SEC speaker: Holly W. Samuelson, DDes, LEED, Registered Architect

This webinar will highlight architectural research, asking the following questions. What are some of the benefits and trade-offs of energy-efficient design for heat vulnerability, passive survivability, and the urban heat island? Can window views be considered, alongside energy and daylight, as part of a parametric design process? While some experts believe the role of the building industry is to electrify buildings and then reap the benefits of a cleaner grid, this research asks: can thoughtful building design, including passive measures like window selection, also play a role in enabling that cleaner grid by helping to align energy demand with clean electricity supply?

Speaker Bio:

Dr. Samuelson is an Associate Professor of Architecture at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, teaching architectural technology courses. Her teaching and research focus on issues of building design that impact human and environmental health. Her current projects harness advanced building simulation to investigate issues of greenhouse gas emissions, heat vulnerability, and indoor environmental quality while considering the future of buildings in a changing electricity grid.

Samuelson has coauthored more than 40 peer-reviewed scientific papers, including a Best Paper awarded by the journal Energy and Buildings. She has coached multiple winning student teams in international design competitions. Her work has been commended twice at scholarly conferences, and she regularly gives public lectures internationally. A recognized expert in architectural technology, she has been interviewed by national media outlets, including the Washington Post, the Boston Globe, and the Wall Street Journal.

Prior to joining Harvard, Samuelson practiced full-time as an architect (2000-2007) and sustainable design consultant (2007-2008), and she prioritizes forging links between academia and the building industry.