Updates (#23)

* Update join.md

* fix for thesis link

* Create yang.md

* Delete _team/gupta.md

* Update haas.md

* Update lim.md

* Add files via upload

* Update papers.bib

* Update papers.bib

* Update papers.bib

* Update papers.bib

* Update papers.bib

* Update papers.bib

* Update papers.bib

* CAAD Futures Image

* Update papers.bib

* Fixed 404s

* Delete photos-screenshot.png

* Create karadag.md

* ENSA-M post

* Update announcement_31.md

* Create announcement_32.md

* Revise announcement for ENSA-M workshop participation

Updated the announcement to reflect participation in the ENSA-M workshop and included details about the project Métropo’Loop.

* Update papers.bib

* Update papers.bib

* Create B&E2025-2.jpg

* Update papers.bib

* Create announcement_33.md

* Sina Published Again

* Update announcement_34.md

* Update README.md

* Update papers.bib

* Update papers.bib

* Update almaian.md

* Update ku.md

* Create announcement_35.md

* fixed Sinas posts

* Update announcement_33.md

* .

* Update announcement_35.md

* .

---------

Co-authored-by: Patrick Kastner <1919773+kastnerp@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Hang Xu <161244560+HangXXXu@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Sina Rahimi <130569535+sinarhm@users.noreply.github.com>

Author: 3 people

README.md

@@ -1 +1,4 @@
-_pages/about.md
+| Environment            | URL                             |  Status         | 
+|------------------------|---------------------------------|----------------| 
+| Development  | https://dev.sustainableurbansystems.com/  | [![Netlify Status](https://api.netlify.com/api/v1/badges/8c2ec059-d8ab-45d4-9f8f-5d26ece564ef/deploy-status)](https://app.netlify.com/projects/sustainableurbansystems/deploys) | 
+| Production   | https://sustainableurbansystems.com/    |  [![Deploy site](https://github.com/SustainableUrbanSystemsLab/SustainableUrbanSystemsLab.github.io/actions/workflows/deploy.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/SustainableUrbanSystemsLab/SustainableUrbanSystemsLab.github.io/actions/workflows/deploy.yml)         | 

_bibliography/papers.bib

@@ -1,3 +1,19 @@
+@article{rahimi2025coupled,
+	title        = {Coupled Urban Physics in Microclimate Modeling: Validating and Enhancing Simulation Tools},
+	author       = {Rahimi, Sina and Alvarez, Marcelo and Stone, Brian and Berardi, Umberto and Kastner, Patrick},
+	year         = 2025,
+	journal      = {Building and Environment},
+	publisher    = {Elsevier},
+	pages        = 113637,
+	pdf          = {https://www.researchgate.net/publication/395227387_Coupled_Urban_Physics_in_Microclimate_Modeling_Validating_and_Enhancing_Simulation_Tools},
+	url          = {https://www.researchgate.net/publication/395227387_Coupled_Urban_Physics_in_Microclimate_Modeling_Validating_and_Enhancing_Simulation_Tools},
+    abstract     = {Significant advances in microclimate modeling tools range from no coupling to fully coupled urban physics, requiring a tradeoff between simulation speed and accuracy. This study was conducted to validate the urbanMicroclimateFoam solver for accuracy, as a key step toward improving its reliability for urban microclimate modeling. A detailed 3D model was created, and transient simulations were performed and compared against weather station data from Georgia Tech’s campus. The solver includes heat, air, moisture (HAM), radiation (RAD), and vegetation (VEG) physics, and its performance was evaluated in terms of temperature, humidity, and thermal comfort. Results show strong agreement with measured data, achieving a temperature RMSE as low as 1.03°C and a humidity RMSE of 4.78% at the best performing location. Simulations also captured diurnal WBGT trends and vegetation driven cooling up to 2.1°C. The findings highlight the value of fully coupled CFD models for understanding the urban heat island effect and designing more sustainable, climate resilient cities.},
+	preview      = {B&E2025-2.jpg},
+	bibtex_show  = {true},
+	selected     = {true},
+	code         = {https://github.com/SustainableUrbanSystemsLab/JP-BE2025-UMCF-Case},
+}
+
 @inproceedings{xu2025understanding,
   title        = {Understanding Urban Building Energy Consumption with Explainable Machine Learning Approaches},
   author       = {Xu, Hang and Li, Chengxuan and Kastner, Patrick and Dogan, Timur},

_news/announcement_33.md

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+---
+layout: post
+title: Sina published in Building & Environment!
+date: 2025-09-11 14:25:00-0400
+inline: false
+---
+
+[Sina](https://sustainableurbansystems.com/team/rahimi/) published his **second** journal paper in *Building and Environment*. In this study, we validated the OpenFOAM-based **urbanMicroclimateFoam** solver against on-campus measurements at Georgia Tech, showing strong agreement for microclimate and outdoor thermal comfort. The work also lays the groundwork for the **Outdoor+** design tool in Eddy3D. Take a look [here](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/395227387_Coupled_Urban_Physics_in_Microclimate_Modeling_Validating_and_Enhancing_Simulation_Tools)!
+
+[LinkedIn Post](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7371857300120256512/)

_news/announcement_34.md

@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+---
+layout: post
+title: Sina presented at CESBP2025 in Budapest!
+date: 2025-09-19 14:40:00-0400
+inline: false
+---
+
+[Sina](https://sustainableurbansystems.com/team/rahimi/) presented **“Comparative Modeling of Urban Microclimate and Outdoor Thermal Comfort: A Case Study of Georgia Tech Campus.”** We benchmarked the OpenFOAM-based **urbanMicroclimateFoam (UMCF)** against **ENVI-met** using on-campus measurements, and found that UMCF reproduced the diurnal temperature/humidity cycles more faithfully and did so with substantially shorter runtimes (≈8h vs ≈52h in our setup). These results strengthen confidence in high-resolution CFD for campus-scale design and feed directly into our **Outdoor+** workflow in Eddy3D.
+
+<figure style="margin:1.25rem 0;">
+  <img
+    src="https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/v2/D5622AQGEkHzq6utZmA/feedshare-shrink_2048_1536/B56ZlSHMUwI4Aw-/0/1758019242499?e=1761177600&v=beta&t=RIIrVMdUZThdxV8WU1bGGkW1egRTCwUrpHnbGGQ5Xvo"
+    alt="Sina presenting at CESBP 2025 in Budapest"
+    title="Sina presenting at CESBP 2025 in Budapest"
+    loading="lazy"
+    style="display:block;width:100%;max-width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:8px;"
+  />
+  <figcaption style="text-align:center;font-size:0.95em;color:#666;margin-top:0.5rem;">
+    Sina presenting at CESBP 2025, Budapest
+  </figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<figure style="margin:1.25rem 0;">
+  <img
+    src="https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/v2/D5622AQGV7tL-b1K_Pg/feedshare-shrink_2048_1536/B56ZlSHMU0G4Aw-/0/1758019242912?e=1761177600&v=beta&t=9WFQbyyC3GaHyi-U4lJcvf_1arjW83wohs8rD0U5TiE"
+    alt="UMCF vs ENVI-met comparison slide"
+    title="UMCF vs ENVI-met: fidelity and runtime comparison"
+    loading="lazy"
+    style="display:block;width:100%;max-width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:8px;"
+  />
+  <figcaption style="text-align:center;font-size:0.95em;color:#666;margin-top:0.5rem;">
+    UMCF vs ENVI-met: fidelity and runtime comparison
+  </figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<figure style="margin:1.25rem 0;">
+  <img
+    src="https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/v2/D5622AQGUaSULA8I5DQ/feedshare-shrink_2048_1536/B56ZlSHMTtI0Aw-/0/1758019242818?e=1761177600&v=beta&t=bAVBZXTgWywltAwvHy3mzd91pA498PagsPU5pDKgcZc"
+    alt="Outdoor+ workflow in Eddy3D"
+    title="Outdoor+ workflow in Eddy3D"
+    loading="lazy"
+    style="display:block;width:100%;max-width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:8px;"
+  />
+  <figcaption style="text-align:center;font-size:0.95em;color:#666;margin-top:0.5rem;">
+    Outdoor+ workflow in Eddy3D
+  </figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+[LinkedIn Post](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7373667151137689601/)

_news/announcement_35.md

@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+---
+layout: post
+title: Maryam returning as PhD Student!
+date: 2025-09-20 14:40:00-0400
+inline: false
+---
+
+Maryam return to our lab with support from KFAS! Please see the LinkedIn post below or [here](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/patrickkastner_thrilled-to-welcome-maryam-almaian-back-to-activity-7375552136874536960-UjLg).
+
+<div>
+    <iframe src="https://www.linkedin.com/embed/feed/update/urn:li:share:7375552134081056768" height="922" width="504" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" title="Embedded post"></iframe>
+</div>
+

_pages/join.md

@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ I appreciate your interest in working with me. I receive a fair number of inquir
 - If you are an architect or urban designer, you will learn data/technical skills to effectively apply your domain expertise and build modeling and decision-making tools.
 - If you are a coder or from a technical background, you will learn how your skills can help build tools to empower others to design and plan sustainable cities.
 
-After working with us, [our alumni](https://sustainableurbansystems.com/team/#alumni:~:text=Colorado%20State%20University-,Alumni,-Shruti%20Jadhav) typically go on to receive competitive offers at industry leaders such as Perkins&Will, Thornton Tomasetti and others, or go on to continue their academic journey at institutions such ETH Zurich, Cambridge University, NREL etc.
+After working with us, [our alumni](https://sustainableurbansystems.com/team/) typically go on to receive competitive offers at industry leaders such as Perkins&Will, Thornton Tomasetti and others, or go on to continue their academic journey at institutions such ETH Zurich, Cambridge University, NREL etc.
 
 You can start working with us in a number of ways, depending on whether you are a Georgia Tech (GT) student or external to GT.
 
@@ -31,4 +31,4 @@ In addition to submitting an official GT application, you are welcome to provide
 
 If you are a current student at Georgia Tech and would like to join my group, I ask you to complete one semester in my [Vertically Integrated Project (VIP)](/teaching/gt-vip-vyh/) before joining my lab.
 
-Please refer to the official VIP program information on how to join my VIP as an [undergraduate](https://vip.gatech.edu/apply-undergraduate-students) or [grad student](https://vip.gatech.edu/graduate-students). There are options to join the class with 2-3 credit hours, depending on your level of seniority at GT. Students typically stay for [several semesters](https://vip-smur.github.io/team/25-Sp/) to take full advantage of the program. Funded assistantships are typically available after the first completed semester in the VIP with strong performance.
+Please refer to the official [VIP program information](https://vip.gatech.edu/prospective-students/) on how to join VIPs at Georgia Tech. There are options to join the class with 2-3 credit hours, depending on your level of seniority at GT. Students typically stay for [several semesters](https://vip-smur.github.io/team/25-Sp/) to take full advantage of the program. Funded assistantships are typically available after the first completed semester in the VIP with strong performance was demonstrated.

_team/almaian.md

@@ -2,14 +2,13 @@
 layout: page
 title: "Maryam Almaian"
 description: "PhD Student in Architecture"
-img: "https://arch.gatech.edu/sites/default/files/2023-11/Almaian.jpeg"
+img: https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/143976949?v=4
 importance: 1
 category: "PhD"
 ---
 
-<div class="profile mb-3">
-  <img src="https://arch.gatech.edu/sites/default/files/2023-11/Almaian.jpeg" class="img-fluid z-depth-1 rounded" alt="Maryam Almaian">
+<div class="profile mb-3 float-right mb-3"> 
+  <img src="https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/143976949?v=4" class="img-fluid z-depth-1 rounded" alt="Maryam Almaian">
 </div>
 
-After graduating from her MS in Architecture with a
-[thesis]({% link _projects/1_thesis.md %}) specializing on building physics, Maryam accepted a position as a research associate at NREL. She started her PhD in Architecture studies at Georgia Tech in Fall 2025.
+{% remote_include https://raw.githubusercontent.com/maryamalmaian/maryamalmaian/refs/heads/main/README.md %}

_team/ku.md

@@ -2,16 +2,14 @@
 layout: page
 title: Dr. Benson Ku
 description: Assistant Professor at Emory University
-img: https://www.cdi.pitt.edu/sites/default/files/person-images/benson%20ku%20headshot.jpeg
-
-# https://med.emory.edu/departments/psychiatry/programs/clinical_research_program/_images/ku_benson.jpeg
+img: https://med.emory.edu/departments/psychiatry/_images/ku_benson_updatedheadshot.jpg
 importance: 1
 category: Collaborators
 ---
 
 <div class="profile mb-3"> 
-<img src="https://www.cdi.pitt.edu/sites/default/files/person-images/benson%20ku%20headshot.jpeg" class="img-fluid z-depth-1 rounded"/>
+<img src="https://med.emory.edu/departments/psychiatry/_images/ku_benson_updatedheadshot.jpg" class="img-fluid z-depth-1 rounded"/>
 </div>
 <br>
 
-[Link to Website](https://med.emory.edu/directory/profile mb-3/?u=BSKU)
+[Link to Website](https://med.emory.edu/directory/profile/?u=BSKU)