Proceedings of Energise 2023

Dr. Satish Kumar serves as the President and Executive Director of the AEEE. Prior to AEEE, he was the Energy Efficiency Ambassador and led the Energy Management business at the Schneider Electric India, a Scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and the Chief of Party for a USAID-supported bilateral energy efficiency technical assistance program (ECO-III) project. He has a Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon and a B. Arch from IIT Roorkee, was nominated for an executive leadership program at Harvard Business School and the University of North Carolina, is a member on the TEAP’s Energy Efficiency Task Force under the Montreal Protocol, is a LEED Fellow (USGBC), Certified Energy Manager and Certified Measurement and Verification Professional (Association of Energy Engineers).

Dr.  Amir Bashir Bazaz, Lead-Practice at IIHS, holds a PhD in Management from the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, specializing in Public Systems. His expertise lies in the intersection of economics, climate change mitigation, adaptation, and sustainable development, with a focus on urban-climate change dynamics and policy formulation. With extensive experience in integrated assessment frameworks and modeling, he has contributed significantly to areas such as low-carbon societies/infrastructure. Amir’s background includes a first degree in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee and prior experience in the manufacturing industry. He has also served as a National Expert Consultant to the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, Government of India, and taught courses in Development & Environmental Economics at Symbiosis International University, Pune.

Dr. Dibakar Rakshit, Professor at IIT Delhi’s Department of Energy Science and Engineering, brings over twenty years of expertise in thermofluid sciences, focusing on energy systems design and optimization. His research journey, spanning from his doctoral studies at The University of Western Australia to his post-doctoral research at ASTRI, CSIRO, Australia, has centered around thermal energy storage, particularly Nano-Enhanced Phase Change Materials (NEPCM) for building energy conservation. Dr. Rakshit’s work extends to designing energy-efficient buildings and sustainable infrastructures, funded by various governmental and private entities, resulting in numerous publications. Beyond research, he actively promotes primary education among slum children through NSS IITD.

Prasad Vaidya, leads the Solar Decathlon India and the Sustainable Energy Lab at IIHS, and boasts over 30 years of experience in environmental sustainability. As a LEED Fellow, he has spearheaded energy policy development, energy efficiency programs, and net-zero energy building projects globally. Formerly a Professor at CEPT University, he established the MTech in Building Energy Performance program and mentored student teams for prestigious competitions like the US Department of Energy’s Race to Zero and Solar Decathlon. With expertise in building science, passive design, and whole building energy simulation, he has co-authored “Fundamentals of Integrated Design for Sustainable Building” and advises multiple academic institutions, driving sustainable practices in the built environment.

Dr. Rajan Rawal, Professor at CEPT University and senior advisor at the Center for Advanced Research in Building Science and Energy (CARBSE), boasts extensive expertise in energy-efficient built environments and architectural science education. Formerly the Executive Director of CARBSE, his current focus lies in Passive Design Strategies, Net Zero Energy Buildings, and Urban Microclimates, among other areas. He actively contributes to various technical committees, including those of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency and international initiatives like the International Energy Agency EBC Annexes. Dr. Rawal is also the founder of the India chapter of the International Building Performance Simulation Association (IBPSA) and has led significant research collaborations, such as the Indo-US Joint Clean Energy R&D Centre. Recognized as a Fellow by both ASHRAE and IBPSA, Dr. Rawal’s contributions extend to advisory roles in academic and research institutes globally, cementing his status as a leading figure in sustainable building practices and energy efficiency.

Dr. Brijesh Pandey, Principal Research Associate at AEEE, brings a wealth of expertise in energy efficiency in buildings, backed by a master’s and Ph.D. from IIT Bombay. Previously a post-doctoral fellow at the same institution, his research centered on utilizing ceiling fans to combat airborne pathogens. His diverse interests encompass model-based predictive control, AI applications in buildings, thermal storage, building energy simulation, thermal comfort, and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). Notably, he received the prestigious BHAVAN fellowship for an internship at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL), supported by the Dept. of Science and Technology, Government of India, and the Indo-US Science & Technology Forum (IUSSTF). Dr. Pandey is committed to interdisciplinary pedagogy and research, advocating for the integration of various subjects to foster comprehensive understanding.

Dr. Vikas Nimesh, Principal Research Associate at AEEE, is an expert in E-mobility, Transportation Planning, Choice Modelling, and Environmental Impact Assessment. Holding a Ph.D. and M.Tech from IIT Kharagpur, and a B.Tech in Mechanical and Automotive Engineering from Delhi Technological University, his research is primarily concerned with understanding the demand for electric vehicles and their effects on energy use and environmental health. Dr. Nimesh has contributed to a variety of interdisciplinary projects, including the assessment of emissions, strategic planning for Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure (EVCI) networks in cities, and policy development.