Christian Bachmann, PEng
Biography
Chris Bachmann is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Waterloo, and a Professional Engineer (P.Eng) in the Province of Ontario. He holds a BASc, MASc, and PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of Toronto. He also holds a Master of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology (MBET) from the Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business at the University of Waterloo.
Dr. Bachmann's research interests include transportation systems and travel behavior analysis, sustainable construction and material recovery, and freight, trade, and transportation economics. His research group has worked with various agencies including Transport Canada, the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO), the Region of Waterloo, the City of Waterloo, the City of Kitchener, and Miovision. In 2017, he received the Transportation Research Board’s (TRB’s) Fred Burggraf Award for excellence in transportation research by researchers 35 years of age or younger. In 2022, he received an Early Researcher Award from the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities.
Dr. Bachmann regularly teaches "Economics and Life Cycle Cost Analysis" (CIVE 392) and "Transportation Engineering Applications" (CIVE 341) to undergraduate engineering students at the University of Waterloo. He also teaches "Modelling Transportation, Land Use and Spatial Economics" (CIVE 645) to graduate engineering students. In 2019, he received the University of Waterloo’s Faculty of Engineering Teaching Excellence Award for an ongoing record of excellence in undergraduate teaching.
Research Interests
Transportation Systems and Travel Behavior Analysis
Sustainable Construction and Material Recovery
Freight, Trade, and Transportation Economics
Scholarly Research
Education
2020, Master of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology, Conrad School, University of Waterloo, Canada
2015, Doctorate, Civil Engineering, University of Toronto, Canada
2011, Master of Applied Science, Civil Engineering, University of Toronto, Canada
2009, Bachelor of Applied Science, Civil Engineering, University of Toronto, Canada
Awards
2024 Outstanding Performance Award, University of Waterloo
2022 Distinguished Performance Award, Faculty of Engineering, University of Waterloo
2022 Early Researcher Award, Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities
2020 Outstanding Performance Award, University of Waterloo
2019 Teaching Excellence Award, Faculty of Engineering, University of Waterloo
2019 Distinguished Performance Award, Faculty of Engineering, University of Waterloo
2018 Fred Burggraf Award, Transportation Research Board (TRB)
Professional Associations
2023 – 2025, Southwestern Ontario Executive Section, Student Liaison, Canadian Institute of Transportation Engineers (CITE)
2017 – 2025, Standing Committee on International Trade and Transportation (AT020), Member, Secretary, Transportation Research Board (TRB)
Teaching*
- AE 392 - Economics and Life Cycle Analysis
- Taught in 2022
- CIVE 341 - Transportation Engineering Applications
- Taught in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2025
- CIVE 392 - Economics and Life Cycle Cost Analysis
- Taught in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024
- CIVE 645 - Modeling Transportation and Spatial Economics
- Taught in 2021, 2025
- ENVE 392 - Economics and Life Cycle Cost Analysis
- Taught in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024
- GEOE 392 - Economics and Life Cycle Cost Analysis
- Taught in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024
* Only courses taught in the past 5 years are displayed.
Selected/Recent Publications
Dressler, A., & Bachmann, C. (2025). Pedaling through pixels: Decoding the methodological framework of virtual reality cycling research. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 112 (2025), 256-273. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trf.2025.04.011
Terry, J., & Bachmann, C. (2023). Estimating suburban preferences for integrated public transit and ridesourcing services through a revealed-preference/stated preference survey. Journal of Public Transportation, 25(2023),1-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpubtr.2023.100047
Rendel, R. A., & Bachmann, C. (2022). Transit benefit index: A comprehensive index for capturing externalities in transit planning. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2677(7). https://doi.org/10.1177/03611981231152248
Budhwani, A., Lin, T., Feng, D., & Bachmann, C. (2022). Assessing and comparing data imputation techniques for item nonresponse in household travel surveys. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board 2677(1), 1404–1417. https://doi.org/10.1177/03611981221104802
Mollaei, A., Bachmann, C., & Haas, C. (2025). Evaluation of circular construction strategies on future building material recovery. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management 151(6),1-17 https://doi.org/10.1061/JCEMD4.COENG-15014
Yoffe, H., Rankin, K. H., Bachmann, C., Posen, D., & Saxe, S. (2024). Mapping construction sector greenhouse gas emissions: A crucial step in sustainably meeting increasing housing demands. Environmental Research: Infrastructure and Sustainability, 4(2024), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1088/2634-4505/ad546a
Mollaei, A., Byers, B., Christovan, C., Olumo, A., De Wolf, C., Bachmann, C., & Haas, C. (2023). A global perspective on building material recovery incorporating the impact of regional factors. Journal of Cleaner Production, 429(2023), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.139525
Mollaei, A., Bachmann, C., & Haas, C. (2023). Assessing the impact of policy tools on building material recovery. Resources, Conservation & Recycling, 198 (2023), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2023.107188
Aguas, O., & Bachmann, C. (2022). Assessing the effects of input uncertainties on the outputs of a freight demand model. Research in Transportation Economics, 95(2022), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.retrec.2022.101234
Wang, W., Saari, R., Bachmann, C., & Mukherjee, U. (2020). Estimating transboundary economic damages from climate change and air pollution for subnational incentives for green on-road freight. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 82(2020), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2020.102325
Shahraki, H., & Bachmann, C. (2019). Integrating a computable general equilibrium model with empirically calibrated transportation models for border crossing investment analysis. Research in Transportation Economics, 78(2019), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.retrec.2019.100767
Lei, R., & Bachmann, C. (2019). Assessing the role of port efficiency as a determinant of maritime transport costs: Evidence from Canada. Maritime Economics and Logistics, 22, 562–584. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41278-019-00135-5
In The News
- Student success at transportation conference
- These paths are EVERYWHERE! What are "goat paths" and how can we better design for them?
- Adaptis’ proprietary, AI-driven software enables circularity in construction
- Engineering Day 2022
- Prof wins funding under early researcher program
- Researchers awarded $1.1 million for lab equipment
- CTRF debate victory
Graduate studies
- Currently considering applications from graduate students. A completed online application is required for admission; start the application process now.
- Has Sole-Supervisory Privilege Status (SSPS) status