Vikas Kumar | Architectural Design | Editorial Board Member

Published on by Architecture Engineers

Mr. Vikas Kumar | Architectural Design | Editorial Board Member

PhD Student | Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur | India

Vikas Kumar is a researcher and emerging scholar in architecture and urban planning, currently serving as a doctoral candidate at IIT Kharagpur with expertise spanning sustainable design, resource-constrained architecture, urban systems, and spatial analysis. He has contributed academically as a teaching assistant in design studios, graphic communication, computer graphics, and building construction, and has gained professional experience through architectural and urban planning internships with industry organizations. His research focuses on sustainable architectural strategies, Jugaad-based innovations, solid waste management, and affordable housing materials, reflected in publications on bamboo panel performance, evaporative cooling technologies, Jugaad theory and application, and urban environmental management. He has also contributed to applied research projects, including housing design interventions aimed at enhancing children’s cognitive development. His academic achievements include a national-level qualifying rank in architecture and planning, multiple best-presentation awards at international conferences, and recognition for excellence in academic and co-curricular activities. In addition to his scholarly work, he has demonstrated significant leadership as captain and contingent leader in major institutional sporting championships. His combined academic contributions, professional experience, research outputs, and recognized leadership make him a distinguished candidate for award nomination. His research impact includes 1 citation across 1 document, 2 publications, and an h-index of 1.

Profiles: Scopus | ORCID

Featured Publications

1. Kumar V., Mukerji A., Exploring Jugaad in architecture: Theory and strategies for implementation in resource-constrained environments. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 2025.

2. Kumar V., Mukerji A., Triggers, Mediators, and Consequences of Jugaad in Architecture Among Lower Socio-economic Groups. In: 2025.

3. Kumar V., Methodology for Proposing and Planning Solid Waste Management in a Religious City: Case of Varanasi. International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology, 2021, ISSN: 2456-2165.

Vikas Kumar’s work advances sustainable architecture and urban planning by developing resource-efficient strategies, Jugaad-based innovations, and affordable housing solutions. His research addresses real world challenges in waste management, climate-responsive design, and socially inclusive urban systems, creating practical, scalable solutions that benefit communities, industry, and the broader built environment.

Weijie Xia | Architecture | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Architecture Engineers

Mr. Weijie Xia | Architecture | Best Researcher Award

Weijie Xia | Hebei University of Architecture | China

Mr. Weijie Xia is a postgraduate student at Hebei University of Architecture specializing in thermal comfort and building environmental control. He holds a strong academic foundation with a focus on human thermal comfort, smart buildings, and urban heat island research. His professional experience includes leading and contributing to numerous research projects, with seven completed and over twenty ongoing, advancing knowledge in emotional perception modulation on thermal comfort, gender-based differences in heat response during interval exercise, and thermal comfort modeling and optimization for hospitals and historical urban spaces. As the first author, he has published three articles in leading SCI Q1 journals such as Building and Environment, Journal of Building Engineering, and Energy and Buildings, and has co-authored four additional publications in the same domain. His studies encompass a range of innovative topics including the impact of musical tempo on thermal comfort during exercise and optimized open-space design in hospital environments, reflecting his commitment to bridging theoretical insights with practical environmental applications. With a growing citation record and active engagement in interdisciplinary research, his contributions are recognized for their methodological rigor and relevance to real-world building performance and occupant well-being. He has 16 citations, 7 publications, and an h-index of 3.

Profiles: Scopus | ORCID

Featured Publications

1. Xia, W.*, Li, D., Sun, M., Liu, J., Zhen, M., & Liang, H. (2025). A gender-differentiated thermal comfort model for interval exercise in fitness building. Journal of Building Engineering.

2. Zhen, M., Liu, J., Xia, W., Sun, M., Dong, Q., Li, Y., & Liang, H. (2025). Thermal comfort differences among patients with different orthopedic diseases: A case study of Shaanxi Provincial People’s Hospital, China. Building and Environment.

3. Zhen, M., Xia, W.*, Sun, G., Huang, C., & Ji, J. (2025). Optimized design of hospital open space based on outdoor thermal comfort: The case of Shaanxi People’s Hospital in China. Energy and Buildings.

4. Zhen, M., Xia, W.*, & Lin, D. (2024). Effects of musical tempo on human thermal comfort during interval exercise. Building and Environment.

5. Zhen, M., Yuan, X., Gao, L., Xia, W.*, Nan, K., & Zhang, M. (2024). Outdoor thermal comfort of urban plaza space under thermoacoustic interactions: Taking Datang Everbright City as an example. Building and Environment.