Dra. Catalina Giraldo Soto is researcher and lecturer in Energy Engineering at the University of the Basque Country. She is an Industrial Engineer with dual PhDs in Mechanics – Science Physics and Engineering (University of Bordeaux, France) and Energy Efficiency and Sustainability in Engineering and Architecture (UPV/EHU, Spain). Her work specializes in energy performance in buildings and their energy systems, energy monitoring, measurement uncertainty, and predictive modelling. With more than a decade of experience, she has led national and international research projects focused on improving building energy efficiency and understanding thermal behaviour in retrofitted structures.

From 2022 to 2024, she conducted research as a postdoctoral researcher in the UK at the Loughborough University and the Leeds Sustainability Institute of the Leeds Beckett University, funded by a competitive Basque Government program following her recognition as a Global Talent in engineering research by the Royal Academy of Engineering (UK). Her research contributed to UK government projects on heat transfer evaluation, data monitoring systems, and performance analysis using RC models and machine learning.

She has played a leading role in Spain national projects such as INMOEN SMARTHEC, MONITHERM, and European projects such as A2PBEER and ENERPAT-SUDOE, combining field monitoring, experimental campaigns, and data science. Her work is applied to real case studies of occupied residential and tertiary buildings in both Spain and the UK. She collaborates with international bodies including the International Energy Agency (IEA) and regional partners such as the Laboratory for Quality Control in Buildings of the Basque Government.

Professional and Academic Experience

• Since 2021 – University of the Basque Country, Spain. Postdoctoral Researcher and Lecturer,
• Since 2022 – Leeds Beckett University, UK. Researcher
• 2022/2024 – Loughborough University, UK. Researcher
• 2016/2021 – University of the Basque Country, Spain. Researcher
• 2010/2018 –Fontis GS Group S.L., Madrid, Spain. CEO and Co-founder
• 2013/2014 – Tekia Ingenieros S.A., Madrid, Spain. Intelligent Transport Systems Engineer
• 2011/2012 – Hart Monetic S.A., Madrid, Spain. R&D Project Manager
• 2010/2011 – Elecnor Ingeniería S.L., Madrid, Spain. Mechanical Engineer
• 2008/2010 – Polytechnic University of Madrid, Spain. R&D+i Engineer
• 2007/2008 – Coamer S.L., Madrid, Spain. Product Manager
• 2004/2005 – Valeo Service España S.A., Madrid, Spain. Quality Engineer

Education

• 2021 – PhD in Energy Efficiency and Sustainability, University of the Basque Country, Spain
• 2021 – PhD in Mechanics (Physical Sciences and Engineering), University of Bordeaux, France
• 2014 – MSc in Industrial Engineering and Operations, Polytechnic University of Madrid, Spain
• 2014 – Bachelor and MSc in Industrial Engineering, Polytechnic University of Madrid, Spain

Further Technical Qualifications

• IEA-EBC Annex 94: Validation and Verification of In-situ Building Energy Performance Measurement Techniques (since 2024)
• IEA ES Task 43: Storage and Building Mass Flexibility (since 2023)
• IEA-EBC Annex 71: Building Energy Performance Assessment (2017–2019)
• ENEDI Research Group (Energy in Buildings), UPV/EHU
• International Energy Agency (IEA) Expert Groups
• Collaboration with Laboratory for Quality Control in Buildings, Basque Government

Membership

• Since 2024 – ATECYR (Asociación Técnica Española de Climatización y Refrigeracn)

Publications

Journal Articles

• Giraldo Soto, C. et al. „Definition, estimation and decoupling of the overall uncertainty of the outdoor air temperature measurement surrounding a building envelope.“ Journal of Building Physics, 2024
• Giraldo Soto, C. et al. „Overall uncertainty analysis of zonal indoor air temperature measurement in an in-use office building.“ Building and Environment, 2022
• Giraldo Soto, C. et al. „Monitoring System Analysis for Evaluating a Building’s Envelope Energy Performance…“ Sensors, 2018
• Giraldo Soto, C. et al. „Dataset of an in-use tertiary building collected from a detailed 3D monitoring system…“ Data in Brief, 2020
• Hernández Cruz, P., Giraldo Soto, C., et al. „Energy efficiency and energy performance gap in centralized social housing buildings of the Basque Country.“ Energy and Buildings, 2023
• Hernández Cruz, P., Ercoreca González, A., Giraldo Soto, C., et al. „Measurement uncertainty and behaviour analysis of indoor air quality variables…“ Building and Environment, 2024
• Azkarra Larrinaga, Z., Romero Anton, N., Martin Escudero, K., López Ruiz, G., Giraldo Soto, C. „Comparative summer thermal performance analysis between open ventilated facade and modular living wall.“ Case Studies in Thermal Engineering, 2024
• Azkorra-Larrinaga, Z., Romero Antón, N., Martin Escudero, K., López Ruiz, G., Giraldo Soto, C. „Evaluation of the Thermal Performance of Two Passive Facade System Solutions…“ Sustainability, 2023
• Uriarte, I., Erkoreka, A., Legorburu, A., Martin-Escudero, K., Giraldo-Soto, C., et al. „Decoupling the heat loss coefficient of an in-use office building…“ Journal of Building Engineering, 2021
• Egusquiza, S., Ginestet, J. C., Espada, I., Flores-Abascal, I., Garcia-Gafaro, C., Giraldo-Soto, C., et al. „Co‑creation of local eco‑rehabilitation strategies…“ Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2021
• Uriarte, I., Erkoreka, A., Giraldo-Soto, C., et al. „Mathematical development of an average method…“ Energy and Buildings, 2019

Books and Guides

• Contributing author. Building Performance & Evaluation Guide. Chartered Institute of Building, 2023

Conference Proceedings

• SEEDS 2024, 2022: Multiple contributions on uncertainty analysis and energy certificates
• CNIT 2023, 2022, 2017, 2018: Indoor temperature measurement and CO₂ decay methods
• PLEA 2020, BEFIB 2020, ISEC 2024: Applications of calibrated simulation, RC models, and digital monitoring
• Others: International presentations spanning BIM integration, CO₂ decay studies, and building envelope behaviour

ntegration, CO₂ decay studies, and building envelope behaviour