Research

2024

Investigator: SPARK Research Grant
Investigator: Kushagra Varma
Project: An Interactive 3D Carbon Emissions Map for Environmental Assessment of Buildings at Wentworth: An Introduction to Undergraduates in Construction Management Program.
Award type: Competitively awarded faculty research grant.
Total Support: USD 2,000

2022

Investigator: Steinbrenner Institute Doctoral Fellowship for Environmentally Focused Research
Principal Investigator: Erica C. Hameen
Project: Kushagra Varma’s doctoral research project: A 4D Interactive Carbon Emissions
Dashboard: A Visualization and Assessment Tool for Urban Building Environmental Impact.
Award type: Competitively awarded doctoral research fellowship.
Total Support: USD 40,000

2021

Investigator: P.J. Dick Incorporated AECM Doctoral Fellowship
Principal Investigator: Erica C. Hameen
Project: Kushagra Varma’s doctoral research project: A 4D Interactive Carbon Emissions
Dashboard: A Visualization and Assessment Tool for Urban Building Environmental Impact.
Award type: Competitively awarded doctoral research fellowship.
Total Support: USD 250,000 +

Dashboard Samples

Pittsburgh - https://www.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/35c466e3f2ed49199f63c861198f2d89
Orlando - https://www.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/edf2f06c918349fa9af7e27f555fbbeb

Manuscripts (in progress)

2026

Feasibility of benchmarking embodied carbon in building structures and envelop at urban scale: A systematic review of embodied carbon in buildings research published between 2011 and 2022.
(Target journal: Elsevier, Building and Environment)

Towards 4D visualization of urban building environmental performance: A systematic review of predictive methods.
(Target journal: Elsevier, Energy and Buildings)

Analysis of web-based tools used for visualizing the building performance data collected through benchmarking ordinances: An analysis of 48 US cities and states.
(Target journal: Elsevier, Computer Environment, and Urban Systems)

Predictive modeling of building-related emissions using Pittsburgh’s energy benchmarking data: A comparative analysis of different forecasting methods.
(Target journal: Elsevier, Building and Environment)

Publication

2014
Varma K., Chaurasia M., Shukal P., Ahmed T. (2014, February). Green Building Architecture: A Literature Review on Designing Techniques. International Journal of Scientific Research Publication, Volume 4 (Issue 2). ISSN 2250-3153

Conference Presentations:

2023

Varma K., Cochran E. (2023, September). Towards 4D Visualization of Urban Building Environmental Performance: Analysis of Energy and Water Use Performance of Municipal Buildings in Pittsburgh. ASHRAE Building Performance Analysis Conference 2023. Austin Texas.

2021

Varma K., Cochran E., Ken Opurum B. (2021, April). Effects and Impacts of Sustainability Initiatives on the Environmental Performance of Residential Buildings in the Borough of Manhattan: A comparative Study and a Model for the Future. Eleventh International Conference on the Constructed Environment. (Online): University of Calgary, Canada.

Invited Presentations:

2022

Varma, Kushagra (July 2022), Modern Planning, scheduling, and management tools & techniques to reduce time, cost, resource wastage in construction industry. National Faculty Development Program 2022, Council of Architecture India.