Ahmedabad’s CEPT University has once again emerged victorious on the global stage, securing the top position in the Student Modelling Competition 2025, hosted by the International Building Performance Simulation Association (IBPSA) during the 19th Building Simulation Conference (BS2025) in Brisbane, Australia, held from August 24 to 27.
This marks the second consecutive win for CEPT University’s Master of Building Energy Performance (MBEP) students, reaffirming their leadership in sustainable building design and energy performance research. The prestigious competition saw participation from around 40 teams worldwide, with Carnegie Mellon University (USA) finishing as runner-up.
The challenge focused on energy performance analysis and retrofit strategies for the Bundanon Art Museum and Bridge in New South Wales, Australia. CEPT students impressed the jury with innovative solutions, including:
- Passive design strategies that cut uncomfortable indoor hours by 94% and limited the need for active heating to just 27 hours annually.
- A 54% reduction in HVAC energy consumption through optimized system design.
- A 303 kW solar PV installation, capable of generating nearly three times the museum’s annual energy demand, enabling year-round off-grid operation.
- A 30.7% reduction in embodied carbon through sustainable material choices such as improved insulation, low-carbon cladding, and reduced steel usage.
Professor Rajan Rawal, who mentored the team alongside Prof. Minu Agarwal, Siddhi Vashi (CARBSE, CEPT University), and Malay Dave (Steensen Varming, Sydney), highlighted the significance of these solutions in addressing both sustainability and occupant well-being.
The winning team included Akarshna AK, Niyati Jogi, Samiksha Bhardwaj, Swetha R, Vasudev Pandya, and Vishal Yadav.
The IBPSA Building Simulation Conference, held biennially, is regarded as one of the most prominent international forums for advancing building performance simulation research and practice, bringing together top researchers, professionals, and students from across the globe.
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