PNNL

For more than 35 years, Dr. Osman Ahmed has created innovation wealth- both intellectual and capital- and demonstrated his ability as a successful strategic and technical leader. Majority of my vast innovation experience is focused in creating exceptional value from Digitalization. For last 25+ years, I have led innovation that spans complete digital ecosystem using IoT, predictive analytics, AI/ML solutions, and novel distributed edge intelligence.  As such, Osman has taken numerous journeys, starting with concept development, then piloting and demonstrating prototypes, and finally, delivering solutions for commercialization.

Osman joined Pacific Northwest National Laboratory as a Principal Technical Advisor in 2016. Currently, he is leading groundbreaking initiatives to deploy, demonstrate, and create exceptional value digital ecosystem can offer across energy sectors. His current portfolio includes designing a foundational open platform Digital Twin for Hydropower Systems, and collaboration with private industry in demonstrating commercial value of novel optimization of HVAC systems in multi-family residence market.

Prior to his current position, he served for 28 years at Siemens where held many technical and leadership positions. At Siemens, he discovered affordable IoT (Internet of Things) for a variety of applications. His discovery was widely publicized in the media including Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, MIT technology review. His IoT discovery was selected as the “2004 Innovation of the Year” by Industrial Automation Magazine. In 2004, he received lifetime achievement award "Siemens Inventor of the Year" for his discovery.  Siemens recognized him as one of the most inventive minds in the company in a published book in 2004 (Amazon). He successfully created a foundational research, innovation, and collaboration model between Masdar, world’s first carbon neutral city and, UAE and Siemens to establish open and living laboratory in the areas of smart grid and sustainable cities.

As a visionary, he is currently pursuing groundbreaking concepts such as offering negative emission, benign bio-fuel, and medical grade oxygen- all using building as a platform and artificial photosynthesis, discovery using Digital Twin, and decarbonization of building heating and cooling using chromatic and nano technologies, just to name a few.

Dr. Ahmed is a prolific inventor with 42 US and 100+ international granted patents and 20+ pending US patents. He has presented and authored more than 100 publications. As a thought leader, he often shares his thoughts on digital innovation as a keynote speaker.

• Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, Minors in Electrical Engineering and Chemical Engineering, University of Wisconsin- Madison, Wisconsin.  1996. Thesis: Application of Artificial Intelligence in Laboratory Control Systems.
• MS, Mechanical Engineering, University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Research: Energy Conservation in Buildings. 1983.
• BS, Mechanical Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Dhaka, Bangladesh. 1979.
• Professional Engineer License: State of Illinois.

• President, International Association of Management of Technology
• Member: ASHRAE, ASME, IEEE

2020 

108,241,20: Diagnostics in Building Automation 

2016

9,261,299: Distributed microsystems-based control method and apparatus for commercial refrigeration

WO 2016144587 A1: Cascaded identification in building automation (Pending)WO 2016144586 A1: Prediction in building automation (Pending)

2015

20160246269: VARIABLE AIR VOLUME MODELING FOR AN HVAC SYSTEM (Pending)

2014

8,893,006: Method and system for obtaining operational data and service information for a building site

20160054712: COMBINED STATISTICAL AND PHYSICS BASED MODEL CONTROL AND PERFORMANCE METHOD AND SYSTEM (Pending)

20160223998: SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINISTIC CALCULATION OF RECOVERY TIME FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEM (Pending)

2013

8,620,775: Retail behavioral tracking using microsystems

8,567,133: Photocatalytic panel and system for recovering output products thereof

8,346,398: Data center thermal performance optimization using distributed cooling systems

8,538,589: Building system with reduced wiring requirements and apparatus for use therein

8,521,708: System and method for developing and processing building system control solutions

2012

8,326,465: Wireless building management system and method using a building model

8,315,839: Passive and active wireless building management system and method

8,160,729: Application of microsystems for a building system employing a system knowledge base

8,131,399: Building control system with building level network and room network using different wireless communication schemes

8,316,926: Arrangement and method for automatically determined time constant for a control device 

2011

20130013234: Distributed Energy Management (Pending)

20130011315: Environmentally Responsive Building and Control System Therefor (Pending)

7,948,189: Application of microsystems for lighting control

2010

7,664,573: Integrated building environment data system

7,854,389: Application of microsystems for comfort control

7,780,092: Application of microsystems for real time IEQ control

7,758,407: Ventilation control based on occupancy

7,665,670: Method and apparatus for an integrated distributed MEMS based control system

7,667,588: Cage telemetry module and system 

7,664,574: Method for representing a building system enabling facility viewing for maintenance purposes 

7,664,573: Integrated building environment data system 

2008

7,383,148: Method and apparatus for graphically displaying a building system 

2006

7,024,258: System and method for model-based control of a building fluid distribution system 

2000

6,145,751: Method and apparatus for determining a thermal setpoint in a HVAC system

6,095,426: Room temperature control apparatus having feedforward and feedback control and method

1996 

5,573,181: Global control of HVAC distribution system 

WO 2016144587 A1: Cascaded identification in building automation (Pending)

WO 2016144586 A1: Prediction in building automation (Pending)

Selected recent presentations and publications:

• Alam Mohammad Fahad et. al. “Novel Applications by monitoring vehicle exhaust and using Digitalization platform”. International Association of Management of Technology. First Online Conference. Cairo. Egypt. September, 2020.
• Chen Y., V. Chandan, Y. Huang, M.E. Alam, O. Ahmed, and L.D. Smith. 2019. "Coordination of Behind-the-Meter Energy Storage and Building Loads: Optimization with Deep Learning Models." In Proceedings of the Tenth ACM International Conference on Future Energy Systems (e-Energy 2019), June 25-28, 2019, Phoenix, AZ, 492-499. New York, New York: ACM. PNNL-SA-138381. doi:10.1145/3307772.3331025
• Osman Ahmed. “Innovation- What we can learn from nature”. Keynote speaker. IAMOT Conference. 2019. Mumbai. 2019.
• Osman Ahmed. “Innovation Strategy for Digitalization” Keynote Speaker. IAMOT Conference. 2017. Vienna. Austria
• Osman Ahmed. “Sensing and IOT Ecosystem” Scheduled Keynote Speaker. Sensor Expo 2017. San Diego. USA.
• Osman Ahmed. "Smart Sustainable City". Keynote speaker. IAMOT Conference. 2016. Orlando. Florida.
• Osman Ahmed. " Big Data Analytics for Smart Cities". Keynote speaker. IAMOT Conference. 2015. Cape Town. South Africa.
• Osman Ahmed. "Building Energy Systems, 100 years from now- what to expect?". ASME Power and Energy Conference. 2015. San Diego, CA.
• Harish Sanjiv and Osman Ahmed. "Neural Network Modelling, Simulation and Prediction of Innovation Growth in United Arab Emirates (UAE)". Paper presented at Conference on Complex Adaptive Systems Philadelphia, PA November 3-5, 2014. Philadelphia, PA, 2014.
• Osman Ahmed. "An open innovation platform for sustainable cities": Invited Guest Speaker. Culture Matters": International Research Collaboration in a Changing World. National Academies of Sciences. 2014. Washington DC.
• Osman Ahmed. "Driving Innovation-Economy By Leading Green Technologies Development". Invited Speaker. World Future Energy Summit. 2013. Abu Dhabi. UAE.
• Osman Ahmed. "Cloud collaboration service- Learning from cloud". Keynote speaker. 2012 International Conference on Cloud Computing Technologies, Applications and Management. BITS Pilani. 2012. Dubai, UAE.
• Osman Ahmed. "Leading an Innovation organization". Invited speaker. Leadership Conference. Program for Advanced Leadership and Management. Madinah Institute for Leadership an Entrepreneurship, May 13, 2012. Madinah, Saudi Arabia.
• Osman Ahmed. Guest Speaker. "Innovation Forum on a Consortium of Academic, Industry and Government Organizations". University Leadership Council, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
• Osman Ahmed. Business case of Microsystems. Contributor and collaborator for a Ph.D. Thesis. Cited in Ph.D. Thesis by Norbert Burger. "Managing MEMS/NEMS technology development teams in the early phases of the innovation process- An exploratory investigation by case study research. 2011. ETH Zurich. Switzerland.
• Osman Ahmed (co-author). "Evaluation of Strategies for Natural Ventilation Systems at Syracuse Center of Excellence Building".  12th International Conference on Indoor Air Quality and Climate. 2011. Austin. Texas.
• Osman Ahmed. "Warming Earth- Challenges and Opportunities". Plenary session invited speaker. IAMOT. 2011. Miami Beach. Florida.
• Osman Ahmed. "Siemens Innovation and Sustainability". Presented to State of Nevada Officials and private and public enterprises on the theme of Open Innovation Collaboration. 2011. Reno. Nevada. Hosted by Sierra Nevada College.
• Osman Ahmed. "Green Building Integration- Lessons from Green Human". Advanced Energy Conference. 2010. New York, USA.
• Osman Ahmed. "Aspects of Green Technology and its management" Tutorial. IAMOT Conference. 2009. Orlando.
• Osman Ahmed. " Atlas of Green Technologies, Potential and Opportunities". Plenary session panelist. IAMOT Conference. 2009. Orlando.
• Osman Ahmed. "Vision on Building Energy, Environment, and Sustainability". Invited Speaker. Center for Sustainability. 2009. Stanford University. Palo Alto. California.
• Osman Ahmed. "Green Technology and Innovation for Building Industry- what role UAE can play?". Plenary session speaker. IAMOT Conference. Dubai. 2008.
• Osman Ahmed, "Sustainable and Intelligent Building- Are they synonymous?", Invited Speaker at National University of Singapore and EU Center in Singapore sponsored seminar. June 2009. Singapore.
• Osman Ahmed, "Microsystems for Building Applications", Invited Speaker at ETH Zurich Industry day. may 2008.
• Osman Ahmed. "A corporate fellowship to stimulate innovation- Can it survive?". International Conference on Management of Technology. IAMOT. 2006. Beijing. China.