Dr. Kavgic's research interests are in the area of energy use in buildings which is dependent upon a complicated set of interactions between building components, systems and equipment coupled with the complexities related to the need and behaviour of the building users.
Innovative building materials, sustainable building design strategies and technologies are seen as vital tools in the fight against climate change. It is particularly important to conduct research on application of advanced building facade materials (e.g. phase change materials), systems (e.g. ventilated double skin facade, smart glass systems, etc.), sustainable solutions, advanced control strategies for buildings and HVAC systems designed to make buildings more resilient under the extreme Prairie weather conditions and to support changes in the national building codes. In addition, to reduce performance gap between design and operation of highly energy efficient buildings it is necessary to improve understanding and knowledge related to the uncertainties that are present in building design, construction quality, and occupant behaviour.
Advanced building performance simulation tools are the suitable instrument to support decisions regarding the selection and integration of various design and technical options for energy conservation in buildings. Extensive field measurements are required to provide real operational data for validation and verification of developed building models.