Michael Collins

Department Chair; Professor, PEng
Michael Collins

Contact information

Phone: 519-888-4567 x43595
Location: E5 3027

Biography summary

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.

Research interests

  • 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

Education

  • 2001, Doctorate, Mechanical Engineering, Queen's University
  • 1997, Master's, Mechanical Engineering, Queen's University
  • 1995, Bachelor's, Mechanical Engineering, Memorial University of Newfoundland

Courses*

  • ME 200A - Seminar
    • Taught in 2019, 2020
  • ME 200B - Seminar
    • Taught in 2019, 2020
  • ME 300A - Seminar
    • Taught in 2019, 2020
  • ME 300B - Seminar
    • Taught in 2019, 2020
  • ME 354 - Thermodynamics 2
    • Taught in 2019
  • ME 400A - Seminar
    • Taught in 2019, 2020
  • ME 400B - Seminar
    • Taught in 2019, 2020
  • ME 452 - HVAC Load Analysis and Design Fundamentals
    • Taught in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
  • ME 753 - Solar Energy
    • Taught in 2020, 2022

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

Selected/recent publications

  • Banister, Carsen J and Collins, Michael R, Development and performance of a dual tank solar-assisted heat pump system, Applied Energy, 149, 2015, 125 - 132
  • 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, 121, 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, 102, 2015, 181 - 186
  • Kansal, Vivek and Wright, John L and Collins, Michael R, The Formation and Runoff of Condensate on a Vertical Glass Surface., ASHRAE Transactions, 120(1), 2014
  • PEng, Vivek Kansal and Collins, Michael R and others, The Formation and Runoff of Condensate on a Vertical Glass Surface, ASHRAE Transactions, 120, 2014

In the news

Graduate studies