Hyun Woo “Chris” Lee is the P.D. Koon Endowed Professor in the Department of Construction Management (CM) and leads the Energy and Sustainability in Construction (ESC) Lab. Prior to joining the CM Department in January 2016, he spent 3.5 years as an Assistant Professor at Oregon State University, and 7 years in the U.S. and Korean construction industries as field engineer, project engineer, and estimator. He received his B.S. in Architectural Engineering from Seoul National University in 1999, and his M.S. and PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley in 2004 and 2012, respectively.
Prof. Lee’s research addresses how decisions about buildings and infrastructure are made under uncertainty, and how those decisions can be made more sustainable, safer, and more equitable. Through the ESC Lab, he develops financial models, risk assessment frameworks, and planning tools across three themes: advancing sustainable built environments through building and transportation electrification, enhancing construction health and safety, and leveraging data-driven innovations for construction excellence. His current work centers on electrification—EV charging infrastructure planning, electrified mobility hubs, ferry terminal and transit fleet electrification, and public-private partnership (P3) models for financing the transition—alongside a parallel line of research on clean energy justice that documents disparities in access to rooftop solar, heat pumps, and EV chargers in underserved communities. This research is conducted in close partnership with public agencies including the Washington State Department of Transportation, the Port of Seattle, King County Metro, Sound Transit, and Seattle City Light, and is grounded in community-centered planning and interagency coordination.
Prof. Lee has led or collaborated on over 30 funded research projects totaling more than $2.5 million, supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, the Washington State Department of Transportation, the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, NIOSH through CPWR, and industry partners including Google and Skanska. He has produced over 100 publications, including more than 40 peer-reviewed journal articles in journals such as Applied Energy, Automation in Construction, Journal of Cleaner Production, Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, and Journal of Management in Engineering, and his work has been featured in ASCE Civil Engineering, Metropolis, Fast Company, and Safety+Health. He serves as Assistant Specialty Editor for the Journal of Construction Engineering and Management and on the Advisory Board of the Lean Construction Journal.