The Munib and Angela Masri Institute of Energy and Natural Resources at the American University of Beirut (AUB) has announced the recipients of its latest research funding initiative, awarding a total of $160,000 over two years to four innovative proposals. These projects were selected for their strong potential to contribute directly to AUB’s transition toward a carbon-negative campus, with an emphasis on scalability and real-world impact.
In line with the Institute’s commitment to climate action and innovation, the funded proposals aim to reduce carbon emissions through forward-thinking solutions in clean energy generation and storage, the design of smart and energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, and minimizing campus waste. Special consideration in this cycle was given to proposals offering demonstrable applications within AUB’s own facilities—transformative ideas that can serve as visible showcases for sustainable change and be replicated in other communities.
The selected projects reflect a bold, interdisciplinary approach, engaging faculty and graduate students from across the university in collaborative research. Working closely with campus operations units, the awardees will contribute to creating a smarter, more sustainable university environment, advancing AUB’s and the Masri Institute’s shared vision of a Carbon Negative Campus.
Among the areas of innovation, the awarded projects address the application of artificial intelligence for energy sustainability, novel approaches to clean energy generation and storage, intelligent use of buildings and outdoor spaces in support of net-zero goals, and integrated solutions for sustainable waste and wastewater management.
The four research proposals and their respective clusters or projects approved for funding are:
Data-informed Bio-Solar Vertical System
Principal Investigator: Majd Olleik, Assistant Professor, Industrial Engineering and Management, MSFEA
Co-PI: Salma Talhouk, Professor, Landscape Design and Ecosystem Management, MSFEA
Co-PI: Dr. Carla Aramouny, Associate Professor, Architecture and Design, MSFEA
Co-PI: Monika Fabian, Instructor and PhD Candidate, Landscape Design and Ecosystem Management, MSFEA
The American University of Beirut has been actively carrying out efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. However, achieving net zero on campus faces practical challenges related to space constraints and limited data availability. This project proposes a data-informed, visually integrated bio-solar vertical system that combines photovoltaic (PV) panels with green walls on building facades. Inspired by the mutual benefits observed between PV panels and green roofs, where plants cool panels to enhance efficiency and panels shield plants for better growth, the study investigates whether similar synergies exist in vertical installations. We select Bechtel building as the case study and we focus on developing a design accounting for structural, functional, and environmental factors. In parallel, we plan to develop algorithms that use energy-related data from Bechtel building to detect energy leakage and optimize energy activities.
Advancing Circular Economy Practices in Waste Management at Aub: A Data-Driven and Stakeholder-Centered Approach
Principal Investigator (PI): May Massoud, Professor, Department of Environmental Health, MSFEA
Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI): Mahmoud Al Hindi, Associate Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Energy, MSFEA
AUB Non-Academic Unit: Farouk Merhebi and Samar Khalil, Environmental Health, Safety, and Risk Management
This project seeks to transform AUB’s waste management system by adopting a Circular Economy (CE) approach focused on resource efficiency and waste reduction. It will begin with waste audits, stakeholder consultations, and strategic assessments to pinpoint gaps and opportunities. The initiative will pilot solutions such as repair cafés, improved recycling systems, and resource-sharing platforms. Understanding stakeholder behavior will be key, with surveys and participatory tools guiding tailored interventions and awareness campaigns. Using the Design Thinking framework, the project will progress through stages of engagement, ideation, prototyping, and testing to co-create practical, user-centered solutions. Comparative analysis with global best practices and continuous feedback will help refine implementation. Expected outcomes include increased waste diversion, strengthened campus-wide engagement, and a scalable model that can be replicated at other institutions. By embedding CE into daily operations, AUB can reduce its environmental footprint and emerge as a sustainability leader in the region and beyond.
Distributed Control and Data-Driven Optimization of Robust Wind Turbines and Wind Farms
Principal Investigator: Dany Abou Jaoude, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, MSFEA
Co-PI: Ibrahim Issa, Assistant Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, MSFEA
The proposed project aims to develop AI-driven and distributed optimization and control strategies to enhance wind turbine operation and wind farm performance, optimizing turbine coordination, wake mitigation, and energy capture. Building on prior work in model-based robust control for single turbines, this project extends the focus to multi-turbine optimization using machine learning-based controllers, distributed optimization algorithms, and federated learning frameworks for scalable wind farm coordination.
A key component is the investigation of neural network controllers for blade pitch, yaw, and generator torque optimization, alongside consensus-based control strategies to dynamically adjust turbine yaw angles in real time. The project also explores privacy-aware federated learning techniques to improve turbine collaboration without centralized data dependencies. The various proposed approaches will be validated through high-fidelity Monte Carlo simulations, ensuring robustness to wind variability and operational uncertainties.
As a complementary outreach initiative, the project includes a micro-wind turbine showcase on campus, designed to engage students, raise public awareness, and stimulate discussion on wind energy and AI applications. This educational component will feature interactive learning materials and hands-on experiential learning opportunities through design, prototyping, and data logging/collection and processing.
Expected outcomes include improved wind farm efficiency, reduced operational uncertainty, and extended turbine lifespan, with long-term extensions toward digital twins, LIDAR-enhanced predictive control, and offshore wind platforms (the current scope focuses on onshore wind turbines). By integrating AI, distributed control, and real-time optimization, this project complements our previous efforts on robust control design via advanced mathematical frameworks and robustness guarantees through systematic analysis. Together, our projects lay the groundwork for the next generation of scalable, adaptive wind energy control systems.
Scaling and Optimizing HUMs for Enhanced Methanation in Sustainable Industrial Applications Principal Investigator: Mohammad Ahmad, Professor, Chairperson, Bassatne Department of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Energy, MSFEA
The project focuses on advancing the development, scalability, and application of Hybrid Ultramicroporous Materials (HUMs) as transformative materials for sustainable industrial applications. HUMs, known for their exceptional CO₂ adsorption and separation capabilities, the project will pioneer solvent-free synthesis methods that align with green chemistry principles, thereby reducing environmental impact and operational costs. Building on the achievements of the previous phase, this project will focus on scaling up HUMs synthesis to pilot-scale levels, with a specific emphasis on achieving consistent material quality and process efficiency. A key aspect of this phase will involve shaping HUMs through, for example, pelletization and tabletting, which will facilitate their handling and application in industrial settings. The outcomes will include not only technical advancements but also significant contributions to education and capacity-building initiatives at the American University of Beirut (AUB).