William P. Bahnfleth, PhD, PD

Professor of Architectural Engineering at Penn State

Research Expertise

HVAC

Thermal Storage

Chilled Water Systems

Indoor Air Quality

UVGI

Publications

It Is Time to Address Airborne Transmission of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Clinical Infectious Diseases

How can airborne transmission of COVID-19 indoors be minimised?

Environment International

Indoor air quality and health in schools: A critical review for developing the roadmap for the future school environment

Journal of Building Engineering

Dismantling myths on the airborne transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)

Journal of Hospital Infection

A paradigm shift to combat indoor respiratory infection

Mathematical Modeling of Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation for Air Disinfection

Quantitative Microbiology

Piping design for indirect heating systems

Faber and Kell's Heating and Air Conditioning of Buildings

Energy saving potential of thermoelectric radiant cooling panels with a dedicated outdoor air system

Energy and Buildings

Mandating indoor air quality for public buildings

Mathematical Modeling of UV Disinfection

Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation Handbook

UVGI System Modeling

Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation Handbook

Load Rating of Reinforced Concrete Slab Bridges Using Field Testing

Ultraviolet Rate Constants of Pathogenic Bacteria: A Database of Genomic Modeling Predictions

Indoor carbon dioxide metric analysis tool

Impact of Above-Grade Walls on Three-Dimensional Building Foundation Heat Transfer From Slab-On Grade Floors

Journal of Solar Energy Engineering

Air and Gas Filter Media

Handbook of Filter Media

Variable Flow Hot Water Heating Systems A Wonderful Technology

Energy Engineering

Energy/Water Sources

The ASHRAE GreenGuide

An Open-Source Modelica Implementation of a District Chilled Water Storage System with Remote Charging Ability

2025 ASHRAE Annual Conference

Animal Models of Skeletal Disease

Handbook of Laboratory Animal Science

Improved Energy Performance of Air-Conditioning System Using Variable Primary Flow Chilled Water Systems in an Office Building

Applied Mechanics and Materials

Control Algorithms and Control Strategies for Variable Primary Flow Chilled Water Systems

Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Computer Application and System Modeling

Air Leakage in Industrial Buildings—Description of Equipment

Measured Air Leakage of Buildings

ASTM and ASHRAE Standards for the Assessment of Indoor Air Quality

Handbook of Indoor Air Quality

Modeling Particle Dispersion under Human Activity Disturbance in a Multizone Indoor Environment

Journal of Architectural Engineering

272. Indoor Particulate Loading During Health care Facility Construction

A Numerical Analysis of the Stratification Properties of Chilled Water Storage Tanks Charged at Freezing Point Temperature

Journal of Heat Transfer

Design and Performance of Walls with SPF

Journal of Thermal Insulation and Building Envelopes

Review for "High efficacy of layered controls for reducing exposure to airborne pathogens"

Critical Review of Aerosol Particle Transport Models for Building HVAC Ducts

Journal of Architectural Engineering

Energy Conservation Using Variable-speed Chilled Water Pumps for Single-loop Chilled Water Systems with Fan-coil Units

Energy Engineering

Potential Energy and Demand Savings Using Natural Gas Engine-Driven Air Compressors

Energy Engineering

Effects of HVAC System and Building Characteristics on Exposure of Occupants to Short-Duration Point Source Aerosol Releases

Journal of Architectural Engineering

Policy and Regulatory Roadmap to Achieve Health-Based Indoor Air Quality Standards

IEQ 2025 Conference

Quantifying System Vulnerability As a Performance Measure for Systems Investment Evaluation and Decision-Making

Vulnerability, Uncertainty, and Risk

Impact Of Heat Transfer Through Floor Slab On Energy Performance Of Buildings With Ufad Systems

Building Simulation Conference Proceedings

AI as a catalyst for synergistic gains in indoor air quality and energy efficiency

Building and Environment

Engineering Infection Controls to Reduce Indoor Transmission of Respiratory Infections

Annals of Internal Medicine

CFD modeling of reactive species air cleaner applications in a classroom

Indoor Environments

Investigation of a DNA tagged aerosol tracer method for In Situ evaluation of germicidal UV air cleaner effectiveness

Building and Environment

Optimal design and operation of the hybrid absorption-compression chiller plants - Energy and economic analysis

Journal of Building Engineering

IAQ 2020: Indoor environmental quality performance approaches transitioning from IAQ to IEQ, part 2 May 4–6, 2022 | Athens, Greece

Science and Technology for the Built Environment

Comparing airborne infectious aerosol exposures in sparsely occupied large spaces utilizing large-diameter ceiling fans

Building and Environment

ANN-based procedure to obtain the optimal design and operation of the compression chiller network – Energy, economic and environmental analysis

Journal of Building Engineering

CFD modeling of room airflow effects on inactivation of aerosol SARS-CoV-2 by an upper-room ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) system

Science and Technology for the Built Environment

Coronavirus Disease 2019 and Airborne Transmission: Science Rejected, Lives Lost. Can Society Do Better?

Clinical Infectious Diseases

Inactivation of HCoV-NL63 and SARS-CoV-2 in aqueous solution by 254 nm UV-C

Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology

Techno-economic assessment of a proposed novel hybrid system for natural gas pressure reduction stations

Process Safety and Environmental Protection

IAQ 2020: Indoor Environmental Quality Performance Approaches Transitioning from IAQ to IEQ

Science and Technology for the Built Environment

Why Indoor Chemistry Matters: A National Academies Consensus Report

Environmental Science & Technology

Model-Based Testbed for Uncertainty Quantification in Building Control Systems with Advanced Sequences of Operation

Journal of Architectural Engineering

Correction to Practical Indicators for Risk of Airborne Transmission in Shared Indoor Environments and Their Application to COVID-19 Outbreaks

Environmental Science & Technology

Practical Indicators for Risk of Airborne Transmission in Shared Indoor Environments and Their Application to COVID-19 Outbreaks

Environmental Science & Technology

Control of airborne infectious disease in buildings: Evidence and research priorities

E3S Web of Conferences

Quantifying transmission risk of SARS-CoV-2 in different situations

What were the historical reasons for the resistance to recognizing airborne transmission during the COVID ‐19 pandemic?

The COVID‐19 pandemic is a global indoor air crisis that should lead to change: A message commemorating 30 years of Indoor Air

Impact of control loop performance on energy use, air quality, and thermal comfort in building systems with advanced sequences of operation

Automation in Construction

Critical Capability Needs for Reduction of Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Indoors

Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology

Inactivation of Pathogens in Air Using Ultraviolet Direct Irradiation Below Exposure Limits

Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology

Practical Indicators for Risk of Airborne Transmission in Shared Indoor Environments and their Application to COVID-19 Outbreaks

Performance of advanced control sequences in handling uncertainty in energy use and indoor environmental quality using uncertainty and sensitivity analysis for control components

Energy and Buildings

Critical review of standards for indoor thermal environment and air quality

Energy and Buildings

The relationships between classroom air quality and children’s performance in school

Building and Environment

The cluster model of ultraviolet disinfection explains tailing kinetics

Journal of Applied Microbiology

Profiling occupant behaviour in Danish dwellings using time use survey data

Energy and Buildings

Field measurement and modeling of UVC cooling coil irradiation for heating, ventilating, and air conditioning energy use reduction (RP-1738)—Part 1: Field measurements

Science and Technology for the Built Environment

Field measurement and modeling of UVC cooling coil irradiation for heating, ventilating, and air conditioning energy use reduction (RP-1738)—Part 2: Energy, indoor air quality, and economic modeling

Science and Technology for the Built Environment

Simulation and monetization of collateral airborne infection risk improvements from ultraviolet germicidal irradiation for coil maintenance

Science and Technology for the Built Environment

Effects of an ultraviolet coil irradiation system on the airside heat transfer coefficient and low ΔT syndrome in a hot and humid climate

Science and Technology for the Built Environment

IAQ 2016: Defining indoor air quality: Policy, standards and best practices

Science and Technology for the Built Environment

Natural ventilation potential for gymnasia – Case study of ventilation and comfort in a multisport facility in northeastern United States

Building and Environment

A new dual-collimation batch reactor for determination of ultraviolet inactivation rate constants for microorganisms in aqueous suspensions

Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology

Effectiveness of an ultraviolet germicidal irradiation system in enhancing cooling coil energy performance in a hot and humid climate

Energy and Buildings

The influence of surface finishes on the energy demand of HVAC systems for existing buildings

Energy and Buildings

Effects of installation location on performance and economics of in-duct ultraviolet germicidal irradiation systems for air disinfection

Building and Environment

Comparison of semi-quantitative and formal metrics for multi-zone airflow model quality assessment

HVAC&R Research

Ultraviolet irradiance measurement and modeling for evaluating the effectiveness of in-duct ultraviolet germicidal irradiation devices

HVAC&R Research

Estimating the effects of ambient conditions on the performance of UVGI air cleaners

Building and Environment

Feasibility of wireless measurements for semi-empirical multizone airflow model tuning

Building and Environment

Case studies of building envelope leakage measurement using an air-handler fan pressurisation approach

Building Services Engineering Research and Technology

How Much Energy Do Different Toplighting Strategies Save?

Journal of Architectural Engineering

Measurements and Factorial Analysis of Micron-Sized Particle Adhesion Force to Indoor Flooring Materials by Electrostatic Detachment Method

Aerosol Science and Technology

Resuspension of allergen-containing particles under mechanical and aerodynamic disturbances from human walking

Atmospheric Environment

Improving Performance of HVAC Systems to Reduce Exposure to Aerosolized Infectious Agents in Buildings; Recommendations to Reduce Risks Posed by Biological Attacks

Biosecurity and Bioterrorism: Biodefense Strategy, Practice, and Science

Constant flow rate charging characteristics of a full-scale stratified chilled water storage tank with double-ring slotted pipe diffusers

Applied Thermal Engineering

Parametric Study of Single-Pipe Diffusers in Stratified Chilled Water Storage Tanks (RP-1185)

HVAC&R Research

Measured and Modeled Charging of a Stratified Chilled Water Thermal Storage Tank with Slotted Pipe Diffusers

HVAC&R Research

Dimensional Analysis of UVGI Air Disinfection Systems

HVAC&R Research

Modeling Immune Building Systems for Bioterrorism Defense

Journal of Architectural Engineering

Demonstration of a Hermetic Airborne Ozone Disinfection System: Studies on E. coli

Demonstration of a Hermetic Airborne Ozone Disinfection System: Studies onE. coli

Stack and Mechanical System Effects on Dispersion of Biological Agents in a Tall Building

Fluids Engineering

Parametric Study of Charging Inlet Diffuser Performance in Stratified Chilled Water Storage Tanks with Radial Diffusers: Part 1–Model Development and Validation

HVAC&R Research

Parametric Study of Charging Inlet Diffuser Performance in Stratified Chilled Water Storage Tanks with Radial Diffusers: Part 2–Dimensional Analysis, Parametric Simulations and Simplified Model Development

HVAC&R Research

Parametric Study of Charging Inlet Diffuser Performance in Stratified Chilled Water Storage Tanks with Radial Diffusers: Part 2–Dimensional Analysis, Parametric Simulations and Simplified Model Development

HVAC&R Research

Prospects for Cool Thermal Storage in a Competitive Electric Power Industry

Journal of Architectural Engineering

Bactericidal Effects of High Airborne Ozone Concentrations on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus

Ozone: Science & Engineering

Chilled Water Thermal Energy Storage without Electric Rate Incentives or Rebates

Journal of Architectural Engineering

Education

University of Illinois

PhD, Mechanical Engineering / May, 1989

Urbana-Champaign

University of Illinois

BMus (performance), Music / May, 1988

Urbana-Champaign

University of Illinois

MS, Mechanical Engineering / August, 1980

Urbana-Champaign

University of Illinois

BS, Mechanical Engineering / May, 1979

Urbana-Champaign

Experience

The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA

Professor of Architectural Engineering / August, 1994 — Present

Teaching, research, and service responsibilities related to building mechanical systems and related mechanical services such as district cooling systems. Research interests are divided between indoor air quality control (predominantly control of bioaerosols with germicidal UV), district cooling systems, and cool thermal energy storage.

ZBA, Inc. Cincinnati, OH

Senior Consultant / August, 1989 — July, 1994

Responsible for engineering studies (feasibility, master planning) and specialized design for district heating and cooling systems, including cool thermal energy storage systems.

US Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory, Champaign, IL

Engineer/Principal Investigator / June, 1985 — July, 1989

Managed and conducted facilities engineering research on energy modeling and HVAC systems.

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