Prof. Wanxiang Yao is a distinguished academic in the field of building energy efficiency, renewable energy, and human thermal comfort. He is currently serving as a Professor at the College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Qingdao University of Technology, where he has been since September 2023. He holds a Ph.D. in Heat, Gas Supply, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning Engineering from Tongji University, China, where he also completed his Master’s degree. Prior to his current position, he was an Associate Professor at Tianjin Chengjian University, where he contributed significantly to research on building environmental systems and energy-efficient technologies.Prof. Yao’s research interests are centered around building energy efficiency, the use of renewable energy, indoor thermal environment and human thermal comfort, and the control of indoor pollutants. His work also extends to studying the impacts of climate change on building performance and exploring strategies to improve building energy management systems. Professor Yao has led several research projects, including those funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and has published over 90 papers, with numerous patents to his name. His research has had a significant impact on improving energy efficiency in buildings and developing innovative technologies for integrating renewable energy systems in the built environment.In recognition of his outstanding contributions, Professor Yao has received several prestigious awards, including the First Prize of the Invention and Entrepreneurship Award (2025) and multiple national and provincial awards for his research in solar energy and intelligent building energy control technologies. He has also been honored as a Young Expert of the Taishan Scholars of Shandong Province. Additionally, he serves as an editorial board member for Scientific Reports and Progress in Energy & Fuels.Prof. Weijun Gao received his B.E. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Tongji University in 1982, M.E. degree in Building Environment from Zhejiang University in 1987, and Ph.D. degree in Urban Environmental Engineering from Waseda University, Japan, in 1996. He is currently a Professor at The University of Kitakyushu, Japan, and a Foreign Academician of the Engineering Academy of Japan. He also serves as a Distinguished Professor at Qingdao University of Technology.Prof. Gao’s research interests include environmental architecture, circular architecture, smart buildings, and marine architecture. He has published over 160 SCI papers and led more than ten national and regional research projects in Japan. He has served in academic organizations such as the Asian Urban Environmental Society and the Asian Low-Carbon Society.Mr. Chunze Liu obtained a bachelor's degree in Building Environment and Energy Application Engineering from Hebei Institute of Architecture and Engineering in 2018, and a master's degree in Civil Engineering and Water Conservancy from Tianjin Chengjian University of in 2022. He is currently pursuing a doctoral degree at Qingdao University of Technology. Mr. Liu's main research interests are in the efficient use of solar energy and passive building energy-saving technologies.Mr. Xiangru Kong received his Master’s degree in Heating, Gas Supply, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Engineering from Tianjin Chengjian University in 2024 and began his doctoral studies in Environmental Engineering at The University of Kitakyushu in the same year. In 2025, he was awarded a full scholarship from the China Scholarship Council (CSC). His research focuses on building energy conservation and the efficient utilization of solar energy, with particular attention to the integration of renewable energy in buildings.
