Center for Environmental Building & Design

Energy and Comfort of Mongolian Ger (Yurt), Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia - 2017-18

Ger are the traditional, tent-like dwellings of the Mongolian herder nomads (called Yurts in Russian).

Test site of 6 heavily instrumented ger with various improvements

Energy and Comfort of Mongolian Ger Dwellings - 2018-19

Working with UNICEF and the Mongolian non-profit GerHub, a team from PennDesign’s Center for Environmental Building and Design and KieranTimberlake Architects is auditing the thermal performance of six improved ger at a test site and five occupied ger in the ger district of Ulaanbaatar.

University of Pennsylvania Climate Action Plan 2.0

Energy, carbon, and financial analysis of climate action plan scenarios for buildings.

Gaming the Sustainable City (and Region)

Investigating the development of a game about energy sustainability.

Optimal Pathways to Greenhouse Gas Reduction for the Philadelphia Region

A report on Phase I of this project, as well as a proposal for delivering an evaluation of the energy pathways for the Philadelphia Region in Phase II.

Building Energy Reporting and Performance Analysis, 2016

This report seeks to improve and increase the utility of building information collected over the years, using development of pertinent energy metrics for tailored reports, as well as mathematical techniques to verify correlations.

University of Pennsylvania Health System: Carbon Footprint

An initial effort to develop and analyze the carbon footprint of the UPHS. This footprint is a part of a larger effort to account for the carbon produced beyond the main University of Pennsylvania campus.

Morris Arboretum: Carbon Footprint

An initial effort to develop and analyze the carbon footprint of the Morris Arboretum. This footprint is a part of a larger effort to account for the carbon produced beyond the main University of Pennsylvania campus.

New Bolton Center: Carbon Footprint

An initial effort to develop and analyze the carbon footprint of the School of Veterinary Medicine's New Bolton Center. This footprint is a part of a larger effort to account for the carbon produced beyond the main University of Pennsylvania campus.

University of Pennsylvania Sustainability Plan


The University of Pennsylvania’s large urban campus produces environmental impacts in many different ways.