Airaj Sadeq — Energy Engineer
I am an energy engineer working in building energy modeling and simulation. In my master's thesis I built a multi-stage calibration method for urban building energy models, bringing simulated gas use to within 11% and electricity to within 34% of metered consumption across the University of Padova's non-residential building stock. I also turn that modeling into tools other people can use: MasterB began as a physics-based simulation engine only a researcher could run, and is now a retrofit planning platform a portfolio manager can operate without a technical background. Based in Padova, Italy.
Now
Research Fellow, Betalab, University of Padova, Padova (2025–present).
- Analyzed electricity and gas use across the University of Padova's non-residential building stock, working from utility bills and simulations for both the current state and retrofit scenarios. Defined technical and economic KPIs to rank retrofit interventions.
- Energy and hygrothermal modeling for the VALORLEGNO regional research project, including in-situ thermal measurements on a prototype timber building.
Selected work
- MasterB (2025): a decision support tool for building portfolio retrofit planning, built around a physics-based building energy simulation engine.
- VALORLEGNO (2026): energy and hygrothermal modeling for a prototype timber building: whole-building simulation, thermal bridges, and interstitial condensation.
Education
- MSc Energy Engineering, University of Padova (2022–2025). Developed a multi-stage calibration method for Urban Building Energy Models (UBEM) using the EUReCA simulation platform, then used the calibrated models to assess retrofit scenarios.
- BSc Energy Engineering, Kabul University (2016–2019).
Tools
EnergyPlus, OpenStudio, QGIS, Python, MATLAB, CAD, Revit, FEMM.
Elsewhere