Zhong Xiaoyang

Xiaoyang is an Assistant Professor at Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School. He is also a Visiting Researcher at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) and the Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), Leiden University. His research examines interactions between human development and the natural environment at global and regional scales, with a focus on sustainable resource and energy use as well as climate change mitigation and adaptation. He works across Industrial Ecology (IE) and Integrated Assessment Models (IAM), and has contributed to early efforts to integrate these approaches in building system modeling by combining material flow analysis, energy system scenario analysis, and life cycle perspectives. He has contributed to the development of open source building system models, including GLOBUME, GLOBUS, and MESSAGEix-Buildings. He has also participated as a core team member in several international research projects, including Horizon Europe programs.

He has published in journals including Nature Sustainability, Nature Communications, Nature Electronics, Nature Reviews Biodiversity, and One Earth. His work has been highlighted by Nature and covered by New Scientist and the Eos magzine. He received the 2022 Stans Award for Best Paper at Leiden University, and his research has been recognized by One Earth as one of the Top 10 Breakthrough Studies of 2025. His work has also informed assessments and reports by organizations such as UNEP, the IPCC, and the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency.

09/2018–06/2023, Leiden University, Industrial Ecology, PhD
09/2015–06/2018, Chongqing University, Management Science and Engineering, Master
09/2010–06/2014, Ocean University of China, Engineering Management, Bachelor

02/2026–Present, Tsinghua University Shenzhen International Graduate School, Assistant Professor
02/2026–Present, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Energy, Climate and Environment (ECE) Program, Guest Research Scholar
07/2023–Present, Leiden University, Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), Guest Researcher
04/2023–02/2026, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Energy, Climate and Environment (ECE) Program, Research Scholar
10/2022–03/2023, Leiden University, Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), Postdoctoral Researcher

Industrial Ecology, Sustainable Building Systems, Global Material Cycles, Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation

Xiaoyang has contributed to several international research projects, including the Horizon Europe projects CircEUlar and FutuRaM, the European Commission project Analysis of Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions of EU Buildings and Construction, and the IIASA RITE collaborative project ALPS: Alternative Pathways to Sustainable Development and Climate Stabilization.

[1] Zhong, X., Deetman, S., Tukker, A. and Behrens, P., 2022. Increasing material efficiencies of buildings to address the global sand crisis. Nature Sustainability, 5(5), pp.389-392.

[2] Zhong, X., Hu, M., Deetman, S., Steubing, B., Lin, H.X., Hernandez, G.A., Harpprecht, C., Zhang, C., Tukker, A. and Behrens, P., 2021. Global greenhouse gas emissions from residential and commercial building materials and mitigation strategies to 2060. Nature Communications, 12(1), p.6126.

[3] Cao, Z., Chu, C., Liu, J., Su, X., Zhong, X. and Behrens, P., 2025. Closing the global sand circularity gap needs a systems approach. One Earth, 8(2).

[4] Aguilar-Hernandez, G.A., Singhvi, A., Böcher, C. and Zhong, X., 2023. Building resilience in high-tech supply chains. Nature Electronics, 6(8), pp.546-548.

[5] Jin, Y., Behrens, P., Zhong, X. and Scherer, L., 2025. Water temperature regulations could help to balance biodiversity and energy security. Nature Reviews Biodiversity, 1(9), pp.565-566.