Hyeonsoo Kim | Building Energy Optimization | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Architecture Engineers

Prof. Hyeonsoo Kim | Building Energy Optimization | Best Researcher Award

Assistant Professor | Seoul National University of Science and Technology | South Korea

Dr. Hyeonsoo Kim is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT) in the Building Energy Research Center, specializing in building energy systems and sustainable architecture. He earned his Ph.D. in Architecture from the University of Michigan, where his research focused on the economic feasibility of achieving net-zero energy and emission buildings in the United States. His professional background includes extensive work on projects related to carbon-neutral city realization, smart energy systems, and thermal break technologies for improving building performance. Dr. Kim has co-authored several impactful publications in leading journals such as Applied Energy, Journal of Cleaner Production, and Energy Conversion and Management: X, contributing significantly to the fields of net-zero energy building design, emission trading frameworks, and renewable-integrated heat pump systems. He has served in various academic leadership roles, including Editorial Board Member and Academic Director for the KIEAE Journal and Guest Editor for Buildings (MDPI). In addition, he has contributed as a moderator, instructor, and project lead in national and international collaborations advancing green building technologies. Dr. Kim holds the LEED Accredited Professional certification, reflecting his commitment to sustainable and high-performance building design. His research impact includes 52 citations, 5 publications, and an h-index of 3.

Profiles: Scopus | ORCID | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

1. Kim H., Economic Feasibility of Achieving Net-Zero Energy in Residential Buildings in the USA. 2023.

2. Junghans L., Kim H., Evaluation of multiple predictive control strategies to optimally use building thermal mass to reduce annual operation costs and associated GHG emissions. J. Build. Eng., 2025, 112, 113963.

3. Kim H., Junghans L., Economic feasibility of achieving net-zero emission building (NZEB) by applying solar and geothermal energy sources to heat pump systems: A case in the United States. J. Clean. Prod., 2023, 416, 137822.

4. Kim H., Junghans L., Integrative economic framework incorporating the Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) for US residential energy systems. Energy Convers. Manag.: X, 2022, 14, 100197.

5. Kim H., Lim J.W., Predicting the economic feasibility of solar-based net-zero emission buildings (NZEBs) in the United States non-residential sector. J. Clean. Prod., 2024, 470, 143272.

Dr. Hyeonsoo Kim’s research advances global sustainability by integrating renewable energy systems and intelligent control strategies to achieve net-zero energy buildings. His work contributes to reducing carbon emissions, guiding policy and industry practices toward resilient, energy-efficient, and environmentally responsible urban development.

Lesiba George Mollo | Building Energy Efficiency | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Architecture Engineers

Dr. Lesiba George Mollo | Building Energy Efficiency | Best Researcher Award

Senior Lecturer | Central University of Technology | South Africa

Dr. Lesiba George Mollo is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Built Environment at the Central University of Technology, Free State, South Africa, specializing in construction management and construction health and safety. He holds a PhD in Construction Management from Nelson Mandela University, where his research focused on reducing human failures in construction through the Training-Within-Industry (TWI) method. He also earned an MTech in Quantity Surveying (Cum Laude), a BTech in Quantity Surveying, and a National Diploma in Building, complemented by professional certifications in project and safety management. Dr. Mollo’s professional journey spans academic leadership as Acting Head of Department, Deputy Research Dean, and Research Chair, as well as practical roles with leading construction firms managing infrastructure, housing, and public works projects. His research expertise encompasses construction safety management, wearable sensing devices, 360° video technology for behavioral monitoring, and energy-efficient building technologies. He has published over forty scholarly outputs, including peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and the authored volume Training-Within-Industry Job Programs for Improved Construction Safety (Routledge). Dr. Mollo actively contributes to academic development through postgraduate supervision, conference organization, and peer reviewing for international journals. He has received recognition for academic excellence, including the MTech Best Performance Award from Nelson Mandela University, and holds memberships in the South African Council for the Project and Construction Management Professions (SACPCMP) and the Association of South African Quantity Surveyors (ASAQS). He has 35 citations, 14 publications, and an h-index of 3.

Profiles: Scopus | ORCID | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

1. Mollo, L. G. (2025). Evaluating the use of 360° video technology to monitor workers’ unsafe behaviour in the construction industry. In International Civil Engineering and Architecture Conference (pp. 685–693). Springer Nature Singapore.

2. Mollo, L. G., & Chomey, T. (2025). An analysis of barriers to the implementation of energy-efficient technologies in residential buildings: A quantitative approach. Buildings, 15(19), 3520.

3. Mtetwa, S. I., Mollo, L. G., & Emuze, F. (2024). Wearable sensing devices for better monitoring of health, safety, and wellbeing in construction. In Handbook of Drivers of Continuous Improvement in Construction Health, Safety, and Wellbeing (pp. 59–68). Routledge.

4. Mollo, L. G. (2024). Using wearable technologies to minimise occupational illnesses among construction workers. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers – Forensic Engineering, 177(2), 64–71.

5. Mollo, L. G., Emuze, F., & Smallwood, J. (2023). Causes of human failure on construction sites. In Training-Within-Industry Job Programs for Improved Construction Safety (pp. 13–27). Routledge.