Nolan W Hayes

Bio

Nolan Hayes is a Research and Development Associate at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, specializing in building construction. His work is dedicated to advancing how buildings are designed and constructed, aiming to make the process faster, more efficient, and more affordable.

With expertise in construction management and engineering, Dr. Hayes tackles some of the biggest challenges in modern construction. His research covers a range of topics including:

• Construction automation and robotics to streamline building process and improve productivity
• Prefabricated and modular construction for speed and scalability
• Artificial intelligence applications in building design and automated quality assurance and quality control
• Innovative materials and advanced sensing technologies for smarter, more durable buildings
• Long-term performance and durability of building systems and structures

Dr. Hayes earned his B.S. and Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville with support from the U.S. Department of Energy. He is passionate about bridging cutting-edge science with practical solutions, helping shape the future of industrialized construction.

Awards

• 2024 R&D 100 Award for Real-Time Evaluator for Fast and Accurate Installation of Prefab Components
• 2019 & 2015 Extraordinary Professional Promise Award, University of Tennessee Knoxville
• 2017 Tennessee Fellowship for Graduate Excellence, University of Tennessee Knoxville

Education

• PhD in Civil Engineering, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 2020
• BS in Civil Engineering, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 2015

Trademarks and Patents

• Hayes NW, Maldonado BP, Hun DE. Flat and Level Analysis Tool (FLAT). Invention Disclosure 202305305.
• Maldonado BP, Hun DE, Hayes NW. FASTER Façade Information for Low Rise to Skyscraper Buildings. Invention Disclosure 202205259.
• Maldonado BP, Hun DE, Hayes NW. Automatic segmentation of point cloud data for building envelopes using machine learning. Invention Disclosure 202205251.
• Hun DE, Wang P, Hayes NW, Maldonado BP, Boudreaux PR, Killough SM. Real-Time Evaluator to Optimize Prefab Retrofit Panel Installation. US Patent App. 18/509,721.
• Hun DE, Hayes NW, Yeole P, Vaidya UK. Composite overclad panels for buildings. US Patent App. 18/375,104.
• Hayes NW, Hun DE, Yeole P, Vaidya U, Ma ZJ. Non-corroding tieback and bearing embedded connector for precast insulated panels. Invention Disclosure 202205129.
• Hun DE, Vaidya U., Sheriff S, Hiremath N, Hayes NW, Ma Z. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA. Non-corroding stripping lifting inserts. US Patent 11,661,741.

Publications