Tianyi Chen

陈天一

School of Architecture, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China

Tianyi Chen is an Associate Research Fellow at the Laboratory of Architectural Algorithm and Application (Lab. AAA), School of Architecture, Southeast University. He received his Ph.D. in Architecture from the National University of Singapore (NUS), M.Arch from the Architectural Association (AA DRL), MAS CAAD from ETH Zurich, and B.Arch from Hunan University. Prior to his academic career, he practiced as an architect at Aedas and 10 Design in Hong Kong. His research centers on Computational Sustainable Design, bridging digital intelligence with sustainable building practice across multiple scales. This encompasses three interconnected directions: (1) innovative sustainable energy building envelopes, including Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) and modular agrivoltaic facade systems that integrate photovoltaic technology with vertical farming; (2) urban-scale sustainability analytics, employing GPU-accelerated simulation and data-driven methods to assess building energy consumption, solar generation potential, and their implications for urban energy policy; and (3) AI-augmented design tools, developing intelligent BIM workflows and machine learning-driven optimization platforms for sustainable building design and construction. He serves as Co-Leader of IEA-PVPS Task 15 C1 (BIPV in Digital Environment). As Principal Investigator or Co-PI, he has led multiple research grants including the EMA–Shell Partnership Grant, NUS (Suzhou) Research Institute Grant (RMB 3M), Heritage Research Grant from NHB, and NUS–USyd Ignition Grant. He has published over 30 SCI papers with 570+ citations, holds professional certifications including WELL AP, LEED GA, and BCA Green Mark AP, and has completed 200+ manuscript reviews for 35 international journals.

陈天一，东南大学建筑学院建筑运算与应用实验室（Lab. AAA）副研究员。博士毕业于新加坡国立大学（NUS）建筑学专业，硕士分别毕业于AA建筑联盟学院DRL（建筑学硕士）和苏黎世联邦理工学院（计算机辅助建筑设计硕士），本科毕业于湖南大学建筑学专业。在进入学术界之前，曾于香港凯达环球（Aedas）及10 Design担任建筑师。研究聚焦于运算可持续设计（Computational Sustainable Design），致力于将数字智能与可持续建筑实践进行多尺度融合，涵盖三个相互关联的方向：（1）新型可持续能源建筑立面，包括光伏建筑一体化（BIPV）及集成光伏技术与垂直农业的模块化农光立面系统；（2）城市尺度可持续性分析，运用GPU加速模拟与数据驱动方法评估建筑能耗、光伏发电潜力及其对城市能源政策制定的影响；（3）AI增强设计工具，开发智能BIM工作流与机器学习驱动的优化平台，服务于可持续建筑设计与建造。现任IEA-PVPS Task 15 C1（数字环境中的BIPV）联合负责人。作为项目负责人或联合负责人，主持多项科研基金，包括新加坡能源市场管理局–壳牌合作基金、NUS（苏州）研究院基金、新加坡国家文物局遗产研究基金、NUS–悉尼大学合作基金等。已发表SCI论文30余篇，被引570余次。持有WELL AP、LEED GA及BCA Green Mark AP专业资格认证，并为35本国际期刊完成200余篇稿件审稿。

Education

NUS (National University of Singapore), Ph.D. in Architecture
AA DRL (Design Research Lab), M.Arch
ETH Zurich, MAS CAAD (Computer Aided Architectural Design)
Hunan University, B.Arch

新加坡国立大学，建筑学博士
伦敦建筑联盟学院 DRL（设计研究实验室），建筑学硕士
苏黎世联邦理工学院，计算机辅助建筑设计高级硕士（MAS CAAD）
湖南大学，建筑学学士

Research

IEA-PVPS Task 15 C1 Co-Leader: BIPV in Digital Environment — BIM for BIPV process framework in Singapore
NUS (Suzhou) Research Institute: Intelligent adaptation for human-centric building envelope design (Co-PI)
NUS–USyd Ignition Grant: Active Timber Envelopes — modular regenerative facades integrating PV and vertical farming (Co-PI)
Heritage Research Grant (NHB): Solar energizing heritage — BIPV systems in Singaporean shophouses (PI)
Singapore EMA–Shell Partnership Grant: Optimizing colored BAPV as retrofitting system in Singapore (PI)
Singapore Solar Competitive Research Program: Cost-effective high-power density BIPV modules (Collaborator, PhD project)

IEA-PVPS Task 15 C1 联合负责人：数字环境中的BIPV——新加坡BIM for BIPV流程框架
新加坡国立大学（苏州）研究院：绿色建筑动态供需平衡——以人为本的智能适应性建筑围护结构设计（共同PI）
新加坡国立大学–悉尼大学合作基金：主动式木构表皮——集成光伏与垂直农业的模块化可再生立面（共同PI）
新加坡国家文物局遗产研究基金：太阳能赋能历史建筑——新加坡店屋BIPV系统（PI）
新加坡能源市场管理局–壳牌合作基金：彩色BAPV改造系统优化（PI）
太阳能竞争性研究计划：高性价比高功率密度BIPV组件（合作者，博士项目）

Publications

—— 2026 ——

Sun, H., Chen, T.*, Reindl, T. and Heng, C. K. Quantitative Feasibility Assessment Approach for BIPV Retrofits on Building Façades. Journal of Building Engineering, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2026.115338

—— 2025 ——

Shen, J., Zheng, F., Chen, T.*, Deng, W., Bellotti, A., Tesema, F. B. and Lucchi, E*. Optimizing Urban Land-Use Through Deep Reinforcement Learning: A Case Study in Hangzhou for Reducing Carbon Emissions. Land, 2025. https://doi.org/10.3390/land14122368
Xiong, S., Chen, T*, Lucchi, E. and Yang, R. Mapping the Path to Zero: 3D High-Resolution Spatial Analysis of Building Energy Consumption and Solar Generation Potential in Singapore. Energy and Buildings, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.116673
Xie, L., Chen, T.*, Joshi, N. and Li, Z. Climate-Responsive Retrofitting Strategy of Elderly Housing: Health Impacts Based on Data-Driven Multi-Objective Optimization of Building Envelopes. Building and Environment, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.113554
Feng, Y., Xu, M., Chen, T., Liu, J. and Li, L*. Bio-Adaptive Reflective Photovoltaic (BARP) Facade System. Energy and Buildings, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.116105
Wang, G., Wang, X., & Chen, T.* Technical potential of floating photovoltaic systems in Cambodia supporting rural farming electrification. Energy for Sustainable Development, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esd.2025.101724
Xiao, Z., Tian, Z., Chen, T.*, Ouyang, C., Zhou, Y., Heng, C. K., and Lucchi, E*. Sustainable Adaptation of Heritage Buildings in Tropical Rainforest Climates. Journal of Building Engineering, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2025.112085
Zhang, Y., Cao, Y., Chen, T.* and Lucchi, E. Optimized Community-Level Distributed Photovoltaic Generation (DPVG). Journal of Building Engineering, 2025. (top 1% article in Engineering) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2025.112085
Zhang, Y., Chen, T.*, Gasparri, E.* and Lucchi, E. Modular Agrivoltaics Building Envelope Integrating Thin-Film Photovoltaics and Hydroponic Urban Farming Systems. Sustainability, 2025, 17(2). (top 1% article in Environment/Ecology) https://doi.org/10.3390/su17020666

—— 2024 ——

Zhang, R., Li, X.*, Zhang, Y., Ma, X., Liu, H. and Chen, T. An urban agricultural block construction method based on low-carbon concepts. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2024, 477, 143874. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.143874

—— 2023 ——

An, Y., Chen, T*, Shi, L. and Heng, C. K. Solar energy potential using GIS-based urban residential data: A case study of Shenzhen, China. Sustainable Cities and Society, 2023, 93, 104547. (top 1% article in Engineering) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2023.104547

—— 2022 ——

Chen, T.*, Tai, K. F., Raharjo, G. P., Heng, C. K., & Leow, S. W. A novel design approach to prefabricated BIPV walls for multi-storey buildings. Journal of Building Engineering, 2022, 105469. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2022.105469
Chen, T., Sun, H.*, Tai, K. F., & Heng, C. K. Analysis of the barriers to implementing building integrated photovoltaics in Singapore using an interpretive structural modelling approach. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2022, 365, 132652. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.132652
Chen, T., An, Y.*, & Heng, C. K. A review of building-integrated photovoltaics in Singapore: status, barriers, and prospects. Sustainability, 2022, 14(10160). https://doi.org/10.3390/su141610160
Wang, X., Wang, G., Chen, T.*, Zeng, Z. and Heng, C. K. Low-carbon city and its future research trends: A bibliometric analysis and systematic review. Sustainable Cities and Society, 2022, 90, 104381. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2022.104381