Innovative solutions above and below the ground for sustainable and healthy built environments
This talk focuses on solutions applicable above and below the ground to supply, store, control, and reutilize renewable energy sources while ensuring the comfort, well-being, and health of people in the built environment. Specifically, with reference to global examples of buildings, infrastructures, and city districts where these solutions have been implemented, this talk highlights current opportunities to decarbonize the built environment and improve how people live and thrive in indoor spaces.
Alessandro F. Rotta Loria
Dr. Alessandro F. Rotta Loria is a scientist, engineer, and inventor who develops fundamental knowledge and technological innovations related to energy harvesting and storage via the subsurface. He teaches and performs research in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Northwestern University, and he is the co-founder of the companies GEOEG and enerdrape. He received B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Architectural Engineering from the Politecnico di Torino, and a Ph.D. degree in Mechanics from EPFL. His work has culminated in the co-authorship of the book “Analysis and Design of Energy Geostructures” and about 80 scientific and technical publications about geological energy production and storage. As a part of his activities, he has overseen the design of geoenergy solutions for emblematic buildings worldwide, such as The Lightwalk (Seoul, South Korea), Testimonio II (Principality of Monaco), the Upper One (Warsaw, Poland), and the Tilia Tower (Lausanne, Switzerland)
Giorgia Chinazzo: Dr. Giorgia Chinazzo is an engineer, scientist, and educator dedicated to fostering the development of a sustainable built environment with a focus on the health and well-being of building occupants. Drawing from her interdisciplinary background at the intersection of building science, social science, and data science, she teaches and conducts research on energy-efficient and human-centric design and operation of buildings in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Northwestern University. At Northwestern, she also directs the Architectural Engineering Program. Dr. Chinazzo obtained B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Architectural Engineering from the Politecnico di Torino, a double M.Sc. degree in Architectural Engineering from the Politecnico di Milano through the excellence program “Alta Scuola Politecnica” and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from EPFL. Dr. Chinazzo oversees projects related to human-centric design and passive energy solutions above the ground at GEOEG.
