Description

Passive house’s reliable and superior energy performance with its myriad of co-benefits, is the cornerstone of the architectural solutions we require to be able to thrive. It is a firm foundation upon which we can build a regenerative society that repairs ecosystems damage, reverses it, and begins to increase all life.  There is a rising consciousness emerging revealing how comprehensive the field of sustainability is truly required to be if we are to meaningfully move towards regeneration. Only by broadening the lenses of our understanding can we take advantage of synergies of our actions across systems, and exponentially increase positive impacts.

For this year’s symposium, we invited you to submit proposals showcasing how passive house design relates to any aspects of regenerative design that are dear to your interests or practice.  We had an enthusiastic response from diverse locations and perspectives, all with inspiring examples of reaching for Regeneration and how Passive House was, or in some cases was not, a cornerstone of the strategy.

In the spirit of this symposium’s continual drive to integrate various disciplines through architecture, we also invited a scientist focused on Green Chemistry to close out the day and inspire us with efforts in that movement to address issues upstream.

9:00 A.M. - 10:35 A.M. | Keynote & Big Picture

Registration & Networking: Speakers Breakfast                                         

Welcome, and Introduction: Parsons School of Design & New York Passive House

Keynote:

Dimitris Pallantzas, Education Officer, Hellenic Passive House Institute / National Technical University of Athens

Dimitris is a Building Physicist with a background of Applied Mathematics and Physics. Since 2016 he is a Certified Passivhaus Consultant and in 2019 he was accredited as the youngest Passivhaus Trainer worldwide. Currently, he is leading the Hellenic Passive House Institute’s Training Department, and he is also a Senior PhD Researcher & Lecturer at the National Technical University of Athens, contributing to 11 EU-funded Research Projects. He has participated in more than 80 Passivhaus Projects worldwide balancing his interest between design (Dynamic, CFD, Steady State) & construction, while focusing on bridging the gap between them, elevating collaboration between stakeholders.

10:35 A.M. - 10:45 A.M. | Break

10:45 A.M. - 11:45 A.M. | PH + Metropolis Topics                                                                         

Josh Stack, Founder, Stack Resilience | Resilience Lawyer & Biomimicry Educator

Josh works at different scales in the human built environment, including as a construction manager and resilience based consultant for city and larger scale design, law, code, management, policy and planning projects.  His work aims to functionalize gratitude and to enhance the adaptive capacity and health of this and future generations. For all of this work, he gratefully combines elements of building science, biomimicry, ecology, passive construction, and resilience science within a unifying framework of resilience.                               

Sean Flynn, Partner | Curtis + Ginsberg Architects

With over three decades of experience on institutional, mixed-use, and multifamily typologies, Sean Flynn AIA leads the design and management of many of C+GA’s most complex projects. His thoughtful, mission-driven approach tackles complex zoning, program, urbanism, and neighborhood engagement issues. Sean is a leader in C+GA’s HUD-FEMA funded resiliency and sustainability designs for the NYC Housing Authority (NYCHA) as well as many of C+GA’s higher-ed projects, affordable and supportive multi-family work, including multi-family Passive House projects. Sean is the Board President of The Architecture Lobby and Board President of The City Atlas, publisher of the board game Energetic. Sean received a Master of Architecture degree from Columbia GSAPP and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from The Cooper Union School of Art.      

Enrico Bonilauri, Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer | Passive House Certifier, Trainer, and Designer

Enrico is a building envelope specialist with international experience across Europe, Australia, and North America. As Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer, he brings deep technical expertise to Passive House certification, training, and design. Enrico is a sought-after speaker at global conferences, where he shares insights on construction quality, energy efficiency, and sustainable building practices.

11:45 A.M. - 11:55 A.M. | Break

11:55 A.M. - 12:55 P.M. | Natural Ventilation & Passive House in Adaptive Reuse                    

Jonathon Brearley, Associate at Transsolar

Jonathon is an Associate at Transsolar and brings experience working on climate resilience, mitigation, and adaptation in diverse climates through passive-first design. He believes the most impactful design comes from cross-disciplinary collaboration, drawing on a multitude of fields, perspectives, and experiences. At Transsolar, he brings a design background coupled with building performance to support the realization of high-comfort, low-impact, decarbonized, and sustainable built environments.  Recent published work includes a co-authored essay in the Bahrain National Pavilion at the Venice Biennale on the role of technology in a passive-first, low-tech, warming world and a white paper on an acoustically protected natural ventilation prototype for the Transsolar office.

Thomas Bamber, Senior Associate at Transsolar, Passive Design, Climate Resilience & Comfort

Thomas joined Transsolar in 2024, bringing 13 years of international experience in designing passive, active, and hybrid mechanical systems. He emphasizes holistic building design, climate resilience, occupant health, and sustainability. A passionate advocate for passive design, Thomas has a multidisciplinary background in mechanical and electrical design, building performance, fluid dynamics, occupant experience, and energy analysis. He played a key role in the design and evaluation of Clayton Community Centre in Greater Vancouver, Canada’s largest Passive House Building in 2021, featuring a hybrid ventilation system. Thomas has contributed to numerous high-profile Passive House projects and shared his expertise at North American conferences.                                                            

Heather McArthur, Design Director at MASS Design Group

Heather is a Design Director at MASS Design Group, where she is motivated to build upon her experience in practice and academia to contribute to designs that promote equity, build trust within a community, and embody creative sustainable solutions. Heather leads design teams in close collaboration with engineers, contractors, and stakeholders, to bring visions to life. Prior to joining MASS, Heather practiced in Los Angeles, Arkansas, and New York City, where she was involved in the design and construction of cultural, institutional, and state department projects. Heather received her MArch from Washington University and a BA in Architecture from Lehigh University.                                                    

Erik Olsen, PE, Managing Partner at Transsolar

Erik is a managing partner at Transsolar KlimaEngineering, an international climate engineering firm that creates exceptional indoor, middoor, and outdoor spaces with a positive environmental impact. He leads the New York team in collaborating with architects, engineers, and building owners worldwide to develop and validate low-energy, architecturally integrated climate and energy concepts.

Erik is recognized for his unique blend of simple, clear communication, technical rigor, and passion for creating delightful, human-centric environments that contribute to our low-carbon future. Educated as a mechanical engineer, he is most excited when sketching and applying first physical principles to explore new ideas.

1:00 P.M. - 2:00 P.M. | Lunch Break

2:00 P.M. - 3:00 P.M. | PH + Biogenic Materials                            

Kaja Kühl, Founding Principal at youarethecity. Adjunct Associate Professor at Columbia GSAPP and the Spitzer School of Architecture

Kaja is an urban designer and the principal of youarethecity, a research and design practice in Brooklyn NY working at the intersection of large-scale urban systems and policies, civic engagement and circular material practices.

Kaja is a passionate educator and teaches seminars and design studios at Columbia University and the City College of New York in addition to frequent workshops in non-institutional settings.

Her work and teaching focuses on civic engagement and design for a regenerative, low-carbon built environment.

Kaja received a Diploma in Architecture from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany and a M.S. in Urban Planning from Columbia University.                                                         

Anoushaé Eirabie,  Architectural Designer at Beth Sigler Studio

Annoushae Eirabie is an Architectural Designer at Beth Sigler Studio and an Adjunct Lecturer at the City College of New York. Anoushae received a Master of Architecture from Columbia University where she explored fabrication technologies and software in association with computational and analog methodologies to redefine spatial possibilities. Her personal research interests study the relationship between generative architectural and urban design and participatory design demonstrated most recently through ‘Paint & Play’: a proposal for interactive street furniture for the City of Newburgh. Prior to her work at Beth Sigler, Annoushae was the Head of Design for contemporary artist and painter Torkwase Dyson at her studio in Beacon, NY. She led the design and fabrication of the artist’s largest works to date including the Hyundai 5th Floor Terrace commission at the 2024 Whitney Biennial.                                                               

Floris Buisman, CEO at 475 High Performance Building Supply

Floris is a leading provider of materials and systems for Passive House and low-carbon construction in North America. A Certified Passive House Consultant and architect trained in the Netherlands, he brings deep expertise in building science, airtightness, and vapor control. Under his leadership, 475 has helped transform industry practices through education, technical guidance, and groundbreaking projects—including the Passive House-certified retrofit of the company’s Brooklyn headquarters.  

Lindsay Schack, NCARB, AIA, CPHC Lindsay is Co-Founder of Love|Schack Architecture

Lindsay is specializes in low energy design using natural materials, and has sponsored Certified Passive House Tradesperson training in Montana and Wyoming in 2018, 2022 and 2023. Lindsay is a Certified Passive House Consultant, is certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, and a member of the American Institute of Architects. Lindsay is the 2024 Past Chair of the AIA Knowledge Community for Small Project Design, is a Board Member of the Passive House Network and is the Architect of some of the first Passive House projects designed in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.                                           

Andrea Michael, Architect / Business Manager at Love Schack Architecture

Andrea has been a leader in the firm in developing design for high-performance, low-carbon assemblies with a specialized expertise in residential mechanical systems. Andrea spent the first five years of her architectural career working in the public sector and the next five focused on residential interiors. She then joined the Love Schack team in early 2016. Andrea is passionate about building science and improving our existing building stock to be more efficient, resilient and functional.

3:00 P.M. - 3:10 P.M. | Break

3:10 P.M. - 4:10 P.M. | PH Multifamily + Regeneration 

Francisco Colom, Design Director at MASS

Francisco is an architect, educator, and public speaker advocating for building less, designing with the climate, and reconnecting with nature. As Design Director at MASS Design Group, he manages housing projects that foster community and well-being. His portfolio includes several Passive House buildings, including the largest in Massachusetts. Francisco has practiced in Spain, the Netherlands, Azerbaijan, the UAE, and the USA. He holds a Master of Design Studies from Harvard University and a Bachelor and Master of Architecture from the University of Alicante.                                          

Heather McKinstry, Studio Director at Dattner Architects

Heather is a senior associate and studio director at Dattner Architects.  As a leader in Dattner’s Sustainable Practice Group, Heather chaired the committee on building energy usage.  Heather believes that architecture’s most important role is to create inclusive, healthy, and sustainable buildings for our communities, while minimizing their impact on the natural environment.
Currently focused on affordable housing, Heather has worked on the design of 4 multifamily passive house buildings totaling 973 units of affordable and supportive housing for New Yorkers, including 425 Grand Concourse, one of the largest Passive House buildings in North America.

4:10 P.M. - 4:20 P.M. | Break

4:20 P.M. - 5:20 P.M. | Closing Plenary

Amy Cannon, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Beyond Benign

Amy received the world’s first Ph.D. in Green Chemistry, driven by a passion to apply chemistry in service of sustainability. She holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Saint Anselm College (1997) and pursued graduate studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston, where she was introduced to the emerging field of Green Chemistry by Dr. John Warner. At a time when the discipline was still taking shape, Amy focused her research on sustainable chemistry solutions, addressing the gap in traditional chemistry education that lacked an emphasis on designing safer, more environmentally responsible chemical products and processes.

5:20 P.M. - 7:00 P.M. | Networking + Drinks

Event Team:                                                       

• Sara Bayer (Event Chair), Board Member, New York Passive House
• Victoria Yee (Event Vice Chair), Board Member, New York Passive House
• Buck Moorhead, Chair, New York Passive House
• Alexander Aptekar, Public Member
• Andreas M. Benzing, Executive Director, New York Passive House
• David J. Lewis, Professor of Architecture, School of Constructed Environments, Parsons School of Design
• Alison Mears, Director, Healthy Materials Lab