Michael Collins, PEng

Michael Collins is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering at the University of Waterloo.

Prior to his arrival at UW in January of 2002, Professor Collins spent 7 years at Queen's University – Solar Calorimetry Laboratory developing research in the area of passive solar control in windows. At UW, Professor Collins has become the Director of the Solar Thermal Research Laboratory (STRL) where his focus has moved towards the areas of solar-thermal analysis of active and passive solar devices, PV / Solar Thermal hybridization, heat pump assisted solar thermal systems, window shading, and grey water heat recovery. In recent years, he has upgraded the STRL material characterization facilities to make the STRL a unique regional facility for materials characterization for solar and thermal applications.

In addition to his research work, Professor Collins has approximately 80 publications detailing his research activities.

• Energy, Fenestration, Spectroscopy, Green Buildings, Energy Efficiency, Photovoltaics, Solar Thermal Research, Shading, Hybrid Solar Systems, Heat Pumps, Smart Buildings, Renewable Energy, Energy Storage, Energy Conservation in Buildings

Current projects include numerical and experimental investigations of window and shade performance, analysis and development of advanced building facades, Photovoltaic/solar thermal hybrid systems, solar calorimetry, heat pump assisted solar thermal collectors, and the solar-optical analysis of building materials.

Papers have been reviewed for the ISES Solar Energy Journal(1), ASHRAE Transactions (1), Journal of Building and the Environment (1), and International Journal of Building Performance Simulation (2).

Multiple Companies: Ongoing analysis of samples aimed at developing LEED certified products. All surface optics measurements are contracted to the Solar Thermal Engineering Lab and Waterloo.

ASHRAE 2004-Present: The development of new window models for inclusion into standard building energy analysis software is being performed. Specifically, the new models can handle shading devices as part of the system.

BODYCOTE INTL 2002-Present: Ongoing analysis of materials for BIs Solar Materials Test Division. All surface optics measurements are contracted to the Solar Thermal Engineering Lab and Waterloo.

SIGMA INC 2004-2006: A test chamber was constructed, and modeling software was developed to analyze overhead radiant heating panels.

• 2001, Doctorate Mechanical Engineering, Queen's University, Ontario, Canada

• 1997, Master's Mechanical Engineering, Queen's University, Ontario, Canada

• 1995, Bachelor's Mechanical Engineering, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Newfoundland, Canada

• 2006 The Analysis of Solar/Optical Properties of Materials for Solar Energy Development

• 2007 Crosby Field Award - ASHRAE

• 2009 4th Place in US-DOE Solar Decathlon

• ME 452 - HVAC Load Analysis and Design Fundamentals
  • Taught in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2026
• ME 753 - Solar Energy
  • Taught in 2022

* Only courses taught in the past 5 years are displayed.

• Banister, Carsen J and Collins, Michael R, Development and performance of a dual tank solar-assisted heat pump system, Applied Energy, 125, 2015

• Foroushani, SS Mohaddes and Wright, JL and Naylor, D and Collins, MR, Assessing Convective Heat Transfer Coefficients Associated with Indoor Shading Attachments Using a New Technique Based on Computational Fluid Dynamics, ASHRAE Transactions, , 2015

• Manouchehri, Ramin and Banister, Carsen J and Collins, Michael R, Impact of small tilt angles on the performance of falling film drain water heat recovery systems, Energy and Buildings, 181, 2015

• Kansal, Vivek and Wright, John L and Collins, Michael R, The Formation and Runoff of Condensate on a Vertical Glass Surface., ASHRAE Transactions, , 2014

• PEng, Vivek Kansal and Collins, Michael R and others, The Formation and Runoff of Condensate on a Vertical Glass Surface, ASHRAE Transactions, 449, 2014

• Long-time faculty member heads MME