Personal profile
Research interests
As Thematic Lead of the Sustainable Digital Communities Team at AIT, I guide a multidisciplinary team developing digital solutions that enable cities and communities to become more climate-resilient, inclusive, and data-driven. Our work focuses on creating tools and approaches within the data space of smart cities and communities, supporting decision-making through integrated digital platforms, modeling, and planning methods.
With more than a decade of experience in smart cities and climate-neutral urban development, I have led and contributed to numerous high-impact initiatives, including EU flagship projects such as NetZeroCities, Scalable Cities, POCITYF, and RUGGEDISED. Our team has also worked with international institutions like the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the World Bank, providing digital and policy support for sustainable urban development across Africa and Asia.
We are proud to lead the Knowledge Hub of the New European Bauhaus (NEB), where we connect digital innovation with the NEB values of sustainability, aesthetics, and inclusion, helping cities translate these ambitions into practical, scalable strategies.
Through a combination of data expertise, urban systems thinking, and cross-sector collaboration, we aim to shape cities that are future-ready, equitable, and environmentally sound.
Team & Thematic Focus Areas:
Sustainable Digital Communities | Data Space for Smart Cities | Climate-Neutral City Strategies | Emissions & Scenario Modeling | Digital Urban Planning Tools | EU Missions & Projects (NetZeroCities, Scalable Cities, POCITYF, RUGGEDISED) | International Cooperation (EIB, World Bank) | Knowledge Hub – New European Bauhaus | Smart Metrics & Governance Models
Education/Academic qualification
Building Sciences and Technology, Master, TU Wien
Award Date: 1 Jun 2016
Construction Engineering and Project management, Master, Amirkabir University of Technology
Award Date: 1 Mar 2015
Architectural Engineering, Bachelor, Islamic Azad University
Award Date: 30 Jan 2011
Information Technology, Bachelor, Iran University of Science and Technology
Award Date: 31 Jan 2010
External positions
External affiliation, Stuttgart Technology University of Applied Sciences
2022 → …
Lecturer, Green Building Solutions Summer University
2021 → …
Management Committee Member of Austria-PED EU NET
Apr 2020 → …
EERA SMART CITIES-Coordinator KPI and Monitoring in Smart Cities
2020 → …
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Research output
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Harnessing GenAI for Climate Change Knowledge Management: Use Cases, System Design, and Experimental Evaluation
Havlik, D., Chettakattu, A., Karagiannis, V., Etminan, G. & Pale, P., 9 May 2025, (Submitted) In: Climatic Change. 30 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
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AI in Energy
Zavodovski, A., Gebremehdin, A., Matta, A., Kung, A., Krukowski, A., Hovstø, A., Mukherjee, A., Zachäus, C., Filipovic, D., Pongracz, E., Silva, F., Aghdam, F. H., Svenn, F., Etminan, G., Funk, H., Soldatos, I., Cornec, L., AL-Naday, M., Rasti, M. & Samovich, N. & 7 others, , 2024, 70 p.Research output: Books and Reports › Report
File174 Downloads (Pure) -
Qualitative Assessment Methodology for Positive Energy District Planning Guidelines
Neumann, H.-M. (Speaker), Garayo, S. D., Gaitani, N., Vettorato, D., Aelenei, L., Borsboom, J., Etminan, G., Kozlowska, A., Reda, F., Rose, J. & Tuominen, P., 2022, Sustainability in Energy and Buildings 2021. Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies, vol 263. Littlewood, J. R., Howlett, R. J. & Jain, L. C. (eds.). Springer, 1 p.Research output: Chapter in Book or Conference Proceedings › Conference Proceedings with Oral Presentation › peer-review
Open Access -
Ten questions concerning positive energy districts
Sareen, S., Albert-Seifried, V., Aelenei, L., Reda, F., Etminan, G., Andreucci, M. B., Kuzmic, M., Maas, N., Seco, O., Civiero, P., Gohari, S., Hukkalainen, M. & Neumann, H.-M., 2022, In: Building and Environment. 109017, 9 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Analysis and Evaluation of the Feasibility of Positive Energy Districts in Selected Urban Typologies in Vienna Using a Bottom-Up District Energy Modelling Approach
Neumann, H.-M., Hainoun, A., Stollnberger, R., Etminan, G. & Schaffler, V., 2021, In: Energies. 14, 4449, p. 1-16 16 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Activities
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Urban Agenda (Journal)
Etminan, G. (Reviewer)
28 May 2025Activity: Editorial and Review Activities › Peer Review of a Journal, Publisher or Event
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Regional Development in Challenging Times
Etminan, G. (Speaker)
21 May 2025Activity: Talk or presentation / Lecture › Invited talk at a scientific conference or institution
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Open & Agile Smart Cities & Communities (OASC) (External organisation)
Etminan, G. (Member)
2025 → …Activity: Advisory Positions and Standardisation › Advisory positions in national and international organisations and expert groups
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monitoring, evaluataion and learning for 112 mission cities
Etminan, G. (Speaker)
26 Jul 2023Activity: Talk or presentation / Lecture › Presentation at a scientific conference / workshop
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from positive clean energy district towards climate neutral cities
Etminan, G. (Speaker)
19 Jul 2023Activity: Talk or presentation / Lecture › Lecture