Holger Wallbaum

Holger Wallbaum is a Full Professor in Sustainable Building at Chalmers University of Technology’s Department of Building Technology, serving as Vice-Head of Department and Vice-Dean for Research in the School of Architecture and Civil Engineering. His work focuses on enhancing sustainability in construction materials, buildings, and cities through lifecycle assessments, tools, and strategies.

Education:

• PhD in Architecture, University of Hanover, Germany (2002)
• Diploma in Safety Engineering (Environmental Engineering), Bergische University Wuppertal, Germany (1998)
• Maîtrise Gestion de Risques, Université de Mulhouse, France (1995)

Research Interests:

Wallbaum’s research spans ecological and economic lifecycle assessments of construction materials and infrastructure, sustainability assessment tools, climate-adapted design, building stock modeling, and the refurbishment of urban housing. His work bridges technical, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainability, with a focus on occupant well-being, circular economy principles, and policy implementation.

Article Trends:

His recent publications emphasize digital tools for urban sustainability (e.g., digital twins, machine learning), lifecycle management of infrastructure, and occupant-centric design. Key themes include circular economy frameworks, material flow analysis, and bridging assessment-action gaps in sustainability practices.

Advising & Grants:

• Advised PhD/Master’s students including Sanjay Somanath, Xinyue, and Toivo.
• Involved in projects like CREATE (energy/climate strategies), SSO User Insight Toolbox, and PROCEEDR (road infrastructure sustainability).

Labs/Teams:

Active in the Sustainable Building research group and the Area of Advance: Building Futures at Chalmers, collaborating on initiatives like the Building Inventory and Refurbishment Scenario Database.