Dr. Lars Junghans

Biography

Lars Junghans is an Associate Professor at the University of Michigan’s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning. His research focuses on the development of high-performance buildings with a comprehensive view of the aspects of a building’s thermal behavior, passive design, and active strategies for renewable energy systems. The aim of his research is to find holistic optimal solutions to the challenges faced by buildings across various climate zones. His interdisciplinary research work encompasses building automation, economics, statistics, design optimization, and building physics. He is also involved in developing economically feasible net-zero emission buildings. Junghans has significant practical engineering experience with European architectural engineering firms, where he has planned high-profile architectural projects. Additionally, he collaborated with the architecture firm Baumschlager & Eberle, where he was responsible for the comprehensive design of energy concepts throughout the design and construction processes of large-scale building projects including high-rise office buildings and educational institutions. He commenced his teaching career as a lecturer at the University of Liechtenstein, gradually transitioning to the Taubman College in 2010, with a particular focus on sustainable architecture, building technology, and building physics. He received his PhD in building science from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH, where his doctoral thesis investigated integrated façade technologies and HVAC systems suitable for tropical and subtropical climates. As a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, Berkeley, he developed a dynamic simulation tool aimed at providing predictive feedback for architectural applications during the design phases of project development.

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