Email
svandessel@wpi.edu
Office
Kaven Hall 206
Phone
+1 (508) 8315000 x4895
Education
Diploma of Architecture Sint-Lucas Instituut, Brussels 1990
PhD University of Florida 2000

My research and teaching activities are in the area of sustainable building design and building technology, with a special focus on the study of adaptive building enclosure systems. One of the goals of this research is to develop smart materials that can alter their thermal properties in response to changing outdoor conditions, in order to conserve energy and optimize building thermal comfort. This research entails the use of energy modeling tools, experimental investigations including synthesis of new materials, and the study of practical applications. The broader perspective of this work is to realize sustainable construction systems that minimize material consumption and optimize energy use while reducing costs. In this work we are also working with undergraduate students on projects that deal with the practical challenges of sustainable building design. Examples of such projects include participation in the US Department of Energy Solar Decathlon competitions, which focuses on the design of zero-energy buildings. Such projects are designed to offer opportunities to students that are interested in expanding their knowledge of environmental design, energy modeling tools, new materials, construction detailing, and the practical planning and construction of building projects.

Research Interests
Advanced Materials for Sustainable and Smart Buildings
Adaptive Building Envelopes
Energy Efficient Buildings
Sustainable Design
Affordable Housing

Scholarly Work

Messac, A., Birthwright, R.-S., Van Dessel, S., Khire, R., and Rangavahala, S., “Optimization-based Design of Active Thermal Insulator: An Energy Efficient Window,” 7th World Congress of Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization, Seoul, Korea, May 2007. 2007

Ritesh A. Khire, Steven Van Dessel, Achille Messac, and Anoop A. Mullur, “Study of a Honeycomb-Type Rigidified Inflatable Structure for Housing”, Journal of Structural Engineering Vol. 132, No. 10, October 2006, pp. 1664-1672 2006

Van Dessel, S., Xu Xu, “Active Building Envelope Systems,” ARCC / EAAE, International Conference on Architectural Research, 31 May - 4 June 2006, Philadelphia 2006

Khire, R. A., Messac, A., and Van Dessel S., “Design of a Thermoelectric Heat Pump Unit for Active Building Envelope System,” International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, Vol. 48 (2005) pp. 4028-4040 2005

Rivas, F., Khire, R. A., Messac, A., and Van Dessel, S., “Economic Viability Assessment of Active Building Envelope Systems,” 1st AIAA Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Specialist Conference, Paper No. AIAA-2005-XXXX, Austin, Texas, April 18-21, 2005. 2005

Khire, R. A., Van Dessel, S., Messac, A., and Mullur, A. A., “Feasibility Analysis of a Honeycomb-Type Rigidified Inflatable Structure for Housing,” 10th Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization Conference, Albany, NY, Paper No. AIAA-2004, Aug. 30 – Sept. 1, 2004 2004

News

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Media Coverage

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Telegram.com
New WWl memorial at Green Hill Park

Steven Van Dessel, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, and his students were highlighted in The Telegram & Gazette (scroll down to last graph) for designing the new WWl memorial at Green Hill Park, which was unveiled yesterday.

Forbes
Too Hot, Too Cold? Scientists Search For The Optimal Temperature For Learning

Forbes reported online about research led by Shichao Liu to study the optimal indoor conditions for learning. Liu, Jacob Whitehill and Steven Van Dessel received $299,991 develop technologies that detect and boost student engagement in lessons by controlling classroom temperature, ventilation, and lighting.