classification and inference of occupant thermal preferences in office buildings." Building and Environment 118 (2017): 323-343. |
| Whang, S., Jeon, M., Lee, S., Kim, T., Leigh, S. "The effects of ground cover and shading on an outdoor thermal environment in an apartment complex." International Journal of Sustainable Building Technology and Urban Development 3(3) (2012): 219-228. |
| Lee, S., Cheong, C. H., Hwang, S., Kim, T., Leigh, S. "Evaluation of the indoor thermal comfort in naturally ventilated apartments during summer." Journal of KIEAE 10(4) (2010): 59-66. |
| Jeon, M., Lee, S., Kim, J., Leigh, S., Kim, T. "Evaluation of the thermal environment and comfort in an apartment complex using unsteady-state CFD simulation." Journal of KIEAE 10(4) (2010): 67-73. |
Conference Publications
| Conference Publications |
|---|
| 1. Ko, J., Lee, S. “Bayesian Causal Inference for Occupant-centric Building System Operation.” 2024 ASHRAE Winter Conference, Chicago, USA, Jan 2023. |
| Shen, C., Lee, S., Lee, CG., Lee, J. "A Novel Framework for Bayesian Calibration of Building Energy Models with Sub-hourly Building Operational Data." 18th International IBPSA Conference Building Simulation 2023, Shanghai, China, Sep 2023. |
| Cao, Y., Touchie, M., Lee, S. "Developing a Framework to Assess the IEQ and Occupants’ Comfort and Behaviour in Residential Buildings: A Pilot Study." 18th Healthy Buildings 2023 Europe Conference, Aachen, Germany, Jun 2023. |
| Zhang, H., Lee, S., Tzempelikos, A. "Bayesian Artificial Neural Network for Personalized Thermal Comfort Modeling." 2023 ASHRAE Winter Conference, Atlanta, USA, Feb 2023. |
| Deng, Y., Lee, S., Touchie, M. "Discovering Potential Driving Factors of Hold Behaviours of Smart Thermostat Using Logistic Regression and Clustering." 2022 ASHRAE Annual Conference, Toronto, Canada, Jun 2022. |
| Bae, Y., Joe, J., Lee, S., Im, P., Ng, L. "Evaluation of Existing Infiltration Models Used in Building Energy Simulation." 17th IBPSA International Conference Building Simulation 2021, Bruges, Belgium, Sep 2021. |
| Salonvaara, M., Lee, S., Iffa, E., Boudreaux, P., Desjarlais, A., Pallin, S., Aldykiewicz, A. "Selecting durable building envelope systems with machine learning assisted hygrothermal simulations database." 8th International Buildings Physics Conference 2021, Copenhagen, Denmark, Aug 2021. |
| Zhang, H., Liu, X., Lee, S., Tzempelikos, A. "Local sensing and personalized thermal comfort: Modelpredictive vs conventional control approaches." 6th International High Performance Buildings Conference, West Lafayette, USA, May 2021. |
| Lee, S., Karava, P., Tzempelikos, A., Bilionis, I. "Integrating occupants’ voluntary thermal preference responses into personalized thermal control in office buildings." CISBAT 2019 International Conference, Lausanne, Switzerland, Sep 2019. |
| Lee, S., Joe, J., Karava, P., Bilionis, I., Tzempelikos, A. "Simulation and implementation of a self-tuned HVAC controller." 16th IBPSA International Conference Building Simulation 2019, Rome, Italy, Sep 2019. |
| Lee, S., Karava, P., Tzempelikos, A., Bilionis, I. "An efficient method for learning personalized thermal preference profiles in office spaces." 5th International High Performance Buildings Conference, West Lafayette, USA, Jul 2018. |
| Lee, D., Lee, S., Karava, P., Hu, J. "Simulation-based policy gradient and its building control application." IEEE American Control Conference 2018, Milwaukee, USA, Jun 2018. |
| Lee, D., Lee, S., Karava, P., Hu, J. "Approximate dynamic programming for building control problems with occupant Interactions." IEEE American Control Conference 2018, Milwaukee, USA, Jun 2018. |
| Lee, S., Karava, P., Bilionis, I., Tzempelikos, A. "Inference of thermal preference profiles for personalized thermal environments." 2018 ASHRAE Winter Conference, Chicago, USA, Jan 2018. |
| Xiong, J., Lee, S., Karava, P., Tzempelikos, A. "The influence of lighting conditions, shading patterns and weather on occupant visual preferences in building perimeter zones." 2018 ASHRAE Winter Conference, Chicago, USA, Jan 2018. |
| Xiong, J., Lee, S., Karava, P., Tzempelikos, A. "Personalized visual satisfaction profiles from comparative preferences using Bayesian inference." CISBAT 2017 International Conference, Lausanne, Switzerland, Sep 2017. |
| Lee, S., Bilionis, I., Karava, P., Tzempelikos, A. "A Bayesian approach for learning and predicting personal thermal preference." 4th International High Performance Buildings Conference, West Lafayette, USA, Jul 2016. |
| Xiong, J., Lee, S., Tzempelikos, A., Karava, P. "Adaptive personalized shading control strategies to maximize occupant satisfaction while reducing lighting energy use in buildings." 4th International High Performance Buildings Conference, West Lafayette, USA, Jul 2016. |
| Lee, S., Kim, C. Y., Kim, D. S. "Domestic and foreign research trends on BEMS assisted on-going commissioning technology." SAREK 2012 Winter Conference, Seoul, Korea, Nov 2012. |
| Haw, J., Lee, S., Kim, T., Leigh, S. "Analyzing the building thermal environment using the BES-CFD simulation coupling method." AIK 2011 Autumn Conference, Gyeongsan, Korea, Oct 2011. |
| Lee, S., Cheong, C. H., Lee, J. Y., Bae, S. H., Kim, T., Leigh, S. "A comparative study on the potential of natural ventilation in summer." SB10 SEOUL: International Conference on Sustainable Building Asia, Seoul, Korea, Feb 2010. |
| Lee, J. Y., Cheong, C. H., Lee, S., Jung, S. K., Bae, S. H., Kim, T., Leigh, S. "Analysis of cooling and heating loads according to the façade types for a high-rise residential building." SB10 SEOUL: International Conference on Sustainable Building Asia, Seoul, Korea, Feb 2010. |
Courses Taught
| Course Code | Title | Session | Instructors |
|---|---|---|---|
| CIV1299 | Advanced Technologies for Smart Buildings – Energy Performance and Indoor Environmental Quality | Fall | Dr. Seungjae Lee |
| CIV501 | Building Energy Performance Simulation | Winter | Dr. Seungjae Lee |