Sanjay Somanath

Sanjay Somanath is a Research Fellow at Chalmers University of Technology's Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering. His research focuses on computational approaches to urban social sustainability, specializing in activity-based accessibility modeling, GIS applications, and digital tool development for neighborhood planning. He collaborates with sustainable building researchers including Alexander Hollberg and Holger Wallbaum.

Education

• PhD (2024) - Chalmers University of Technology: 'Instruments of Inquiry for Urban Social Sustainability'
• M.Arch Digital Architecture and Tectonics (2018) - University of Nottingham
• B.Arch (2017) - BMS College of Engineering, Bangalore

Research Focus

Somanath's work centers on operationalizing urban social sustainability through digital frameworks. He develops computational instruments like activity-based accessibility models that simulate resident behaviors to evaluate neighborhood equity. His research bridges social theory with technical implementation, creating tools for participatory urban planning and sustainability assessment.

Recent work explores digital twins for multi-domain urban simulation, machine learning for urban quality inference, and procedural generation of 3D city models. These contributions advance data-driven approaches for evaluating social infrastructure coverage and environmental impacts.

Projects & Collaborations

• Developed Twinable: Interactive tool for socially sustainable neighborhood planning
• Contributed to DecarbonAIte: AI-based urban modeling for energy and environmental factors
• Collaborates with Sustainable Building research group at Chalmers