Education Background

Saranya is a PhD candidate in Architectural Engineering – mechanical focus. She received her bachelor’s in Architecture in 2015 and a Master’s in Building Energy Performance (Building Science) in 2019 from CEPT University, India. She has a two-years experience in architectural practice and after completing her master’s study she worked as a research associate at Center for Advanced Research in Building Science and Energy (CARBSE) for 1.5 years.  She contributed towards low-energy cooling systems and development of control algorithms for Mixed-mode buildings using Modelica EnergyPlus co-simulation at CARBSE. She was also a part of the lab and field test team for the Global Cooling prize (Govt. of India and RMI initiative – An innovative competition to develop a climate friendly residential cooling solution).

Her doctoral research revolves around modeling and simulation of interdependent community infrastructure systems and grid-interactive efficient district energy systems. Specifically, she explores (1) operational efficiency improvements in legacy steam district heating systems, (2) utilizing reinforcement learning based control for district energy systems, emphasizing practical applicability and (3) cyber-physical-logical interdependency modeling in future community infrastructure systems (such as energy, transportation, communication and water networks) along with assessment of cascading impacts due to uncertainties. 

Research Interests

• Grid-Interactive Efficient District (GED) Energy Systems
• Reinforcement learning based control optimization
• Interdependent community infrastructure systems
• Decarbonization and community resilience
• High Performance Buildings
• Low energy cooling systems
• Natural and Mechanical Ventilation Controls

Research Projects

• 01/2021- Present: DOE – Optimal Co-Design of Integrated Thermal-Electrical Networks and Control Systems for Grid-interactive Efficient District (GED) Energy Systems (with RPI, CU Boulder, UT Austin, LBNL, NREL & Amzur technologies)
• 03/2019 – 06/2022: DOE – Support for District Energy Simulation with Modelica (with NREL & LBNL)
• 10/2019 – 08/2022: NSF – BIGDATA: Collaborative Research: IA: Big Data Analytics for Optimized Planning of Smart, Sustainable, and Connected Communities (with Virginia Tech)

Journal Papers

• S. Anbarasu, K. Hinkelman, J. Wang, W. Zuo 2024, “Exploring the Effects of Interdependencies on Energy Systems in Smart Communities: A Multi-Domain Modeling and Quasi-Monte Carlo Sensitivity Analysis”, Energy and Buildings, 319(6), pp. 114510.
• Hinkelman, S. Anbarasu, W. Zuo. 2023,” Exergy-based ecological network analysis for building and community energy systems”, Energy and Buildings, 303(12), pp. 113807.
• S. Anbarasu, W. Zuo, Y. Fu, Y. Shukla, R. Rawal. 2022. “Validated Open-source Modelica Model of Direct Evaporative Cooler with Minimal Inputs,” Journal of Building Performance Simulation, 15(6), pp. 757–770.
• K. Hinkelman, S. Anbarasu, M. Wetter, A. Gautier, W. Zuo. 2022. “A Fast and Accurate Modeling Approach for Water and Steam Thermodynamics with Practical Applications in District Heating System Simulation,” Energy, 254(A), pp. 124227.

Conference Papers

• S. Anbarasu, T. Ambadkar, R. Adhikari, K. Hinkelman, W. Zuo, Z. He, A. Moftakhari 2024. “Optimizing Operational Costs in Combined Heat and Power Integrated District Heating Systems: A Reinforcement Learning Approach.” SimBuild 2024. May 21-23, Denver, CO. 
• Z. He, S. Anbarasu, K. Hinkelman, J. Hu, W. Zuo, A. Moftakhari 2024. “Computationally Efficient and Accurate Modeling of Combined Heat and Power Systems for District Energy Systems.” SimBuild 2024. May 21-23, Denver, CO.
• K. Hinkelman, S. Anbarasu, W. Zuo 2023. “Ecological Network Analysis of Integrated Energy Systems with Modelica: A Novel Biomimetic Approach for Building Design and Operation.” The 18th Conference of International Building Performance Simulation Association (Building Simulation 2023). September 4-6, Shanghai, China.
• S. Anbarasu, K. Hinkelman, W. Zuo. 2022. “Tracing the Dependency of Water and Energy in Smart and Connected Communities through a Multi-Domain Modeling Framework.” The 5th International Conference on Building Energy and Environment (COBEE 2022). July 25-29, Montreal, Canada.
• K. Hinkelman, S. Anbarasu, M. Wetter, A. Gautier, B. Ravache, W. Zuo 2022. “Towards Open-Source Modelica Models For Steam-Based District Heating Systems.” Proceedings of the 1st International Workshop On Open Source Modelling And Simulation Of Energy Systems (OSMSES 2022), Aachen, German, April 4-5, 2022.
• Anbarasu, S., Shukla, Y., Rawal, R., Cook, M., Loveday, D., Mishra, D., Patel, J., Angelopoulos, C. de Faria, L. C. 2020. “Assessing the benefits of changeover control algorithms in Mixed Mode residential buildings in India through co-simulation.” ENERGISE 2020. Energy Innovation for a Sustainable Economy. Hyderabad. 12-14 February
• de Faria, L., Cook, M., Loveday, D., Angelopoulos, C., Shukla, Y., Rawal, R., Manu, S., Mishra, D., Patel, J., Anbarasu, S., 2019. “Design charts to assist on the sizing of natural ventilation for cooling residential apartments in India.” Proceedings from BS 2019 and 16th IBPSA International Conference & Exhibition. Rome (Italy), 2-4 September 2019.

Major Awards

• Marlene & Joseph Borda Architectural Engineering Graduates Travel Fellowship, 2024.
• University of Nebraska Lincon, Durham School Ph.D. Symposium 2023 invited fellow.
• Student Travel Grant to attend the 2023 ASHRAE Winter Conference in Atlanta, ASHRAE, 2023.
• Keefauver Scholarship in Engineering, PSU, 2022.
• Fund for Excellence in Graduate Recruitment (FEGR) Awards, PSU, 2022.
• ASHRAE Rocky Mountain Chapter Student Scholarship, 2022.
• Awtar and Teji Singh Fellowship, University of Colorado Boulder, 2020.
• Dean’s Graduate Fellowship by College of Engineering & Applied Science, University of Colorado Boulder, 2020.
• Departmental Fellowship, University of Colorado Boulder, 2020.
• Graduate Dean’s Fellowship by Graduate School, University of Colorado Boulder, 2020.
• GICEA Gold medal awards 2019 – Excellence in Building Energy studies.
• BHAVANs 6-months exchange research Internship funded by IUSSTF (Indo-US Science and Technology forum) at University of Colorado Boulder.
• Linda Latham Scholarship to attend ACEEE Summer Study 2018 in California, US.
• Academic excellence award in M. Tech BEP, CEPT University.
• Academic excellence award in AY 2013-14, B. Arch, Thiagarajar College of Engineering.

Synergistic Activities

• Modelica Buildings Library developer
• IBPSA USA Student member
  
• ASHRAE Student member
• ASHRAE technical committee involvement: TC 6.08, TC 6.09, TC 6.10, TC 7.06, TC 4.07, TC 1.10
• Served as the President (AY 2021-2022) and Secretary (AY 2020-2021), ASHRAE Students Committee, University of Colorado Boulder
• Served as the President, ASHRAE Students Committee, CEPT University Chapter (AY 2018-2019).
• Technical Resource Group member of Solar Decathlon India 2020-21
• GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment) Certified professional
• IGBC (Indian Green building Council) Certified professional

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