Nelson Soares

Assistant Professor

Coordinator of the Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering

(Coordenador da Licenciatura em Engenharia Mecânica)

Office: N-2.08
Telephone: +351 239 790 719
E-mail: nelson.soares@dem.uc.pt
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Faculty of Sciences and Technology 
University of Coimbra

Degrees

2011-2015: PhD in Sustainable Energy Systems from the Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal, in the context of the Sustainable Energy Systems Doctoral Program of the MIT–Portugal Program.

2009-2011: Master's degree in Energy for Sustainability in the specialization area of Indoor Climate and Comfort from the Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. 

2007-2008: Master's degree in Civil Engineering in the specialization area of Constructions from the Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. 

2001-2007: Degree in Civil Engineering in the specialization area of Constructions (5-years study degree) from the Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. 

Research interests and main areas of scientific activity

• Building technology and physics
• Phase change materials (PCMs)
• Circular economy in the construction sector
• Thermal energy storage systems with PCMs
• Numerical and experimental assessment of the heat transfer with solid-liquid phase-change
• Numerical and experimental evaluation of the thermal transmittance of non-homogeneous elements
• Assessment of the thermal behavior and energy efficiency of buildings
• Dynamic simulation of energy in buildings
• Advances in construction technology towards a low carbon built environment
• Sustainable buildings
• Sustainable construction and materials
• Lightweight steel-framed (LSF) construction
• Renewable energy based applications for buildings
• Resilience and adaptation of buildings to climate changes
• Thermal comfort and indoor environment quality
• Thermal performance of historical and cultural heritage buildings
• Eco-design and innovative construction materials
• Building energy audits, rehabilitation, retrofitting and refurbishment
• Building certification, energy and environmental labels and declarations
• Transition towards a circular economy in the buildings sector
• Education for sustainable construction
• Transdisciplinary engineering, multidisciplinary studies and holistic approaches
• Advances in building envelope solutions
• Advances in building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), BIPV/PCM and PV/PCM systems
• Advances in earth-air heat exchanger (EAHE) systems
• Environmental impacts and life cycle assessment (LCA)
• Interrelated energy systems