Dr. Al-Hassawi conducts research in two primary areas which are advancing the performance of passive and low-energy environmental control systems as well as workforce development in high-performing energy-efficient buildings. Omar is the Primary Investigator on a federal grant funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) which is being used to launch two new certificate programs and one new graduate degree program in Energy Conscious Construction (ECC). Under Omar’s leadership, the ECC certificates and degree programs have recently received the U.S. DOE Zero Energy Design Designation. Students working with Omar have received several prestigious awards in student design competitions, namely the AIA Committee on the Environment Top Ten Design Competition and the Timber in the City Design Competition.