Sustainability has become an important topic of discussion in various disciplines. At FIU’s School of Architecture in the College of Architecture + The Arts, this subject has been particularly relevant among faculty research. Professor Shahin Vassigh‘s work on sustainability gave her the opportunity to present her findings at the Building Technology Educators’ Society annual meeting and recently an invitation to the Sustainable Data Community Forum’s Workshop as the keynote speaker in Chicago, IL on July 18-19.
Professor Vassigh’s lecture “Data-Driven Resilient Building Design” focused on the “increasingly critical role of data, simulation and analytical tools in building design and construction.” Vassigh explained that instead of relying on historically complied data, it is essential to gather new data in order to go forward with future changes.
Vassigh believes that as we become more knowledgeable about climate change, it is important to rethink standard building design and construction practices to “achieve sustainable and resilient buildings.”
According to the event’s webpage, the Sustainable Data Community Forum’s Workshop is a sponsored by the University of Notre Dame which “brings together architects, policy makers, industry stakeholders, researchers, and computer scientists to form a diverse Community of Experts committed to building a data community and new frameworks to gather, disseminate, and promote the sharing of sustainability data.”
As an architect, Professor Vassigh is mostly concerned with the environmental impact of buildings. She describes sustainable buildings as those “that minimize energy and material use, produce minimal waste and harmful emissions and as a result do diminish the quality of life for the future generations.”
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