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Decarbonizing Buildings

2021-04-01 · 19:29 UTC ·Ryan Smith ·1 min read

Brief

Salmaan Craig's research (presented in a MOD X highlight video) explores mass‑timber building envelopes that leverage thermal mass and controlled ventilation to function as heat exchangers, proposing an alternative path to decarbonization beyond high‑insulation strategies. His work is developed through the Building Architecture Research Node (BARN), funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation and Québec government and linked to live Rural Studio projects; collaborator Kiel Moe is also involved.

Why it matters

Salmaan Craig (Assistant Professor, McGill) researches mass-timber, thermally regulated building envelopes that use thermal mass plus ventilative exchanges to act as heat exchangers, aiming to shift energy and carbon management compared with high‑insulation approaches like Passive House.

Key details

  • The Building Architecture Research Node (BARN) is a physical decarbonization lab led by Craig and colleague Kiel Moe, funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation and Québec government and partnered with live projects at Auburn’s Rural Studio.
  • Craig holds a B.Sc and Eng.D from Brunel University, worked at Buro Happold and Foster + Partners, lectured at Harvard GSD, and is featured in Ryan Smith’s video published 2021-04-01 (video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBl4Ysk3-JM).
Source evidence

MOD X highlights the decarbonization research of Salmaan Craig, Assistant Professor at McGill University in Montreal. His building science research focuses on the role of mass timber in thermally regulated envelopes that act as heat exchangers through thermal mass effect and ventilation. Amidst high tech insulated exteriors today such as passive house, this research has the potential to fundamentally change the way designers and builders approach energy, energy and carbon management in buildings. This future of construction is being investigated by Sal and his colleague Kiel Moe in the newly formed Building Architecture Research Node (BARN), a physical lab for decarbonization research through funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation Fund (Quebec Government) and in partnership with live projects at the Rural Studio at Auburn.

Dr. Craig received his B.Sc and Eng.D from Brunel University in the UK and worked at Buro Happold and Foster Partners prior to his lectureship at Harvard GSD and now appointment at McGill University. For more background on Dr. Craig, visit https://www.mcgill.ca/engineering/salmaan-craig

For more information on the Building Architecture Research Node (BARN) visit: https://reporter.mcgill.ca/110m-for-nine-innovative-mcgill-research-projects/?utmmedium=email&utmcampaign=wnMar10unknown&utmsource=whatsnewstaff&utmterm=Innovative-McGill-research-pro

Channel: Ryan Smith
Published: 2021-04-01
Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBl4Ysk3-JM