Esther Borkowski

Esther joined DTU Compute as a Postdoctoral Researcher in September 2024, bringing expertise in modelling, programming, data science and optimisation. Her research focuses on developing and testing new methods and algorithms for modelling and controlling energy and flexibility management in buildings. In the Dynamical Systems Section at DTU Compute, Esther plays a key role in the EU-funded SEEDS project, which brings together European partners to create renewable energy-integrated solutions for electrified heating and cooling systems that improve energy efficiency and demand response. In addition to her work on SEEDS, Esther is an active member of IBPSA Project 2 on BOPTEST and IEA EBC Annex 81 on Data-Driven Smart Buildings. 

Prior to joining DTU, Esther was a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Architecture and Building Systems Group at ETH Zurich, led by Arno Schlueter. At ETH, she managed the HiLo living lab, developed data-driven modelling and control approaches for buildings and dedicated half of her time to teaching. Before her time at ETH, Esther earned her PhD from the Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering at University College London (UCL), where she developed an integrated modelling approach for control algorithms of adaptive façades using co-simulation. Her doctoral research was fully funded by the Foundation of German Business (Stiftung der Deutschen Wirtschaft) and supervised by Rokia Raslan and Dimitrios Rovas.

Esther's research interests are centred on leveraging technology to create energy-efficient and -flexible buildings that benefit both people and the environment and using numerical and learning methods to achieve these goals. In particular, she is interested in the optimal control of smart buildings, including the improvement of models and simulation tools and the integration of data science and artificial intelligence to enhance model accuracy and transparency. Esther is also passionate about empowering more women in STEM and actively works to inspire and support the next generation of female scientists and engineers.