Stories
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Center Spotlight: Rachel Meltzer
For Rachel Meltzer, all roads lead back to the city. “When I’m away from the city, I miss the stimulation,” said Meltzer, Plimpton Associate Professor of Planning and Urban Economics at the Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) and affiliated research faculty member at the Harvard Center for Green Buildings and Cities (CGBC). Though she… Read More
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Research Spotlight: Older People, Places, and Climate Change
While the climate is changing, the global population is aging. These may seem like two very different trends, and yet, at the intersection of these changes is an interesting field of exploration for urban designers and planners. As part of the Harvard Center for Green Buildings and Cities’ faculty research grant program, Ann Forsyth and… Read More
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Center Spotlight: Holly Samuelson
How do we protect vulnerable populations from the negative health impacts of high heat in buildings? How can architectural design save energy at times when it is difficult to produce clean energy? How can an expanded cost-benefit analysis better inform sustainable building design decisions? These are just a few of the research questions that Holly… Read More
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Center Spotlight: Xiaoshi Wang
Xiaoshi Wang’s first impression of the United States was the bustle of the John F. Kennedy (JFK) Airport in New York City. As he rode through the “city that never sleeps,” he observed that the city was the perfect home for architects. “Architects never sleep, either,” Xiaoshi said. “There is always chance to polish designs… Read More
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Center Spotlight: Elence Xinzhu Chen
When Elence Xinzhu Chen was young, she wanted to be an entrepreneur. While applying for her undergraduate degree, Chen hoped to go to business school. Her family advised her to pursue engineering or science. She applied to both. After a mishap with her passport and a missed interview, Chen found herself at the National University… Read More
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Center Spotlight: Pete Howard
Though there are many people that contribute to HouseZero™, the Harvard Center for Green Buildings and Cities (CGBC) net-zero carbon emissions building and living laboratory, Pete Howard is the building’s primary caretaker. As Building Automation, Technology, and Data Manager, Pete ensures that the building’s day-to-day operations, as well as its integrated systems and applications, are… Read More
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Center Spotlight: Ellie Jungmin Han
For Ellie Jungmin Han, the most interesting research findings lie at the intersection between architectural design, building physics, and computer and data science. As a fellow at the Harvard Center for Green Buildings and Cities and lecturer in architecture at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, Han uses her own building simulation software to support… Read More
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Lessons Learned
Researchers at the Harvard Center for Green Buildings and Cities (CGBC) share insights from their work Inside the walls of CGBC headquarters HouseZero™, a team of researchers are conducting a number of experiments related to improved building design and sustainability. The core research team, made up of postdoctoral fellows, research associates, and DDes and PhD… Read More
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Center Spotlight: Saurabh Mhatre
Among the Harvard community – or what he calls Harvard’s research “ecosystem” – Saurabh Mhatre is an accomplished collaborator, translating his architectural research into applications in design, engineering, and medicine. Mhatre, Senior Research Associate at the Material Processes and Systems Group (MaP+S) and Center for Green Buildings and Cities (CGBC) at the Harvard Graduate School… Read More