Dr. Thorsten Klaus Email & Phone Number

Vienna, Austria

Vienna, Austria

Vienna, Austria

Led a multidisciplinary team of engineers, architects, and product designers to design, develop, and continuously improve a sustainable modular building system optimized for automated production and fast site assembly. Coordinated structural engineering, building physics, and parametric element design groups, with an emphasis on design for manufacture and assembly (DFMA), and worked closely with architecture, MEP, drafting, and project execution teams to ensure overall system integration.

Vienna, Austria

Designed and developed concepts, components, connections, and details for a sustainable modular building system optimized for automated fabrication. Led working groups targeting specific aspects of system design, researched innovative materials and products, and built relationships with potential suppliers.

Augsburg, Bavaria, Germany

Conceived, designed, and presented a compact course at the master's level on sustainable modular building using advanced digital design and manufacturing methods. The lecture series covered the architectural, structural, building physics, and fire safety design of timber modular building systems, as well as design for manufacture and assembly (DfMA), and parametric design methods for building elements. This was followed by a digital design project in which the students successfully implemented their own parametric modular elements and automatically generated drawings and bills of materials for a hypothetical procurement and production process.

Stuttgart, Germany

Design and coordination of all technical building systems, structural systems, and facade systems for modular, prefabricated, zero- or plus-energy living spaces, and the integration of these systems with the overall architectural concept. Coordination, scheduling, and task management with engineers and architects within the Aktivhaus team and in the Werner Sobek Group. Conceptual development and design coordination of user interfaces, building automation, and building energy management systems. Cost estimation and compilation for project budgets. Production planning and coordination with manufacturers, contractors, and subcontractors, including factory and site visits, quality control, and production documentation. Material and equipment research and selection to meet environmental, performance, interface, and integration requirements.

Stuttgart, Germany

Conception, design, implementation, and analysis of software and hardware systems for building energy management and building automation systems. Solutions included custom-developed self-learning algorithms running on specialized embedded hardware.

Stuttgart, Germany

Experimental and analytical research into the building physics of lightweight multilayer membrane facade systems. Engineering and architectural teaching at the Institute for Lightweight Structures and Conceptual Design (ILEK).Parallel projects included the design of custom exhibition stands for trade fairs, construction of prototype facade systems, and design competition entries — including the winning entry for the 'Efficiency House Plus' competition set by the German Federal Government in 2010.

Stuttgart, Germany

Technical translation of the DGNB System Handbook, technical documents, and communication material for international partners.

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Experimental and analytical research in reinforced concrete, including the load testing of 17 large concrete beams. Teaching of engineering tutorials for undergraduate courses and support and preparation of lecture material and experimental apparatus for the course professors.

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Structural analysis and design, including reinforced concrete design for Toronto's MaRS research facility and Morrisson Hall at the University of Toronto, and seismic analysis and assessment of the 1914 wing of the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) in preparation for the Crystal Addition by Daniel Libeskind. Research into building materials and sustainability topics, including a comparison of timber and steel construction systems.

Doctor Of Engineering (Dr.-Ing.), Building Physics Of Lightweight Structures, Summa Cum Laude

Doctoral Thesis: Performance Fundamentals of Multilayer Membrane Building Envelopes

Master Of Applied Science (M.A.Sc.), Civil Engineering

Master's Thesis: Shear Behaviour of Reinforced Concrete Box Culverts

Bachelor Of Applied Science (B.A.Sc.), Engineering Science (Infrastructure Option)