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ResearchGroups

Collage av ulike bygninger og konstruksjoner

The research group for Climate and Buildings investigates how the microclimate around buildings and the physical mechanisms within the building envelope affect energy use, indoor environmental quality, daylight, and durability—from façade and roof down to the detail level. We combine field measurements, laboratory experiments, and simulations to develop knowledge and tools that support climate adaptation, low‑emission design, and robust solutions for Norwegian climates.

About the research group

  • Research areas
    • Building physics: heat and moisture transport, airtightness, robust detailing, and long‑term material performance.
    • Daylight: visual and non‑visual effects, spatial experience, comfort, and development of methods for measurement/modelling.
    • Climate around buildings: wind, precipitation, radiation, and local microclimate effects in outdoor areas and at façades.
    • Greenhouse gases: optimisation of constructions and systems to reduce emissions.
    • Climate data for building simulations: how climate datasets for building simulations are produced and quality‑assured.
    • Climate impacts on façades: weathering, colour changes and biological growth, including material/system choices for service life.
    • Indoor environment: climatization principles, indoor environmental quality, and emissions from materials.
    • Snow accumulation: build‑up on roofs/façades and around solar energy systems, scouring and safety, design loads and mitigation.
    • Solar energy: production in buildings and landscapes, shading effects, and performance across seasons.
  • Approach and methodology

    We work transdisciplinarily through:

    • Measurements and laboratories: daylight scale models, microclimate sensor networks, and material/component testing.
    • Numerical simulations: CFD/wind, snow and radiation models, building energy, moisture transport, daylight, and PV performance.
    • Data and tools: open datasets for weather and future climate, plus in‑house scripts/workflows for analysis and visualisation.
    • Co‑creation with practice: collaboration with authorities and industry to translate knowledge into criteria, guidance and pilots.

    The group publishes in peer‑reviewed journals, develops open methods, and contributes to standardisation and industry guides. We supervise master’s and PhD students in building physics, daylight, solar energy and climate adaptation. Student projects are linked to ongoing research, instrumentation and partners, with emphasis on reproducible methods and open sharing of data and tools. 

    We collaborate with public and private stakeholders as well as national and international research communities to test and implement solutions in real projects and to strengthen the knowledge base for Norwegian regulations and practice. Internally at NMBU we work closely with, among others, the research groups for Daylight in the Built Environment, Solar Energy, and with NIBIO. 

    The research group takes an active role in international standardisation within climatic loads, energy calculation and building‑physics performance. The group leads ISO 4355 – Bases for design of structures – Determination of snow loads on roofs under ISO/TC 98 – Bases for design of structures, which sets international principles for calculating snow loads on buildings. The group also holds leadership roles in ISO/TC 163 – Thermal performance and energy use in the built environment, Subcommittee 2 (Calculation methods), which develops international standards for calculating building energy performance, in addition to participation in the Norwegian mirror committees for the same areas. 

    We share our data openly at:

Members

  • Research group members
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Moderne kontor- eller undervisningsbygg med tre etasjer, store vinduer og mørke fasadeplater. Foran bygget er en velstelt plen med grusgang og en pergola-lignende metallstruktur ved inngangen. Til venstre skimtes en eldre mursteinsbygning, og himmelen er delvis skyet.
Byggeplass med stor betongkonstruksjon under oppføring, omgitt av stillas. Til høyre står en stor hvit teltduk som dekker deler av bygget. I forgrunnen er snødekket og grønt gress, og i bakgrunnen skimtes bylandskap og fjell under en solnedgangshimmel.
Nærbilde av en vegg laget av firkantede trestykker lagt med endeflaten ut, omgitt av mørk grå mørtel. Trestykkene har synlige årringer og sprekker, og overflaten viser naturlige fargevariasjoner fra lys beige til brun.

Works and PhD projects

  • PhD projects

    PhD candidates supervised by our group:

    ÅrKandidatTitle/Research focus
    2023–2027Tobias KristiansenSpectral composition of daylight in buildings (ongoing)
    2023–2026Mari HøvikNærmere naturlig lys: effekter av døgnrytmestyrt belysning
    2020–2025Efthymia Ratsou StæhrSustainable school buildings: timber, reuse and life-cycle assessment (ongoing)
    2023Agnieszka Kinga KurasAirborne hyperspectral imaging for multisensor data fusion
    2022Iver FrimannslundResolving snow challenges for increased deployment of photovoltaic systems
    2019Stergiani CharisiIntroducing microclimate into simulation models for buildings
    2019Petter StefanssonHyperspectral imaging: algorithmic advances with applications to wood
    2019Ivar OvelandLaser-based survey of building objects and buildings
    2015Eilif HjelsethFoundations for BIM-based model checking systems
    2014Dimitrios KraniotisDynamic characteristics of wind-driven air infiltration in buildings – impact of wind gusts under unsteady wind conditions
    2014Jan PotacField measurements and numerical simulations of snow transport and deposition around structures and into ventilation intakes
  • Selected works of the group

    Selected research and development projects we have contributed to:

    ProjectPeriodDescription and main topicsPartners/funding
    FME Solar2025–presentNational Centre for Environment‑friendly Energy Research (FME) on solar energy and system integration in buildings and façades.FME consortium, Research Council of Norway, NMBU REALTEK.
    Daylight in the Built Environment2020–presentProject portfolio on spectral daylight distribution, energy use and health in buildings.NMBU REALTEK.
    Sustainable School Buildings2021–presentPhD‑related research (Efthymia Ratsou Stæhr) on sustainable school buildings, circularity, mass timber and reuse.NMBU REALTEK.
    Snow Load and Wind Exposure Standards Project2008–presentField measurements and modelling that have influenced international standards (CEN/ISO) for roof snow loads.NMBU, Standardz Norway, ISO/TC98.
    NMBUtre / Wood technology cluster2023–2030Cross‑disciplinary wood initiative at NMBU linking materials research, climate and building physics.NMBU, Innovation Norway
    Future Climate Data for Building Simulations Adapted to Norway2025–2027Future Meteorological Years (FMY) and methodology for Norwegian conditions, for energy demand and summer comfort.NMBU REALTEK and partners.
    TMY‑NO Climate Data for Building Simulations Adapted to Norway2024–2025Development of national TMY‑NO weather files and related datasets for building simulations.NMBU REALTEK, MET Norway, Standards Norway, NVE, DiBK, ENOVA.
    FME Susoltech2017–2025FME activities on sustainable solar cell technology and applications in buildings.FME consortium, Research Council of Norway, NMBU REALTEK.
    Hybrids (Research Council of Norway)2021–2025Hybrid ventilation in practice: operation, comfort and greenhouse‑gas reductions.Skanska, Multiconsult, WindowMaster, Aalborg University, NMBU; Research Council of Norway.
    GreenHVAC (Research Council of Norway)2020–2023Energy efficiency and reuse in technical building systems.NMBU, industry partners, Research Council of Norway.
    Hyperspectral Imaging in Wood and Building Surfaces2016–2022Hyperspectral imaging to measure moisture and biological degradation in building materials.NMBU REALTEK.
    Urban Microclimate and Thermal Mapping2018–2021Urban climate, surface temperatures and UHI using UAV, hyperspectral imaging and ground measurements; focus on blue‑green structures and spectral energy exchange.NMBU REALTEK, urban climate groups and international partners.
    WoodBeBetter2012–2017Weathering, moisture uptake and aesthetic ageing of timber claddings.Research Council of Norway (#225345/E40), NMBU, Treteknisk, AHO.
    Farm Buildings in the Arctic (LiA)2010–2015Buildings in arctic climates—ventilation, snow, insulation and structural loads.County Governors of Troms, Nordland and Finnmark; NMBU (REALTEK).
    Structural Assessment of Industrial Heritage Buildings2009–2010EEA/Norway Grants project with the Klokner Institute (CTU Prague). Methodology for structural assessment of historical and industrial buildings.Klokner Institute (CTU Prague), UMB; EEA/Norway Grants.

Courses

The group is responsible for the following courses at NMBU: