Tea Žakula

Laboratory for Energy Efficiency
University of Zagreb
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture
Ivana Lučića 5, 10000 Zagreb
Tel: +385 1 6168 136
Phone: +385 98 1820 552
Email: tzakula@fsb.hr

EDUCATION
2013 – Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Cambridge, MA, USA – Doctor of Philosophy – Building Technology Program
2010 – Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Cambridge, MA, USA – Master of Science – Building Technology Program
2007 – University of Zagreb Zagreb, Croatia – Diploma Engineer – Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture (FAMENA)

RESEARCH INTERESTS
Energy efficiency in buildings, smart buildings, model predictive control, smart grids, nearly zero energy buildings, air quality, passive heating and cooling strategies, thermal comfort, natural ventilation

TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2013 – today – Modeling of HVAC systems Teaching Assistant FAMENA
2013 – today – Air conditioning Teaching Assistant FAMENA
2013 – today – Heating Teaching Assistant FAMENA
2012 – Environmental systems Lecturer Northeastern University
2012 – MIT teaching certificate program Participant (certified) MIT, USA
2012 – Analysis and design of HVAC systems Teaching Assistant MIT, USA
2011 – Energy in building design Teaching Assistant MIT, USA

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2013 – today – Laboratory for Energy Efficiency Zagreb, Croatia
– Principal investigator on the research project Advanced control of building HVAC systems. Project
in the collaboration withnational power company HEP and Meteorological and Hydrological
Service.

– Principal investigator on the project Cooling advancements of a typical container for
telecommunication equipmentin the collaboration with Hrvatski Telekom (part of Deutsche
Telekom) and Fisal.
– Principal investigator (from Croatian side) on the project Analysis of the membrane system for air
dehumidification in the collaboration with Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven,
Netherlands.
– Collaborator on the research entitledVariable cost quantification for ancillary services provided by
heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems in the collaboration with Massachusetts Institute
of Technology, Cambridge, USA.
– Starting a collaboration with Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USA, on the
development of computer algorithm for the analysis of natural ventilation.
– Key expert for computer simulations for the IPA project Retrofitting public buildings in intelligent
Mediterranean cities. Project in the collaboration with: Agency for Sustainable Mediterranean
Cities and Territories (France), Center For Renewable Energy Sources (Greece), Emilia Romanga
Region (Italy), Energy Institute Hrvoje Pozar, Energy Agency of Ribera (Spain), Foundation
Democenter-Sipe (Italy), Metropole Nice Cote d’Azur (France), Municipality of Piraeus (Greece),
Valencia Institute of Building Foundation (Spain), Zadar County Development Agency,
Meteorological and Hydrological Service, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, and
Faculty of Civil Engineering.

2011 – 2012 – Building Center No. 3 Miami, FL, USA
– Consultant on the proposals for The Sustainable by Necessity Competition and Evolo Skyscraper
Competition.

2008 – Ministry of Construction and Physical Planning Zagreb, Croatia
– Consultant on the implementation of the EU directive on the energy performance of the buildings.
2007 – Harvard University Cambridge, MA, USA
– Internship in the field of phase change materials.
2007 – Commissioning and Green Building Solutions Atlanta, GA, USA
– Internship in the field of building energy modeling.