2025 Nominees - Board of Directors
Dr. Zakrzewski leads HKS in the integration of optimizing the physical characteristics of buildings and their systems to balance energy demands while minimizing the reliance on carbon-based energy sources. As a subject matter expert for high-performance sustainable building design, he provides technical leadership, leads sustainable design research, and informs strategic design decisions through building performance simulation. Additionally, he helps to advance and manage annual Environmental, Social & Governance objectives, key results and actions. Holding a CHIBPSA Board position since 2017, Dr. Zakrzewski hosted several events and webinars. In providing financial and career development support to students, he established a scholarship (since 2019, five scholarships have been awarded). As an Adjunct Professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology he has impacted the simulation community in a positive way through promotion, mentoring and education for those seeking academic and career development, and looks to continue this focus on with the IBPSA-USA board.
Dr. Tommy Zakrzewski looks to advance IBPSA-USA’s mission to advance and promote the science of building performance simulation by creating greater awareness, education and literacy centered around leveraging building performance simulation and modeling tools to design resilient buildings that can withstand disruptions and maintain comfortable conditions for occupants, thereby contributing to a more resilient community overall. Anticipating the impact of climate change early in design would bolster up the building performance simulation profession by increasing the value of this discipline in design and engineering firms alike. Aligning with the Education committee would directly support workforce development and inform curriculum for universities and colleges. Dr. Zakrzewski has extensive experience in academia (complimentary to industry experience) which can provide great value for the Education committee. As an Adjunct Professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology, he prepares the next generation of architects, engineers and building performance simulation professionals for decarbonizing the profession.
- CHIBPSA Board Member since 2017
- Founded the Ralph T. Muehleisen Scholarship and has since awarded (2019) over $2,000 in scholarships to encourage qualified degree candidates in seeking academic and career development in the field of building performance simulation and analysis.
- Contributor to the 2022 Design to Decarb Conference
- Annual/Monthly Meetup organizer for CHIBPSA Chapter events (since 2017)
- Simbuild/BPAC Decompression organizer for CHIBPSA Chapter events (since 2017)
- Co-hosting “The Holiday Party” with other local sustainability organizations in Chicago (since 2017)
- Future Weather Hackathon CHIPBSA Event (2019)
- 2012 Building Performance Analysis Conference and SimBuild (Paper Presentation and Attendee)
- 2018 Building Performance Analysis Conference and SimBuild (Paper Presentation and Attendee)
- 2020 Building Performance Analysis Conference and SimBuild (Paper Presentation and Attendee)
I have been actively involved in IBPSA for over 10 years, beginning with local activities in the San Francisco chapter, followed by the Sydney chapter of the Australian affiliate, and now the Denver chapter. At the organizational level, I have contributed to conference planning and committee work, including two years as Chair of the Communications Committee, where I spearheaded efforts to modernize key systems (ongoing). Stepping back from that role, I am now focused on advocacy for practitioners and chapters. Additionally, I plan to continue contributing to ASHRAE initiatives that advance simulation standards and strengthen the IBPSA–ASHRAE relationship. My experience across IBPSA chapters and committees, coupled with a commitment to promoting simulation as a critical practice, equips me to serve the IBPSA-USA board effectively. I aim to support our mission of advancing building performance simulation for the benefit of the profession and the built environment.
Building Performance Simulation excites me because it empowers us to create a more sustainable, efficient, and resilient built environment. It bridges the gap between design intent and real-world performance, enabling data-driven decision-making to tackle challenges like decarbonization, energy equity, and climate resilience. On the IBPSA-USA board, I would bring my passion for connecting practitioners, researchers, and educators to advance simulation’s role in shaping the future of our industry. My vision includes strengthening support for local chapters, enhancing collaboration with allied organizations like ASHRAE, and fostering professional development opportunities for practitioners at all levels. I am particularly eager to promote innovation in simulation tools and workflows, ensuring they remain accessible and relevant as industry needs evolve. By focusing on advocacy, education, and partnerships, I aim to help IBPSA-USA continue to lead the conversation on how simulation can drive impactful, real-world outcomes.
- Past chair communications committee
- Past organizing member San Franciscos Bay Area Chapter
- Current organizing member Denver Chapter
- Organizing committee Building Simulation 2017 Conference (San Francisco)
- Voting Member Building Data Exchange Committee (and ASHRAE Sister Committee)
- Participant in other committees based on current projects
I am a building simulation practitioner specializing in energy modeling, daylighting, and CFD. I lead a team of engineers working on commercial and industrial projects across 40+ states. Passionate about connecting practitioners with researchers and policymakers, I actively advocate for practitioners’ interests and the broader adoption of building simulation in the industry. I am committed to advancing the profession by assisting the development of more advanced tools and creating opportunities for the next generation of building simulation engineers. My goal is to strengthen the role of simulation in shaping sustainable, high-performing buildings and to ensure our community’s voice is represented in research, policy, and practice.
Building performance simulation excites me because of its potential to bridge the gap between design intent and operational performance, driving sustainable, efficient, and innovative buildings. I am inspired by how simulation empowers practitioners to tackle complex challenges, from simulating complex architecture and MEP designs to customized sequence of operations. As a member of the IBPSA-USA board, I would work to amplify the impact of our field by fostering stronger connections between practitioners, researchers, and policymakers. I would advocate for advancing simulation tools to address emerging challenges, while also supporting education and mentorship programs to prepare the next generation of simulation experts. My vision is for IBPSA-USA to serve as a collaborative hub and where practitioners’ voices are heard in research, tool development, and the development of industry codes and standards.
- All BPACs and Simbuilds since 2016, participant and presenter
- IBPSA-USA Chicago Chapter, participant
- IBPSA-USA Certification Committee, voting member and modeler working group lead
- National BEM Certification Program – Modeler Qualification
As an Environmental Designer at Atelier Ten, I specialize in building performance simulation and sustainability consulting. My role involves conducting advanced simulations to optimize design outcomes and enhance building performance across a variety of metrics. I have worked extensively on projects addressing embodied and operational carbon analysis, energy modeling, solar radiation studies, daylight and glare assessments, radiance simulations, thermal comfort analysis, and wind modeling. Additionally, I have performed façade moisture and heat transfer studies, ensuring the integration of sustainable strategies into diverse project types. My work emphasizes creating high-performing, sustainable buildings that align with both client goals and environmental standards.
With my robust technical expertise in high-performance building design, operational and embodied carbon reduction strategies, health and wellness-focused architecture, and advanced simulation tool development, I bring a comprehensive and integrated understanding of Building Performance Simulation. In today’s rapidly evolving AEC industry, I am passionate about leveraging my multidisciplinary background in design and performance simulation to drive innovation. My goal is to help organizations stay ahead of emerging trends, embrace cutting-edge technologies, and create sustainable, forward-thinking solutions that align with the needs of both the industry and the environment.
Joined the SimBuild USA 2024 and SimBuild 2024 conferences. During these conferences, I had two presentations and one panel discussion on the listed topics: “A Method to Quantitatively Evaluate Daylight Environment for Biophilic Design” “The Synergistic Effects of Outdoor Thermal Comfort and Visibility Upon the Popularity of Retail Area” and “Panel: The State of Daylighting: Innovation, Synergies, Challenges and How Does The Future of Daylight Design looks like.”
As an assistant professor at Arizona State University, a member of IBPSA-USA, and a board member of the International Association of Building Physics (IABP), I am committed to advancing in-situ building energy performance assessment and simulation. My work integrates data-driven modeling, experimental validation, and international collaboration through the International Energy Agency’s Annex-71 and Annex-94 projects. If elected to the IBPSA-USA board, I will prioritize strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration and bridging simulation with experimental research. Leveraging my dual roles in IBPSA and IABP, I aim to enhance connections between the two organizations, fostering dialogue and joint initiatives that amplify our collective impact. Ultimately, I seek to contribute to IBPSA-USA’s mission of advancing building performance simulation to create a more sustainable future.
Building performance simulation excites me as a transformative tool to bridge the gap between theoretical research and real-world application. It empowers us to design, evaluate, and optimize energy efficiency and sustainability in the building sector, I am particularly passionate about integrating simulation with in-situ measurements, using data-driven approaches to enhance and validate the accuracy and reliability of building simulations. As an IABP board member and active participant in IEA Annex-71 and Annex-94 projects, I have seen the power of collaboration in advancing simulation practices. Serving on the IBPSA-USA board, I would champion initiatives that foster interdisciplinary connections and promote innovation, especially in data-driven modeling and experimental validation. At the same time, if I am elected to the IBPSA-USA board, I would propose forming an IBPSA-USA Phoenix Chapter, as there is currently no local chapter in Arizona.
Participated in the SimBuild 2024 conference with one conference paper published. Zherui Wang, Xiang Zhang, Saeran Vasanthakumar, Xiaoxiao Peng, and Dorit Aviv. Augmenting thermal mass performance without added carbon footprint: Surface Area Modulation of Structural Slabs in Naturally Ventilated Buildings, in: 20th IBPSA-USA Building Simulation Conference (SimBuild 2024), Denver, Colorado, USA, 21-23 May 2024: pp. 551–561.
I’ve attended and been a speaker at the last three Simbuilds. I’ve also been a regular contributor, advocate, jury member, and two-time winner of the annual competition hosted by Project Stasio. Lastly, I helped organize a well attended and well received webinar on programming in building performance simulation this past August. Locally, I am involved with AIA Austin Committee on the Environment and have organized one building tour and am actively organizing another. I’ve worked with Cyclone Energy group energy modeling, preforming life cycle assessments, daylight modeling, and aiding decarbonization efforts for the last two years. Previously I performed similar duties at a single-family residential scale with Positive Energy. I am an engineer in training on track to get my professional architectural engineering license in early 2025.
I am really excited by the community I’ve fostered within IBPSA and how this group has enabled me to learn and grow. I want to pay it forward by ensuring that IBPSA continues to host engaging webinars and conferences and offers mentorship and support to individuals looking to get more involved in our industry. I find great joy in identifying gaps of knowledge in my own experience, collaborating with individuals who know more than me, and creating a public event so that others can benefit as well. I’m also interested in evaluating the successes and shortcomings of the organization to identify where we can grow and better serve our community.
I’ve attended the last three Simbuild conferences and been a speaker at all of them. I use these conferences to grow my own knowledge base, gain more confidence as a speaker, and expand my network. I actively engage with and maintain my network through social media, linked in, and events I organize and attend. This past year, I also participated in the Hackathon at Simbuild. I’m a two-time project Stasio winner and served as a judge on the jury this year as well as panelist during Simbuild. Lastly, upon realizing programming was a topic that was brought up at Simbuild but hadn’t been adequately addressed in any of the sessions I attended, I collaborated with IBPSA to create a webinar with three colleagues of mine as the speakers. The session offered guidance to individuals on how to get started with coding and explored potential ways to incorporate it into their work.
My 20+ year career in building performance simulation has given me a broad perspective of the industry. My experience includes working as a HVAC and modeling practitioner; developer of simulation tools; researcher – applying BEM to codes and standards development; and educator – teaching the next generation of practitioners how to use BEM tools and understand the underlying building science principles. This diverse background has helped me to understand the many career paths available within the BEM industry, the benefits of applying BEM in many use cases, and the challenges faced by practitioners and programs that utilize BEM. I have been a member of the IBPSA-USA board for the past 8 years and have focused my participation on creating more opportunities for BEM professionals through advocacy, participating in, and leading IBPSA-USA committees to enhance collaboration in our industry. If reelected to the board, I hope to continue making an impact!
It is an extremely exciting time to be involved in the building performance simulation industry! So many initiatives are underway to enhance the impact that we, as practitioners, can make – many of which are led by IBPSA-USA. Efforts such as data interoperability through IBPSA-USA’s BDE (building data exchange) project; educational initiatives; advocacy through our work with the Department of Energy, state and local code development and enforcement agencies, and partnerships with many industry leading organizations put IBPSA-USA at the forefront of our industry. As a board member, I will continue to lead efforts such as these and continue to develop industry relationships to help advance the capabilities of BEM and expand the impact that BEM can make in the building industry.
I have been a member of the IBPSA-USA board for the past 8 years and am proud that, during this time, our organization has grown its membership, sponsorship, and leadership through industry-focused projects.
I am currently the chair of IBPSA-USA’s Certification Committee which is evaluating how to improve the quality and consistency of building simulation models by reviewing certification and credentialing programs focused on energy modelers, energy model reviewers, and software tools. Our key accomplishments thus far have been the development of draft certification frameworks for modelers, reviewers and software, and the development of automated tools to validate that software programs meet the requirements of ASHRAE Standards 140 and 90.1.
I also participate in IBPSA-USA’s Education Committee where we develop educational content and webinars for our members and the larger energy modeling community.
I have also successfully led the board’s efforts to develop proposals and secured funding for IBPSA-USA to perform key industry-focused projects such as developing training workshops and online content, data-exchange standards, and research initiatives.
I have been serving on the board for several years and helped shepherd the organization through transitional growth. I would like to continue serving the IBPSA-USA community by pursuing a sustainable path to meeting our organization’s vision of raising the bar for effective and timely information from our building performance simulation software tools.
Beyond IBPSA-USA, I also serve in several other capacities in the industry:
ASHRAE:
– Past Chair: TC 4.7, “Energy Calculations”
– Vice Chair: SSPC 205, “Representation of Performance Data for HVAC&R and Other Facility Equipment”
– Voting Member: SSPC 140, “Method of Test for Evaluating Building Performance Simulation Software”
– Voting Member: SPC 229P, “Protocols for Evaluating Ruleset Application in Building Performance Models”
– Voting Member: SSPC 232, “Creating a Streamlined BEM Process”
RESNET:
– Energy Modeling Director
– Chair: Software Consistency Committee
CalBEM:
– Co-chair: Working Group 1, “Creating a Streamlined BEM Process”
I believe an important part of IBPSA-USA’s growth involves establishing partnerships and supplementing efforts of other organizations including U.S. DOE, ASHRAE, California Energy Commission, RESNET, and utilities. I believe my relationships with these organizations can help IBPSA-USA and the Building Performance Simulation industry grow to its potential.
The value of our industry is growing faster than it ever has before, and I believe we need to work together to establish standards and credentials that help ensure the work of building performance simulation professionals is both high quality and efficient.
IBPSA-USA:
– Vice President: Board of Directors
– Past Treasurer: Board of Directors
– Chair: Communications Committee
– Vice Chair: Building Data Exchange Committee
– Vice Chair: Certification Committee
– Member: Finance and Development Committee
I’m the current Student Director and a senior at Illinois Institute of Technology studying Architectural Engineering and minoring in Sustainability graduating in May 2025. My career goal is to become a Building Performance Analyst with P.E. license, ASHRAE BEMP, LEED AP, Phius CPHC certification, and AAEES Board Certification. In order to contribute to creating high-performing, green, and healthy buildings for both occupants and the environment. My current energy modeling experience comes from course projects and summer research. I have experience with OpenStudio, EnergyPlus, Sefaira, and the basics of IESVE. I have a big passion for the BPS industry so I’m an active volunteer of IBPSA-USA and want to continue this effort until I retire.
Besides IBPSA-USA I’m involved in the following organizations
– Peer Career Coach, Illinois Tech Career Services
– Current President, ASHRAE IIT Student Branch
– Current Internal Affairs Coordinator, IIT Society for Environmental Engineers and Scientists (SEES)
– Team Lead, Illinois Tech Open Commercial Team, 2025 Solar Decathlon Design Challenge
– Member, ASCE-IIT (ASCE Student Chapter)
– Member, Chi Epsilon Beta Chapter
– Member, Illinois Tech Martial Arts Club
– Student Member, Illinois Green Alliance
– Member, AAEES (American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists)
– Student Director (Feb 2024 – Present)
– EPSI Organizing Committee member (Feb 2024 – Present)
– Co-Founder, “Membership Committee”/Vice Chair, Membership and Chapters Committee (Apr 2024 – Present)
– CHIPBSA (Chicago Chapter) Member (Jun 2022 – Present)
– 2024 Career Fair Event Organizer/Student Outreach (Oct 2023 – Feb 2024)
– 2025 Career Fair Event Organizer (Jul 2024 – Feb 2025)
– EPSI Podcast (Jun 2024 – Present)
– Student Volunteer, Design 2 Decarb: Chicago Conference (June 21, 2022)
