Thesis: An urban microclimate comparative study between Outdoor+ and ENVI-met
Courses: Introduction to Analytics Modeling, Revit, Healthcare Design of the Future, VIP: Surrogate Models for Urban Regeneration, Data-driven Methods in Design and Sustainability, Building Simulation in Design Practice, Public Health Analytics, Shape Grammars.
Undergraduate thesis: Modeling technique for vault-like structure generation through topological manipulation
• Urban Vulnerability Modeling and Simulation Platform project.
• Assisted in teaching the VIP: Computing Building Resiliency course, conducting research on CFD and ABS and providing technical support to students.
• Conducted comparative research on urban microclimate simulations, validating Outdoor+, a Grasshopper plugin using the urbanMicroclimateFoam solver, testing results against ENVI-met models.
• Developed advanced ENVI-met microclimate models to identify thermal comfort issues in an Educational Center project, providing design input for the architecture team.
• Developed scripting solutions with IfcOpenShell to read and manipulate BIM/IFC models in Revit through Rhino.Inside.Revit.
• Programmed post-processing tools and analyzed results for indoor CFD simulations using OpenFOAM and Grasshopper.
• Assisted in teaching the VIP: Computing Building Resiliency course, conducting research on CFD and ABS and providing technical support to students.
• Developed custom components for Outdoor+, a Grasshopper plugin for urban microclimate simulations, as part of the VIP Surrogate Models for Urban Regeneration project.
• Created custom Grasshopper scripts for design space exploration and EnergyPlus-based climate simulations.
• Designed a housing proposal in response to a citywide conflagration, approved by the local community.
• Modeled projects in Revit and Rhinoceros, producing documentation, renderings in Twinmotion, and post-production in Adobe Photoshop.
• Presented project outcomes to community groups of 50+ participants.
• Managed databases and generated dashboards to support decision-making in the Engineering Faculty.
• Assisted students by addressing academic inquiries and guiding coursework.
• Graded professional practice reports.
• Conducted on-site measurements, prepared permit documentation, and managed client paperwork to ensure regulatory compliance.
• Collaborated on concept design, technical documentation, and 3D modeling for residential and commercial projects.
• Executed on-site measurements and permitting documentation.
• Managed client paperwork to ensure compliance.
• Assisted in preparing technical documentation and drawings for land lot development and subdivision projects.
• Supported regulatory approval processes by compiling site data, maps, and compliance paperwork.
• Alvarez, Marcelo; Gomez-Zamora, Paula; Swarts, Matthew. "Spatiotemporal Modeling Integration Framework: Indoor Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Agent-Based Simulation (ABS) Coupling Assessment." SIGraDi Meta-responsive Approaches, December 2025.
• Debnath, Sharmista; Yang, Amy; Alvarez, Marcelo; Gomez-Zamore, Paula; Swarts, Matthew. Airflow-Pathogen Spread Dynamics: A CFD-ABS Approach to Optimizing Ventilation and Filtration Strategies to Reduce Risk. SIGraDi 2025, December 2025.
Rahimi, Sina, Marcelo Alvarez, Umberto Berardi, Brian Stone, and Patrick Kastner. "Coupled Urban Physics in Microclimate Modeling: Validating and Enhancing Simulation Tools." Building and Environment, September 2025, 113637.
Álvarez, Marcelo, and Marcelo Bernal. "Design Spaces of Structurally Pre-Evaluated Funicular Shapes." Blucher Design Proceedings, Editora Blucher, December 2021, 807–18.
Álvarez, Marcelo, Marcelo Bernal, and Carlos Castro. "Modeling Technique for Vault-like Structure Generation through Topological Manipulation." Blucher Design Proceedings, Editora Blucher, December 2020, 238–45.
• GA4LE 2025 Scholarship - Georgia Chapter of the Association for Learning Environments, inc.
• ET SFP 2025 Scholarship – International Facility Management Association
• GTRI Graduate Student Research Award nomination
• English: Professional proficiency
• Spanish: Native