Bio
Dr. Som S Shrestha is a Senior R&D Scientist within the Building Technologies Research and Integration Center at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. His current research focuses on developing technologies to enhance building energy efficiency and enable demand flexibility. Some of the research areas that Dr. Shrestha is leading include the following:
- Building envelope that can redirect unwanted heat and coolness https://www.ornl.gov/news/buildings-loop
- New high-performance insulation materials https://www.energy.gov/eere/buildings/articles/multi-scale-simulations-and-machine-learning-guided-design-and-synthesis
- Thermal energy storage for buildings https://www.ornl.gov/news/national-laboratories-launch-buildings-consortium-leveraging-benefits-thermal-and
- Modeling tool to guide the development of low thermal conductivity materials https://thermopi.ornl.gov/calculate
- Energy savings and moisture transfer calculator https://airleakage-calc.ornl.gov/#/
Dr. Shrestha is:
- ASHRAE Fellow
- 2025 ASHRAE Winter Conference Technical Program Chair https://www.ashrae.org/conferences/2025-winter-conference-orlando/2025-winter-conference-technical-program
- Recipient of the ASHRAE Distinguished Service Award and a technical paper award,
- ORNL Graduate Advisor with the University of Tennessee Bredesen Center,
- Serves on ASHRAE Conference and Exposition Committee and multiple ASHRAE committees,
- An active member of ASME and ASTM, and
- ASHRAE-certified Building Energy Modeling Professional (BEMP)
Some of Dr. Shrestha’s recently completed works at ORNL include thermal performance evaluation of various radiant barrier systems, thermochromic coatings for building applications, development of a protocol for lifetime energy and environmental impact assessment of building insulation materials, and evaluation of lower-GWP alternative refrigerants.
Before joining ORNL, he worked at Industrial Assessment Center at Iowa State University and as a mechanical engineer in Nepal. Shrestha earned a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Iowa State University in 2009.
Awards
ASHRAE Technical Paper Award (2018)
ASHRAE Distinguished Service Award (2016)
Iowa State University Teaching Excellence Award (2008)
Iowa State University Graduate and Professional Student Senate Research Award (2008)
Education
PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
MS in Mechanical Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
MS in Mechanical Engineering, Odessa State Academy of Refrigeration, Odessa, Ukraine
Professional Affiliations
ASHRAE
ASTM
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
International Building Performance Simulation Association (IBPSA)
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Trademarks and Patents
Shrestha S, Hun DE, Atchley A, Biswas K. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA. Thermally Anisotropic Composites for Thermal Management in Building Envelopes. U.S. Patent Publication No. 20200326085 (Patent Pending).
Hun DE, Saito T, Klett J, Li B, Shrestha S. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA. Polymeric vacuum insulation boards. Provisional patent application 3841.2.
Feng T, Shrestha S, Howard D, Hun DE. ThermoPI: Thermal Conductivity Calculation Application for Porous Thermal Insulation Materials. Invention Disclosure 202104780.
Shrestha S, Feng T, Hun DE. Fast Solid-State Thermal Switch with Large ON/OFF Ratio. Invention Disclosure 202004771.
Saito T, Hun DE, Klett J, Biswas K, Shrestha S. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA. Polymeric Vacuum Insulation Spheres. Invention Disclosure 201603841, DOE S-138, 494.
Saito T, Biswas K, Klett J, Hun DE, Shrestha S. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA. Polymer-Based Micro-Porous Vacuum Insulation Using 3D Printing. Invention Disclosure 201603833, DOE S-138,484.