Prof. Artūras Kaklauskas
Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Lithuania
PhD Dr Sc A. Kaklauskas is a professor at Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Lithuania; Chair of the Department of Construction Management and Real Estate; a former member of the Research Council of Lithuania (2018–2023); a member of the Science Europe working group on Data Sharing and Supporting Infrastructures; a member of the European Open Science Cloud Steering Board; an expert to the intergovernmental meeting on UNESCO’s Draft Recommendation on the Ethics of AI; a member of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences; the editor-in-chief of Journal of Civil Engineering and Management (Web of Science Q2 journal); an editor of Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence (international Web of Science Q1 journal); and an associate editor of Ecological Indicators, another international journal. He contributed to nine Framework and five Horizon 2020 projects and participated in over 30 other projects in the EU, the USA, Africa and Asia. He published 212 papers, totaling 5,180 citations in the Web of Science; his H-Index is 37.
Speech Title: “Affective adaptive mass customized buildings”
Abstract: This article starts with a brief analysis of affective adaptive real-time mass customized buildings worldwide. A person’s affective, emotional, and physiological (AFEP) states are tightly linked to the surrounding building spaces. This link served as the basis for creating the affective adaptive mass-customized building (the affective building) aimed at reducing the energy needs of buildings and improving the quality of the indoor environment. The affective building utilizes the Internet of Things, AI, and affective computing technologies. This research sought to develop affectively adaptive, real-time, mass-customized spaces. The affective building has been designed to monitor a person’s AFEP states and subsequently tailor their building spaces according to the Yerkes–Dodson law, the somatic marker hypothesis, and social exchange theory. Various databases have been created to achieve this goal; for example, the music database and color database contain 2 million options each. Using more than 856 million data points, we created and validated more than 600 regression models for AFEP states, demonstrating strong performance (R2 = 0.812–0.998). The affective building stands out from other advanced systems due to two key innovative elements. First, it customizes building environments (including music, scents, visuals, movies, energy optimization, temperature control, humidity levels, air purification, carbon dioxide management, vibrations, lighting colors, and brightness) to enhance user comfort and productivity. Additionally, it can preserve the required AFEP states by adjusting building spaces.
Assoc. Prof. Ling Lloyd
Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Malaysia
Ir. Dr. Ling Lloyd is an Associate Professor at the Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science (LKC FES) at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) in Malaysia. He is also a visiting professor at Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule (OTH) University in Germany, serving in the Faculty of Informatics and Mathematics. He earned a Master's degree in Engineering and two MBA degrees in Finance and International Business. He also prolonged his Post-MBA studies with Stanford University in Advanced Project Management and Negotiation. Before returning to Malaysia, he held several managerial positions in S&P 100 corporate and served on the corporate contingency planning committee. Ir. Dr. Ling Lloyd is also a Fellow of the ASEAN Academy of Engineering and Technology (AAET) and serves on the panels of the Engineering Technology Accreditation Council (ETAC) and the Engineering Accreditation Council (EAC) in Malaysia. Additionally, he is a member of the Earthquake Technical Committee of the Department of Standards Malaysia under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI). He is a registered professional engineer in Malaysia, a member of the Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (IEM), serving the Urban Engineering Development Special Interest Group, and a certified national trainer with a Train-The-Trainer (TTT) certification. Ir. Dr. Ling Lloyd is a principal investigator and research team member in several national and industry-funded research projects in Malaysia, and an international research grant holder. Together with three research professors from the medical faculty, he was awarded a national miRNA cancer research and development grant. His research interests include climate change, hydrology, the oil palm industry, and artificial intelligence with predictive modelling. He also conducts training workshops on AI applications.
Speech Title: “Taming the Thirsty Digital Beast: A Human-Centered Approach to Data Center Water Sustainability”
Abstract: The authors’ past research has developed two statistically
significant runoff modeling techniques capable of incorporating future
rainfall projections from multiple climate models. These calibrated,
climate-resilient runoff prediction models can be integrated with GIS tools
to create digital twin models. Such models enable stakeholders to assess
flood scenarios driven by projected rainfall while balancing data center
water consumption against human needs to ensure equitable water resource
allocation and management. Therefore, a framework is proposed to address
data center construction challenges in Malaysia.
The urgency of this framework is underscored by the substantial water
demands of modern data centers. A 100 MW facility can consume approximately
4.16 million liters of water per day, equivalent to the daily needs of a
town of 10,000 people, while larger Tier 1 and Tier 2 facilities may require
up to 50 million liters per day, comparable to filling 20 Olympic-sized
swimming pools. In Malaysia, projected data center water demand has reached
808 million liters per day (MLD) across key states, far exceeding the
current supply capacity of 142 MLD, highlighting a critical infrastructure
and resource gap. Additionally, regional demand projections include 440 MLD
in Johor by 2035 and 79 MLD in Selangor by 2032, further intensifying
concerns over national water security.
Digital twin models should function to resolve tensions between data center
operations and public welfare by incorporating such demand projections into
scenario-based analyses. This proposed framework aligns climate resilience
with responsible water stewardship, ensuring that technological advancement
and data center management do not compromise fundamental human water needs.
By embedding human-centered design principles into digital twin systems, the
framework supports sustainable infrastructure planning, transparent resource
allocation, and informed decision-making under increasing climate and water
stress.
Prof. Walid Larbi
Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers (CNAM),
Paris
Walid Larbi is Full Professor of Mechanics and Civil Engineering at the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers (CNAM), Paris and a member of the LMSSC laboratory. His research interests include structural dynamics, non-linear seismic analysis, reduced-order modeling, and vibro-acoustics. He has authored more than 100 publications and supervised over 12 PhD theses. He is head of the CNAM BTP “Structures” programs, training over 70 engineers per year, and leads CNAM’s international activities in Lebanon, Morocco, and Tunisia. In 2024, he was named Knight in the French Order of Academic Palms
Speech Title : Advanced numerical modeling and optimization of acoustic insulation for building facade elements
Abstract: The acoustic performance of building facade elements plays a key role in ensuring indoor comfort while meeting increasingly stringent ventilation and energy requirements. This presentation provides an overview of advanced numerical strategies developed to predict, analyze, and optimize the acoustic insulation of complex facade components, with a particular focus on low-frequency behavior. This work combines finite element modeling, substructuring techniques, poroelastic formulations, and global sensitivity analysis to address practical elements such as air inlets, double-wall systems with porous layers, roller shutter boxes, insulating glazing, and wooden windows. By systematically coupling calibrated numerical models with experimental data, these approaches identify dominant physical mechanisms, quantify uncertainties related to laboratory conditions, and prioritize key design parameters. The results demonstrate how numerical modeling can complement and, in some cases, partially replace costly experimental testing, providing robust tools for predicting and optimizing the acoustic insulation of facades
Assoc. Prof. Yap Soon Poh
Universiti Malaya, Malaysia
Dr. Yap Soon Poh is an associate professor in the Department of Civil
Engineering at Universiti Malaya, with expertise in sustainable construction
materials and advanced concrete technologies. His research focuses on the
development of green and high-performance materials, including lightweight
concrete, bio-composites, and recycled construction materials, as well as
the application of machine learning techniques for structural prediction and
optimization. He has published extensively in reputable journals,
contributing to areas such as concrete-filled steel tubes, self-healing
concrete, and sustainable material innovation.
In addition to his academic work, dr. Yap actively engages in
interdisciplinary and industry-linked research projects, addressing
practical challenges in sustainable infrastructure development. His research
aims to bridge fundamental material science with real-world engineering
applications, particularly in advancing low-carbon construction solutions
and data-driven design approaches for resilient infrastructure systems.
Speech Title : From Practicability to Performance: Mushroom Waste Recycling in Concrete and Cement Brick Masonry
Abstract: The increasing generation of agricultural waste presents both an environmental challenge and an opportunity for sustainable material innovation in construction. Among these wastes, spent mushroom substrate (SMS) remains underutilized, with a large proportion still disposed of through environmentally-harmful practices such as open dumping and burning. This presentation discusses the feasibility to transform SMS from a waste liability into a value-added resource in concrete and cement-based masonry applications. The study investigates multiple valorisation methods, including the use of SMS as a fine aggregate replacement, filler material, and as a precursor for SMS ash (SMSA) as partial cement replacement. Experimental results showed that incorporating SMS can significantly enhance material performance when optimally proportioned. For instance, low-level replacement ratios improve compressive strength while reducing density, contributing to lightweight construction materials. In masonry applications, cement bricks incorporating up to 60% SMS achieve medium to high strength ranges, suitable for both load-bearing and non-load-bearing purposes. Beyond mechanical performance, SMS-based materials exhibit notable functional advantages, including improved thermal and sound insulation properties, supporting energy-efficient and acoustically enhanced building designs. These findings highlight the dual benefit of reducing environmental impact while advancing material performance, paving ways for sustainable solutions by integrating agricultural waste into construction materials, contributing to circular economy practices and reduced carbon footprint in the built environment.