interior of office space with high white ceiling

Robert L. Preger Intelligent Workplace (IW). Credit: Karl Backus

The Center for Building Performance and Diagnostics (CBPD) at Carnegie Mellon University conducts research, demonstrations and teaching to advance the sustainability and performance of buildings and communities.

In conjunction with its university-industry-government partnership, the Advanced Building Systems Integration Consortium (ABSIC), the CBPD is engaged in ground-breaking work that investigates the impact of natural and advanced technologies on the physical, environmental, and social quality in buildings and communities.

Established in 1988, ABSIC is a university-industry-government partnership to pursue research, demonstration, and development towards improving the quality and performance of commercial buildings and building systems. Over 50 building industries and 10 government agencies have joined with the CBPD over the past 30 years to advance building systems and systems integration for environmental sustainability, human health and productivity, and organizational flexibility and performance. 

In addition to the Master of Science in Building Performance & Diagnostics (MSBPD) degree program, the CBPD launched the first PhD in building science in the United States, the PhD in Building Performance & Diagnostics (PhD-BPD), in 1975. In 1995, the Master of Science in Sustainable Design (MSSD) degree program was added to immerse practitioners in sustainable, high performance design curriculum. In 2015, the Doctor of Design (DDes) (formerly Doctor of Professional Practice (DPP)) program was launched as an opportunity for mid-career professionals to pursue doctoral degrees in sustainability and high performance built environments while continuing their careers.

The CBPD and ABSIC collaborated to create the Robert L. Preger Intelligent Workplace (IW), a living laboratory at Carnegie Mellon University dedicated to advancing innovations in building enclosure, mechanical, electrical, telecommunications, and interior systems, as well as their integration for individual productivity, organizational adaptability, human comfort and health, as well as the highest level of environmental sustainability. 

CBPD Research Areas

The CBPD is actively engaged in a breadth of sustainability research:

  • High Performance Design Guidelines: Next generation guidelines for enclosure, structure, HVAC, lighting, connectivity and interior systems, plus site and infrastructure systems for sustainability.
  • Robert L. Preger Intelligent Workplace (IW): A living laboratory for research and demonstration of systems integration for thermal, visual, acoustic, air quality, and spatial performance.
  • High Performance Schools & Hospitals: Field performance analysis and guidelines to advance high performance school and hospital design and operations.
  • Intelligent Workplace Energy Supply Systems & Controls: Design and testing of advanced energy supply and conditioning systems integrated with passive conditioning through control innovations.
  • Performance Simulation and Operations: Advancing building performance simulation tools for design, code compliance, life cycle analysis, and operation of buildings.
  • Intelligent Dashboards & Data Analytics: Energy and IEQ data analytics and dashboards for corporate and campus leaders, facility managers, and building occupants.
  • NEAT: POE+ Measurement: Post occupancy evaluation and measurements of workplaces worldwide with the National Environmental Assessment Toolkit (NEAT) and database.
  • BIDS: The Triple Bottom Line: Demonstrating the benefits of high performance building systems with the triple bottom line: financial, natural, and human capital.

CBPD Faculty

The CBPD faculty are among the world’s leading experts in sustainable design, building science, and the performance of advanced building and community systems. They are actively engaged in research, public policy, and graduate and undergraduate teaching. View the full list of CBPD faculty below.

Assistant Teaching Professor

Assistant Professor, DEI Director & DDes Track Chair

Associate Professor & MSSD Track Chair

Professor Emeritus

Professor & Head

Teaching Professor

Professor Emeritus

Assistant Professor, MS AECM Track Chair, PhD AECM Track Chair

Professor

University Professor & BPD Track Chair

Assistant Professor in Building Technology

  • Vivian Loftness, FAIA, LEED AP, Co-Director of the CBPD
    Erica Cochran Hameen, LEED AP, Co-Director of the CBPD
    Carnegie Mellon University School of Architecture
    5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213