SimAud Conference(online), Vienna, Austria
In May 2020, Haobo Liu virtually participated the SimAUD 2020 International Conference, which was hosted online due to the COVID-19 pademic. The conference topics covered architecture, urban design, urban planning, building science, and data science.
Haobo presented and published his two papers, including A Case of High-Performance Building Form Design Workflow Informed by Computational Simulation (collaborated with Dr. Adam Rysanek, Dr. Andrea Frisque and Jeanie Chan) and Simulation-Based Design Optimization for Mixed-Use Recreational Buildings with TEUI, TEDI, and GHGI Targets(collaborated with Jeanie Chan, Luisa Drope and Dr. Andrea Frisque).
Certified Passive House Designer, Vancouver, CA
In February 2020, Haobo Liu received the certificate from Passive House Institute as a Passive house designer. The certificate exemplifies that the designer has been accredited with the knowledge and experience relevant for design or consultancy services for Passive House projects.
First Prize, High-Performance Buildings Design Competition, Toronto, CA
In October 2019, at the venue of the Passive House Canada annual conference in Toronto, Haobo Liu received the Juror’s Choice Award (First Prize) for the 2019 High-Performance Buildings Design Competition.
In this project, a story, called Vancouver House Game, is designed as a medium to present the demand of different stakeholders in the building industry. As an virtual project, it integrates design with technology, helping to draw out more comfortable and more sustainable buildings through a process that may yield new insights for the design of future buildings and communities.
CanBIM Design & Engineering Award, Toronto, CA
In September 2019, Haobo Liu’s R & D at Stantec, Shaping High-Rise Towers to Meet Future Energy Codes, received the 2019 CanBIM Design & Engineering Award – a recognition of the most innovative projects in the Canadian industry.
In this project, Haobo Liu used performance design and simulation to enhance geometrical modelling with applied science information, such as thermal properties and energy performance. Applying this model in parametric simulations, he generated big data information about future developments. The data can then be made accessible in parallel coordinates plots for maximum information extraction.
John Gaitanakis Prize in Architecture, Vancouver, CA
In May 2019, as a researcher from UBC, Haobo Liu received the 2019 John Gaitanakis Prize for his accomplishments in sustainability.
During his study/research at UBC, Haobo has actively participated in sustainable design courses and design studios. He has TAed several courses such as ARCH 573E Parametric Design of High Performance Buildings and HPB 506 Capstone: New Building Energy Systems Design. His academic works and writings have been also published in venues including SimAud, ASHRAE Building Performance Analysis Conference and Dezeen magazine.
As a research assistant in ETA Lab at UBC, Haobo worked on the preliminary environmental analysis report and energy modelling of a large multi-unit residential building design.
SimAud Conference, Altalanta, US
In April 2019, Haobo Liu participated the SimAUD 2019 International Conference on the campus of Georgia Institute of Technology. In this symposium on simulation for architecture and urban design, Haobo discussed and connected with a big group of professionals, researchers, and students in the fields of architecture, engineering, and sustainability who have a strong mind about the power and effectiveness of transdisciplinary collaboration, analysis, and simulation
Roundtable Discussion with BC Minister of Energy, Vancouver, CA
In November 2018, Haobo Liu and Dr. Adam Rysanek(Director of UBC ETA Lab), along with Prof. Ron Kellett (SALA Head of Department) sat down with the BC Minister of Energy and Mines, Michelle Mungall, for a roundtable discussion on future net-zero buildings and cities in the province.
During this meeting, Haobo's research report was presented to Michelle. The discussion, set around the launch of the Better Buildings BC incentive programme, involved other key participants from UBC including John Metras, Associate VP of Campus Facilities at UBC, and John Madden, Director of Sustainability and Engineering at UBC Campus + Community Planning.
Solemma Symposium, New York, US
In October 2018, as a researcher from UBC, Haobo Liu participated the Solemma Symposium(previous DIVA DAY) on the campus of Cornell University in New York city. A capacity crowd of designers, building scientists, educators, and environmental performance consultants, as well as students in architecture and engineering, attended the two-day Solemma Symposium and Training held at AAP NYC in October. Solemma is a group of professionals in the field of environmental analysis and design practice, research, and architectural education.
Wander Wood, Vancouver, CA
In September 2018, Haobo Liu participated the Robot Made: Large-Scale Robotic Timber Fabrication Workshop in Architecture led by professor AnnaLisa Meyboom.
Starting with computational tools for parametric design, structural principles for wood construction, robotic CNC milling and digital workflow management, participants were provided with a unique insight into the new opportunities and challenges of advanced design to fabrication processes for timber structures.
Parametric design and robotic fabrication are disruptive new technologies in architecture that allow us to build high performance structures of unprecedented formal complexity. Wood is a natural partner for these technologies because of the ability to easily mill and shape it with robotically controlled cutting tools. Wood is also highly sustainable – not only is it a renewable resource but it also stores carbon – making it one of the most sustainable building materials in the world.
UBC-SEU Timber Design Workshop, Vancouver, CA
In August 2018, Haobo Liu participated the Timber Design Workshop co-organized by the University of British Columbia and Southeast University. The workshop started by visiting a long list of successful timer design precedents, including Audain Art Museum, VanDusen Garden, Richmond Oval, Surrey City Central, and Surrey Memorial Hospital.
Then, various topics on timber design and technology were presented to the participants, including material characteristics by Dr. Frank Lam, timber fabrication by StructureCraft. At the second week, students joined in a design studio and designed a community center in the rural area through timber construction. Final deliverables participated in the National Timber Design Competition in Harbin, China.