👨🏻‍🏫 Biography

Prof. Dr. Ir. Shady Attia is a Professor of Sustainable Architecture and Building Technology and Head of the Sustainable Building Design (SBD) Lab at the University of Liège, Belgium. His research focuses on zero-carbon buildings, building performance simulation, whole-life carbon assessment, climate resilience, and urban microclimate modeling. Through interdisciplinary research, he develops methods, tools, and decision-support frameworks that help architects, engineers, researchers, and policymakers design high-performance, low-carbon, and climate-adaptive buildings and cities.

His work combines building physics, simulation-based design, life cycle assessment, urban climate analysis, and artificial intelligence to support the transition toward carbon-neutral and resilient built environments. Current research activities include whole-life carbon benchmarking, urban heat island mitigation, adaptive thermal comfort, building renovation strategies, and international collaboration on zero-carbon buildings and cities.

Current Positions & Affiliations

Professor, Sustainable Building Design Lab (SBD Lab), Department of Urban and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Liège, Belgium
Head and Founder, Sustainable Building Design Lab (SBD Lab), University of Liège
Adjunct Professor, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, China
Research Council Member, Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), Switzerland

Research Identity

Shady Attia conducts research on zero carbon buildings, building performance simulation, urban climate adaptation, and sustainable building technologies. His work bridges engineering, architecture, and environmental science to support evidence-based decision making for the decarbonization and climate resilience of the built environment. His research serves students, researchers, practitioners, industry stakeholders, and policymakers seeking scientifically grounded pathways toward sustainable cities and buildings.

Current Research Focus

Current projects focus on whole-life carbon benchmarking and decarbonization pathways for buildings, AI-supported design decision making, urban heat island interactions with zero carbon buildings, climate-resilient cooling strategies, and international collaboration on zero carbon buildings and cities. Ongoing activities include the development of simulation-based methods, urban digital twins, and research partnerships connecting Europe and China through initiatives such as CABER-AI and related international research programs.

Identity Verification and Academic Profiles

ORCID: 0000-0002-9477-5098
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=jsH343cAAAAJ
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Shady_Attia
University of Liège Faculty Profile: https://www.uliege.be/cms/c_9054334/en/directory?uid=u220815
Sustainable Building Design Lab (SBD Lab): https://www.sbd.uliege.be
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shady-attia-14352a7

What I'm Working On

1. 👨🏻‍🏫 I'm a professor working in Belgium. I studied architecture and urban planning for 7 years at Helwan, Wageningen, Texas A&M, and UCLouvain universities and obtained my Ph.D. degree in 2012.
2. 🎬 On my YouTube channel, I make videos about scientific research, academic skills, productivity, and effective writing for publishing. Check out my most popular videos.
3. 💌 I write a weekly/monthly email newsletter. Each Monday or Wednesday, I share thoughts about subjects I've been pondering, along with links to articles, events, projects, and videos I've been creating or enjoying. Check out the previous issues and maybe subscribe. 😉
4. ✍️ On this website, I write articles about design decision support, building performance, evidence-based design, sustainable architecture, and thermal comfort that I've found helpful over the years and share my favorite tools and software.

Other Stuff

1. 🎮 I learned to code at age 16, and worked as a freelance web designer through my teenage years. My father bought me my first Windows 3.2 PC in 1993, which fueled my SimCity and Red Alert 2 addiction.
2. 🏒 I enjoy creating my boomerangs and playing with them in open fields. I always end up breaking them and rebuilding them. I will never forget how Herr Novak taught me the secret to creating an aerodynamic returning boomerang at school.
3. I am a book 🐛 worm, and I read, on average, a book every month. In my childhood, I read science fiction and history. I am obsessed with fast reading and laser reading techniques. This skill helped me later review scientific papers.

Get in Touch

1. ☑️ Linkedin - If you've got a short question or message, please contact me on Linkedin, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.
2. 📨 Email - If it's a longer thing, or you don't want it to be a public tweet, please email me.