Vivian Loftness, FAIA

Vivian Loftness, FAIA, is an internationally renowned researcher, author and educator focused on environmental design and sustainability, climate and regionalism in architecture, and the integration of advanced building systems for health and productivity.  In addition to eight book chapters and over 35 journal articles, she edited the Reference Encyclopedia Sustainable Built Environments, released by Springer Publishing in 2013.Loftness is one of 35 University Professors at Carnegie Mellon University and served a decade as Head of the School of Architecture. With over 30 years of industry and government research funding, she is a key member of Carnegie Mellon’s leadership in sustainability research and education, and a key contributor to the ongoing development of the Intelligent Workplace—a living laboratory of commercial building innovations for performance. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Green Building Alliance, Phipps Conservatory and the Ellis School, and served on the Board of Directors of the USGBC and AIA COTE.  She has served on eight National Academy of Science panels as well as being a member of the Academy’s Board on Infrastructure and the Constructed Environment, and given three Congressional testimonies on sustainable design. Her work has influenced national policy and building projects, including the Adaptable Workplace Lab at the U.S. General Services Administration and the Laboratory for Cognition at Electricity de France.In 2013, Loftness was recognized as a LEED Fellow, Senior Fellow of the Design Futures Council, and one of 13 Stars of Building Science by the Building Research Establishment in the U.K. She received the 2002 National Educator Honor Award from the American Institute of Architecture Students and a 2003 “Sacred Tree” Award from the US Green Building Council.   Loftness has a Bachelors of Science and a Masters of Architecture from MIT.