đ Outstanding Presentation Award | 6th International Symposium on Urban Climate and Urban Design | Xi'an, China
I was honored to receive the Outstanding Presentation Award at the 6th International Symposium on Urban Climate and Urban Design in Xi'an, China, among nine selected presentations (17.05.2026). While the award is deeply appreciated, what makes it particularly meaningful is the community behind it.
This was my third participation in this conference series. Over the years, I have seen it grow into one of the most dynamic platforms for exchanging ideas on urban climate, sustainable urban design, building energy systems, resilience, and decarbonization. What distinguishes this conference is its strong emphasis on scientific dialogue, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the active involvement of PhD students and early-career researchers. Many of the most innovative ideas presented this year came from doctoral researchers who will shape the future of our field.
My presentation, "Zero Carbon Buildings Under Urban Heat Stress: How Urban Microclimate Redefines Decarbonization Pathways," challenged a central assumption in current net-zero frameworks: that annual energy balance alone is sufficient to define building decarbonization. The key message was simple:
đ A building certified as net-zero under standard climate assumptions may no longer perform as a true zero-carbon building when exposed to real urban microclimates. The work proposes a new framework integrating: ⢠urban heat island effects ⢠time-dependent carbon emissions ⢠district-scale energy interactions ⢠pedestrian thermal livability
Beyond the presentations, the conference provided exceptional opportunities for networking and scientific exchange. Some of the most valuable discussions happened during coffee breaks, dinners, and informal conversations with colleagues working on urban climate, public health, blue-green infrastructure, urban morphology, energy systems, and climate adaptation. These conversations often become the seeds of future collaborations.
I would like to sincerely thank Prof. Chunping Miao, Prof. Baojie He, and the organizing committee for creating such a stimulating environment for scientific exchange. Special thanks to the session chair for the insightful moderation and constructive discussion. I also want to congratulate all presenters Xue Zhong, Lutz Philip Hecker, Xu Juan, and Yuping Wang, especially the PhD students and young researchers, whose enthusiasm, rigor, discipline, and creativity were at the heart of this conference.
A special note of appreciation to Prof. Pengyuan Shen and colleagues at Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School (SIGS). During the closing ceremony, the conference flag was officially handed over to Shenzhen. I am already looking forward to continuing these discussions in June 2027, when the next edition will bring together another generation of researchers working toward more resilient and sustainable cities.
đĽ For those interested, here is a documentary from last year's conference (2025) in Chongqing, which captures the spirit of this growing scientific community: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grgXQxNWk-8
đ Presentation paper: https://orbi.uliege.be/handle/2268/344693
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