Where Building Science Meets Climate Science conference returns Nov. 1-2

Press release from AIA Asheville:

AIA Asheville and CASE Consultants International are producing the fourth annual Where Building Science Meets Climate Science conference in Asheville, NC, on Nov. 1 and 2, 2018. The theme of this year’s conference is Deep Retrofit, an architectural concept that involves maximizing energy and water conservation in adaptive reuse projects involving existing buildings.

Bill Langdon, local architect and part of the event organizing team, has described the annual conference as “one of the most important events in the country on climate and building design.” CASE President, Marjorie McGuirk, points out that “Many cities and towns are involved with creative renovation of older buildings. How great would it be if these renovations addressed environmental sustainability while also preserving the history and character of our communities?”

This year’s program is headlined by two outstanding experts on architectural theory, both from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Design. Daniel A. Barber, Ph.D., will provide the free public lecture on Thursday evening, November 1, discussing “Not So Utopian Futures: Solar & Climatic Architecture in the 1950s.” Dr. Barber will be available to sign copies of his recent book: “A House in the Sun: Modern Architecture and Solar Energy in the Cold War.”

William W. Braham, Ph.D., FAIA, will provide the keynote presentation at the Friday, November 2 symposium and he will also be available to sign copies of his most recent book, Architecture and Systems Ecology: Thermodynamic Principles for Environmental Building Design, in three parts.

The symposium will also feature presentations from two practitioners representing the prominent architectural firm HOK.

• Anica Landreneau, HOK’s Director of Sustainable Design, will discuss the challenges and opportunities involved in the deep retrofit of historic buildings.
• Kyle Prenzlow, HOK Senior Associate, will present a case study of the Daniel K. Inouye Regional Center, an AIA-award winning deep retrofit project in Hawaii involving the conversion of two aircraft hangars into a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration regional headquarters.

Two climate scientists currently or previously affiliated with NOAA will also present at the symposium.

• NOAA’s Deke Arndt, Chief of NCEI’s Climate Monitoring Branch, will discuss the current state of the climate.
• CASE associate and AMS Fellow, Eileen Shea, will provide her own perspective in a presentation entitled “A Climate Scientist Looks at Architecture,” a perspective flavored by her involvement with the DKI Regional Center featured in Mr. Prenzlow’s talk.

Margaret Chandler, an architect with Samsel Architects and the AIA Asheville program committee chair, says, “This year’s conference has a lot to offer for anyone interested in the sustainable renovation of older buildings – from architects to historic preservationists to city planners to the general public. Our program blends architectural theory, climate science, and practical application of deep retrofit concepts in case studies that anyone can relate to.”

Ms. Chandler further notes, “We would like to thank our sponsors: The Collider, the Green Built Alliance, Mitsubishi Cooling and Heating, GEMAIRE, and the North Carolina Chapter of the American Planning Association for assisting us in bringing this stellar group of speakers to the Asheville community.”

Registration and other information about the conference are available online. Early bird registration at a reduced cost for most attendees ends September 28.

For more information, contact Mary Fierle at 828-776-3014 or maryfierle@gmail.com.