Tuesday, May 16, Noon to 1:00 p.m.
Architecture and Engineering (A&E) professionals are well-positioned to use climate projection data to inform design and provide clients with climate adaptive solutions. Sources of this data are becoming more widely available, yet are often not well-suited for immediate A&E applications and their results are often difficult to interpret. The University of Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership (MCAP) and HGA conducted this study to understand current A&E practices related to the use of climate projection data; challenges encountered accessing understanding, and applying these data to inform design, and applying these data to inform design; and opportunities to advance climate resilience services and expertise in the A&E industry. Read the report.
Director of Sustainability Ariane Laxo from HGA and UMN Master’s of Science in Sustainable Design and Architecture student and MCAP intern Patrick Cipriano will give a webinar presentation on findings from the report and the state of design and climate projections during MCAP’s next Adaptation in Action webinar, scheduled on Tuesday, May 16 at 12:00 p.m. CT.
Virtually over Zoom
Ariane N. Laxo, LEED AP ID+C, EDAC (she/her/hers): As Director of Sustainability at HGA, Ariane has led the firm through an internal culture shift from grassroots sustainability model to a connected, values-driven approach where sustainability is integral to the firm’s strategic plan. Her collaborative, empathetic, evidence-based leadership style results in innovative impacts on projects and within the firm. In fall of 2020, she co-chaired an HGA task force called the “Third Way of Working”, charged with envisioning what the future of practice would look like after the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then the firm has integrated the task force’s recommendations, resulting in transformative, people-first design and business outcomes. Ariane leads HGA’s resilience planning services, including obtaining and using climate projection data to inform design. She is co-author of “Projected climate data for building design: barriers to use”, a peer-reviewed paper published in Buildings & Cities in 2022.
Patrick J. Cipriano, LEED GA (he/him/his): Patrick is a double Master’s Student at the University of Minnesota currently working on a Master’s of Architecture and a Master’s of Science in Sustainable Design. Patrick has research experience in biophilic design, embodied carbon, and climate projection data through research grant programs, directed studies, and internship positions. Research work and experience on the topic of climate adaptive design includes peer-reviewed and industry related literature reviews, national survey development and analysis, and semi-structured focus groups with A&E professionals. Patrick has worked in collaboration with HGA and the University of Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership (MCAP) to understand the current state of climate data production and what the needs are of the A&E industry to make this data usable.
