Tengfang (Tim) Xu, Ph.D., P.E.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
International Energy Studies Group

Energy Analysis Department, Environmental Energy Technologies Division

One Cyclotron Road, MS 90R4000 Berkeley CA 94720 USA
Telephone: +1 510.486.7810 E-Mail: ttxu@LBL.gov

Research Specialties

Emerging technologies, building performance, built environments, energy efficiency in buildings and industrial processes, energy management, sustainable development

Degree Areas

Thermal Sciences and Engineering, Architecture, Building Science and Technology

Keywords

Building science and technology, industrial energy efficiency (light-, heavy-, and high-technology industries), demand side management, building energy efficiency, energy and environmental management, climate change, efficient water use, high-performance building, ventilation, comfort, thermal distribution, energy analysis, modeling, filtration, cleanroom, contamination control, controlled environments, cleanliness, cool roof, building envelope, wind tunnel, statistics, building system diagnosis, humidity, solar building, microclimate, heating, ventilating, air conditioning, refrigerating, emerging technologies, renewable energy, sustainable development, sustainable design and construction, standard, code, guideline, ISO standard, energy policy, carbon regulation, technology characterization and economic analysis for climate modeling

Education and License

Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley. Major: Building Science; Minors: 1) Air Quality, 2) Heat Transfer.

Bachelor and Master of Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing

Professional Engineer, the State of California

Biography

Dr. Xu has more than 20 years of extensive experience in energy technology RD&D and energy management as a scientist, program manager, energy analyst, and educator.

Dr. Xu’s contributions have been in improving scientific understanding of thermal comfort under elevated air velocities and humidities, characterizing localized ventilation systems, evaluating thermal distribution systems, developing methods and techniques to quantify indoor environmental quality and energy efficiency, improving building system performance, evaluating utility energy programs, assessing energy use and savings opportunities in commercial and residential buildings, and industrial sectors ranging from heavy- to light-industries, developing techniques and strategies of reducing water/energy wastes and energy demand, developing code/standard for buildings and systems, and teaching building science.

At Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Dr. Xu has been focused on in-depth scientific research (micro-level on specific energy and environmental technologies), as well as on large-scale deployment and evaluation (macro-level activities that induce societal/economic impacts through promoting standards/codes and technical assistance in energy policy-making). For example, Xu is the world-leading researcher in developing test methods and formulating an industrial standard to characterize performance of fan-filter units; in addition, Dr. Xu performs evaluations of airflows and filtration requirements for cleanrooms and minienvironments of various cleanliness classes. Xu’s work has produced new knowledge and metrics of performance of buildings and industrial processes, including mission–critical infrastructures such as cleanrooms, minienvironments, data centers, and healthcare buildings. He published extensively, including the first peer-reviewed studies to address and quantify energy implications and airflow characteristics in built environments, which are contributing factors for carbon emissions and global climate changes. In addition, Xu has been instrumental in influencing a number of Standard and Practices Committees to revise and improve Recommended Practices and Standards used worldwide. His recent projects assist the industries, and state and federal agencies such as California Energy Commission and EPA to address challenges and opportunities to promote efficiency and emerging technologies, and to develop tools and strategies for improving energy efficiency and climate change mitigation in light- and heavy-industries on the state (Calif.), country, and international levels.

Xu has authored and coauthored over 80 papers and reports including those appeared in peer-reviewed journals and conferences. Furthermore, Dr. Xu has been a contributor and writer to the handbooks on contamination control industries and to improvement of building codes in California. Dr. Xu is a recipient of national awards for outstanding publications and contributions, including two best paper awards and numerous awards for outstanding contributions in publications and professional services.

Being the only one staff holding a Ph.D. in Building Science and PE in LBNL, Xu serves various scientific, professional, and academic committees in Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, and United States, and has been invited to lecture nationally and internationally in leading academia as well as professional organizations. He was the Contamination Control Technical Vice President of IEST (2005-2007), directing development of and facilitating publications of industrial standards. He represented IEST as an US delegate to ISO TC209 Cleanrooms and associated controlled environments that formulates ISO Standards. Dr. Xu holds editorship as an editorial board member for the most prestigious international journal in building science – Building and Environment. He serves as an editorial advisory board member for Building Simulation – an International Journal, and is a technical editor for the Journal of the IEST.

Services to Community

Berkeley Lab Asian Association (BLAA), Former President (2006.08-2008.06)

Berkeley Chinese Students and Scholars Association (BCSSA), Former Executive Chair (1995-1996)

Tsinghua Alumni Association of Northern California (TAANC), Former Board Member (1993-1996)

Links to Professional Information

Updated December 2008

Link to Full CV (with a list of publications), please send email to: ttxu@LBL.gov.

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