Nandhini Selvam

As an Architect, my interests lean towards Building Science, optimization and simulation in building, Micro-Economics in Buildings(LCA,LCC &IRR), and building energy modelling. The idea of a building contributing toward a better environment has always fascinated me and encouraged me to focus my area of study on Sustainable Design/Building Science, especially the need to improve the quality of occupant comfort in net-zero energy buildings. Global concern regarding Climate Change has had an impact in helping me realize the importance of Climate Responsive Building Design and Code Compliant buildings to reduce Energy Consumption for a better environment and a reassuring future.

Sustainability is no longer an option, but it is a norm, hence my aspiration to become a revered Researcher and Energy Consultant in the field of Sustainability in Architecture. As a Canadian Permanent Resident, I am fully authorized to work in Canada without sponsorship.

Research Engineer 1 at Saint Gobain Research India (Team-Building Science) from Aug 2022 to Aug 2023. Worked on multi-comfort building simulations using various software.

Energy Simulation: • Project 1: Energy savings and thermal comfort in a residential studio apartment in Mumbai with 5 different combinations of 3 different building materials, namely Gypsum, Brick, and Precast Concrete, using Rhino and Energy Plus.

• Project 2: Energy performance of different glasses of Saint Gobain, such as Et 150 and Et 150ng (Modelling in Rhino and Simulating in Grasshopper, results verified in Design Builder as well).
• Project 3: Navi Mumbai Hostel Building, where EPI was simulated, and IRR was calculated based on the electricity price using a regression equation

Thermal Comfort Simulation: • Project 1: Studio apartment thermal comfort simulations in Thailand, using conventional external and internal wall materials vs. Saint Gobain Gypsum wall.

• Project 2: Surface temperature analysis of different combination DGU’s in warm and humid climatic conditions of India.

Lighting: Electrochromic windows (Sage Glass Classic vs. Harmony) simulations to improve occupant visual and thermal comfort. ASE, sDA, and VLT results are optimized, and a heat map is generated.

• Project 1: Falcon, North Texas. Project 2: UDC, Washington, DC, etc.

Acoustics Simulation: • Project 1: Acoustic analysis, including testing (NTi Audiometer) and simulation (Odeon) for Infosys Hyderabad, India Office Campus. Ecophone solutions were provided.

• Project 2: Bangalore International Airport Terminal 1. •

Project 3: Benchmarking acoustic tools such as Odeon, Treble, ATP, and AcouBAT.

Acoustic testing

• Project 1: The sound absorption coefficients of different materials were tested in an impedance tube. • Project 2: Saint Gobain glass partitions and widows were tested in reputed labs of India, such as ARAI and NPL, and results were assessed, and suggestions were given for better performance.

Landscape Architect: Junior Architect at PROGRESS LANDSCAPES, Auroville, India from Aug 2019 to March 2020. • possibilities: led a team of four civil engineers. • Impact: Successfully oversaw Government and private Landscape projects in South India from design to execution.

2024 – Present: PhD in Building Engineering at Carleton University, Ottawa Thesis Topic: De-Carbonizing DND buildings in Ottawa (Funded by NRC)

2020 - 2022 : Masters in Sustainable Design in Manipal school of Architecture and Planning, Manipal, India is a two-year master's program.(University topper)

2014 - 2019 : Bachelor of Architecture in Anna University, India is a Five-year Architecture program.