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Headshot of Sherif Goubran , Assistant Professor and Director of Graduate Program , Department of Architecture

Sherif Goubran

  • Position: Assistant Professor of Sustainable Architecture and Director of Graduate Program
  • Department: Department of Architecture
Brief Biography

Sherif Goubran is an assistant professor of sustainable architecture in the Department of Architecture, School of Sciences and Engineering, at The American University in Cairo (AUC), where he joined as an instructor in the fall of 2020. He completed his PhD in the Individualized Program (INDI) at Concordia University in 2021. His PhD research was funded by several prestigious grants and awards, including the Vanier Canada Graduate scholarship. Before that, he completed a MASc in building engineering in 2016, focusing on energy efficiency in commercial buildings. He holds a BS in architecture from AUC.

Goubran's research focus includes building sustainability and sustainability assessment, sustainability in architectural design and human approaches in design. Specifically, his work investigates the theory and practice of sustainability in the built environment, combines qualitative and quantitative methodologies, and explores the shift from incremental to transformational design. He conducts interdisciplinary research in design, architecture, building engineering and real-estate finance. He is also involved in several sustainability committees and projects on the student and administrative levels and in the broader community.

Research Interest
  • Sustainable design theory and practice
  • Sustainable building design, analysis and assessment
  • Design for sustainable development
  • Building Envelope design and improvements
  • Airflow and energy simulation in buildings
Education
  • PhD, Individualized Program, Fine Arts (Design, Building Engineering and Finance). Concordia University. Montreal (QC), Canada.
  • MASc Building Engineering (2016). Concordia University. Montreal (QC), Canada.
  • BS Architectural Engineering (2014). The American University in Cairo (AUC). Cairo Egypt

Refereed Journal Papers

Refereed Conference Papers

  • Ebeid, D., Goubran, S., & Abouzeid, M. N. (2024). The impact of climate change on building envelope retrofits for achieving thermal comfort in naturally ventilated buildings in hot regions. Proceedings of the Canadian Society of Civil Engineering Annual Conference 2024.
  • Aly, S., Ibrahim, H., Goubran, S., Hamdy, A., Mashaly, I., & Tarabieh, K. (2024). Retrofitting Our Way To A Fossil-Fuel-Free Future How Can Urban Gas Stations Be Mobilized For Climate Resilience And Sustainable Urban Environments? 37th PLEA Conference (Re)Thinking Resilience (PLEA 2024), 1128–1133. 
  • Raafat, R., Allam, S., Shoukry, F., Farouh, H., & Goubran, S. (2024). Air Infiltration Testing and Energy Simulation of Green Dwellings in a Social Housing Project in Egypt. 37th PLEA Conference (Re)Thinking Resilience (PLEA 2024), 135–140. 
  • Shoukry, F., Goubran, S., & Tarabieh, K. (2024). Digital and Spatial Design Considerations in Healthy University Classrooms: How can we make use of innovative digital tools to safeguard the health and well-being of occupants and improve IAQ? 37th PLEA Conference (Re)Thinking Resilience (PLEA 2024)., 340–345.
  • Karimian, H., Muhammad, R., Osama, N., Ouf, M., & Goubran, S. (2024). Examining the Impact of Contextual Variables on Occupant Comfort : A Comparative Study of Thermal and Visual Comfort in Cold and Hot Climates. ASHRAE Transactions - 2024 ASHRAE Winter Conference, 722–730. 
  • Muhammad, R., Allam, S., Farouh, H., Nessim, M., & Goubran, S. (2024). Field Testing for Envelope Construction Quality in Social Housing: In situ testing of envelope air leakage to estimate energy consumption between the current and green models. In D. Newport (Ed.), International Sustainable Ecological Engineering and Design for Society Conference 2023 (pp. 330–342). Leeds Beckett University, University of Suffolk, University of West England, Bristol, University of Loughborough.
  • Geith, R., & Goubran, S. (2023). Realizing Sustainable Development Goal 11 in Public Realm Designs through Regional Landscaping. 11th Annual International Conference on Sustainable Development (ICSD). 
  • Shoukry, F., Goubran, S., & Tarabieh, K. (2023). Comparative Analysis of Carbon Footprints in Higher Education Institutions: What Can We Learn about Three University Campuses in Cairo, Beirut, and Cape Town? The International Conference on Advancing Sustainable Futures (ICASF 2023). 
  • Shoukry, F., Goubran, S., & Tarabieh, K. (2023). Perceived Comfort in University Classrooms Post the Pandemic: Interpretations Considering the Carbon Footprint of Learning Spaces. The 8th International ICARB Conference on Carbon Accounting, 508–532. 
  • ElDakroury, M., Goubran, S., & Abdelaziz, O. (2023). CFD-Based Ventilation Assessment of a University Building With an Integrated Windcatcher in Egypt. Proceedings of the ASME 2023 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition Volume 7: Energy, 2–10. 
  • Gouban, S., Tarabieh, K., & Kamel, B. (2023). Assessing Building Envelope Air Leakage and Estimating Their Energy Consequences in Egyptian New Residential Construction. In L. L. Wang, H. Ge, Z. J. Zhai, D. Qi, M. Ouf, C. Sun, & D. Wang (Eds.), 5th International Conference on Building Energy and Environment (pp. 653–659). Springer Nature Singapore. 
  • Kotb, H., & Goubran, S. (2023). Transmission of COVID-19 Droplets Inside Buildings Due to Natural Ventilation and Air Leakage. In 5th International Conference on Building Energy and Environment (pp. 2173–2182). Springer Nature Singapore. 
  • Bassily, V., Abufarag, T., & Goubran, S. (2023). Preserving Built Environments for a More Sustainable Future: Built Heritage as a Contributor to the SDGs. In A. Rubbo, J. Du, M. R. Thomsen, & M. Tamke (Eds.), Design for Resilient Communities (pp. 677–698). Springer International Publishing. 
  • Marey, A.; Raafat, R. & Goubran, S. (2023). Safeguarding Health and Well-Being in University Classrooms: Estimating CO2 Concentration Based on Air Permeability. EDRA 54: Environment and Health: Global / Local Challenges and Actions, Mexico City.
  • Elkady, M., & Goubran, S. (2023). Learning sustainable design from modern Egyptian architecture: How the Pre-HVAC residential buildings of Sayed Karim embody contemporary sustainability principles. 36th Passive and Low Energy Architecture (PLEA): Will Cities Survive? The Future of Sustainable Buildings and Urbanism in the Age of Emergency, 2, 636–641.
  • Goubran, S., Raslan, R., & Tarabieh, K. (2023). Post-Pandemic Campus Return: Evidence-Based Decision-Making for university learning spaces in Egypt. 36th Passive and Low Energy Architecture (PLEA): Will Cities Survive? The Future of Sustainable Buildings and Urbanism in the Age of Emergency, 1, 154–159.
  • Bassily, V., & Goubran, S. (2022). The Shifting Urban Role of Buildings’ Facades: A Diachronic Analysis of El Korba. ICACECH 2022: XVI. International Conference on Architectural Conservation, Engineering and Cultural Heritage, 193. Online
  • Elshabshiri, A., Elkady, M., Abufarag, T., & Goubran, S. (2022). What Can We Learn From the Characterization of New Cairo’s Urban Voids ? 4th International Conference on Urban Planning - ICUP2022, 235–242.
  • Samir, S., Abufarag, T., & Goubran, S. (2022). Vertical Farming as a Nature-Based Solution for Sustainable City Regeneration: A Life Cycle Assessment. 4th International Conference on Urban Planning - ICUP2022, 293–299.
  • Abufarag, T., Samir, S., & Goubran, S. (2022). Women’s Perception of Spatial Safety and Participation in Historic Cairo’s Street Markets. 4th International Conference on Urban Planning - ICUP2022, 285–292.
  • Marey, A., & Goubran, S. (2022). Low-Cost Portable Wireless Electroencephalography to Detect Emotional Responses to Visual Cues: Validation and Potential Applications. Hybrid Spaces of the Metaverse: Proceedings of ASCAAD 2022, 140–154.
  • Bassily, V. & Goubran, S. (2022). The effect of facade deterioration on urban life: a historical analysis of a case study in the Korba. In the 2nd OHI international conference: Sustainable conservation of heritage areas. Cairo, Egypt.
  • Cucuzzella, C., Goubran, S., & Nizar, F. (2022). Interactive Digital Art as Didactic Agents in Space: The art of eco-nudging. In K.-P. Schulz & K. Mnisri (Eds.), From disruption to development: Moving forward with the relationship between creativity and sustainability: The 4th edition of the Artem international conference on Organizational Creativity and Sustainability (ARTEM OCC) (pp. 53–54). Nancy, France.
  • Goubran, S., & Geith, R. (2022). Creativity, Adaptability, Transition: Advancing Sustainable Development in the Built Environment through Transdisciplinary Architectural Design. In K.-P. Schulz & K. Mnisri (Eds.), From disruption to development: Moving forward with the relationship between creativity and sustainability: The 4th edition of the Artem international conference on Organizational Creativity and Sustainability (ARTEM OCC) (pp. 53–54). Nancy, France.
  • Elkady, M., & Goubran, S. (2022). The Sustainability of Egyptian Modern Architecture. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 1026(1), 012046. In International Conference on Sustainability: Developments and Innovations (ICSDI). Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 
  • Goubran, S., Walker, T., Cucuzzella, C., & Schwartz, T. (2022). LEED’s Contribution to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 1026(1), 012059. In International Conference on Sustainability: Developments and Innovations (ICSDI). Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 
  • Shoukry, F; Tarabieh, K. & Goubran, S. (2022). The consequences of COVID instigated recommendations for Indoor Air Quality. In Ecocity, Satellite Conference-ArchCairo 9. Cairo, Egypt.
  • Goubran, S.; Cucuzzella, C. & Ouf, M. (2021). Eco-Nudging: Interactive Digital Design to Solicit Immediate Energy Actions in The Built Space. In 9th International Conference of the Arab Society for Computer Aided Architectural Design, American University in Cairo, Online. 
  • Soulikias, A., Cucuzzella, C., Nizar, F., Hazbei, M., & Goubran, S. (2021). We gain a lot… but what are we losing?: A critical exploration of the implications of digital design technologies on sustainable architecture, In 9th International Conference of the Arab Society for Computer Aided Architectural Design, American University in Cairo, Online.
  • Goubran, S.; Cucuzzella, C. & Lee, B. (2019). Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to support the design of buildings – A case study for the design of a Net-Zero Energy interpretation center for UQROP in Quebec, Canada. In EDRA 50: Sustainable Urban Environments Research, Design and Planning for the Next 50 Years. Brooklyn, USA.
  • Cucuzzella, C.; Goubran, S.; & Kamel, M. S. (2017). More than Waiting for the Bus - Rethinking Sites Surrounding Bus Stops. In The 1st International Conference on Towards a Better Quality of Life (pp. 1–12). El Gouna, Red Sea Region - Egypt: Housing & Building National Research Center (HBRC).
  • Cucuzzella, C.; Chupin, J.-P.; & Goubran, S. (2017). CoLLaboratoire: Activating Ecological Knowledge through Community Design Experiments. In Balance-Unbalance 2017 [A Sense of Place]. Plymouth, UK.
  • Goubran, S.; Emond, G.; & Cucuzzella, C. (2017). Understanding Regional Sustainability in the Built Environment. In The 2nd ARTEM Organisational Creativity and Sustainability International Conference. Nancy, France.
  • Goubran, S.; Qi, D.; Saleh, W. F.; Wang, L. (Leon), & Zmeureanu, R. (2016). Validation of Numerical Modeling of Airflow Infiltration through Building Entrance Doors. In eSim Building Performance Simulation Conference (pp. 351–358). Hamilton, ON.
  • Qi, D.; Goubran, S.; Zmeureanu, R.; & Wang, L. (Leon). (2015). Effect of People on Infiltration of Building Entrance with Air Curtains. In ISHVAC-COBEE (p. 9). Tianjin, China.
  • Goubran, S.; Qi, D.; & Wang, L. (Leon). (2015). Annual Energy Saving Impact of Air Curtains in Commercial Reference Buildings. In ISHVAC-COBEE (p. 8). Tianjin, China.

Books and Research Notebooks

Book Chapters

  • Walker, T., Wendt, S., Goubran, S., & Schwartz, T. (2024). Artificial Intelligence for Sustainability: An Overview. In T. Walker, S. Wendt, S. Goubran, & T. Schwartz (Eds.), Artificial Intelligence for Sustainability: Innovations in Business and Financial Services (pp. 1–10). Springer Nature Switzerland. 
  • Walker, T., Cucuzzella, C., Goubran, S., & Geith, R. (2023). Toward Realizing the 2030 Agenda in the Built Environment: An Introduction. In T. Walker, C. Cucuzzella, S. Goubran, & R. Geith (Eds.), The Role of Design, Construction, and Real Estate in Advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (pp. 2–10). Springer International Publishing. 
  • Walker, T., Tarabieh, K., Goubran, S., & Machnik-kekesi, G. (2023). Sustainable Practices in Higher Education: An Introduction. In T. Walker, K. Tarabieh, S. Goubran, & G. Machnik-Kekesi (Eds.), Sustainable Practices in Higher Education: Finance, Strategy, and Engagement (pp. 1–6). Springer International Publishing. 
  • Tarabieh, K., & Goubran, S. (2023). Turning Climate Mitigation Concerns into Institutional Sustainability: Using Carbon Accounting as a Tool for Resource Management in a Desert Environment. In T. Walker, K. Tarabieh, S. Goubran, & G. Machnik-kekesi (Eds.), Sustainable Practices in Higher Education: Finance, Strategy, and Engagement (pp. 165–195). Springer International Publishing. 
  • Goubran, S. (2022). How did Canada Come to Host more than 100 Categories of Sustainable Awards ? In J.-P. Chupin, C. Cucuzzella, & G. Adamczyk (Eds.), The Rise of Awards in Architecture (pp. 105–128). Vernon Press.
  • Walker, T., Wendt, S., Goubran, S., & Schwartz, T. (2022). Climate Change Adaptation: An Overview. In T. Walker, S. Wendt, S. Goubran, & T. Schwartz (Eds.), Business and Policy Solutions to Climate Change: From Mitigation to Adaptation (pp. 3–12). Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Walker, T., McGaughey, J., Goubran, S., & Wagdy, N. (2021). Expanding Our Understanding of Value Through Innovations in Social Finance. In T. Walker, J. McGaughey, S. Goubran, & N. Wagdy (Eds.), Innovations in Social Finance (pp. 310). Springer International Publishing.
  • Dantas, M., Goubran, S., & Wagdy, N. (2021). Preserving sustainability: activating the ecological university through collective food practic. In W. L. Filho, A. L. Salvia, & E. Frankenberger (Eds.), Handbook on Teaching and Learning for Sustainable Development (pp. 418–434). Edward Elgar Publishing.
  • Cucuzzella, C., & Goubran, S. (2020). Epilogue. In C. Cucuzzella & S. Goubran (Eds.), Sustainable Architecture – Between Measurement and Meaning (pp. 143–146). Vernon Press.
  • Cucuzzella, C., & Goubran, S. (2020). Caught between measurement and meaning. In C. Cucuzzella & S. Goubran (Eds.), Sustainable Architecture – Between Measurement and Meaning (pp. 1–13). Vernon Press.
  • Schwartz, T., & Goubran, S. (2020). An introduction to the current landscape: environmental policy and the economy. In T. Walker, N. Sprung-Much, & S. Goubran (Eds.), Environmental Policy: An Economic Perspective (pp. 1–7). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Blackwell.
  • Walker, T., & Goubran, S. (2020). Sustainable Real Estate: Transitioning Beyond Cost Savings. In D. M. Wasieleski & J. Weber (Eds.), Sustainability (Vol. 4, pp. 141-161). Bingley, UK: Emerald Publishing Limited.
  • Goubran, S., Emond, G., & Cucuzzella, C. (2020). Understanding Regional Sustainability in the Built Environment. In K.-P. Schulz & K. Mnisri (Eds.), Pathways to Connect Creativity and Sustainable Development (pp. 337–358). PUN – Éditions Universitaires de Lorraine.
  • Goubran, S.; Masson, T. & Caycedo, M. (2019). Evolutions in Sustainability and Sustainable Real Estate. In T. Walker, C. Krosinsky, L. N. Hasan, & S. D. Kibsey (Eds.), Sustainable Real Estate (pp. 11–31). Cham: Palgrave Macmillan (registered under Springer Nature Switzerland AG).

Professional and Other Research Articles

  • Goubran, S. (2020). Le Québec dans le concert canadien des prix de développement durable. ARQ: Architecture & Design Quebec. (in press – expected publication end of 2020)
  • Goubran, S. (2019). Self-perception, determinism, didacticism. In C. Cucuzzella, C. I. Hammond, S. Goubran, & C. Lalonde (Eds.), Du Didactisme en Architecture / On Didacticism in Architecture (LEAP Research Notebook Vol. 3). Montreal, QC: Potential Architecture Books.
  • Goubran, S. (2018). Architecture: A pluripotent stem field. In L. Martin & J. Lachance (Eds.), Du potentiel de l’hétéronomie et de l’autonomie en architecture / On the Potential of Heteronomy and Autonomy in Architecture(LEAP Research Notebook Vol. 2). Montreal, QC: Potential Architecture Books.

Art and Creative Practice

  • Zero Carbon Future Heritage - installation (May – November 2023)
    • By: Tom Jefferies, Sherif Goubran, and Laura Coucill
    • Time Space Existence, European Cultural Centre, Architecture Venice Biennale 2023

Conjecture – art installation: November 2018

  • Making arts, marking politics (art residency and exposition): May to November 2018
  • Faculty of Fine Arts– Concordia University

The installation explores questions about vacancies in buildings. Part of the art residency that brought together the Alternative (Concordia’s political party-in-residence from Denmark) taking place at Expo 67 Canadian Pavilion (Parc Jean-Drapeau).