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INSTRUCTORS:
Michael Luce, P.E.
Duncan Griffin, AIA, LEED, BD&C
Purpose and Background
These presentations were recorded at the AEI 2025 Conference.
An Adaptable Chassis for Program Responsiveness, Growth, and Resiliency (18 minutes)
This presentation outlines the unique challenges and design solutions behind the Texas Instruments Biomedical Engineering and Sciences (BMES) Building. Tasked with creating a world-class research facility without confirmed users or programs, the design team prioritized flexibility, collaboration, and future-ready infrastructure. A central concept was the creation of an adaptable "chassis," much like a modular car platform, enabling the building to evolve as users and research needs changed. The building features convertible lab spaces “damp” labs designed to transition easily from dry to wet labs—along with a centralized HVAC system to optimize adaptability. Real-time adjustments were made even during construction as principal investigators (PIs) were hired, showcasing the success of the building’s flexible framework. The project exemplifies how strategic design, stakeholder engagement, and modular infrastructure can support innovation and future growth in research environments.
Integrated Sustainable Design: Improving Health and Human Experience (58 minutes)
This presentation explores how integrated design can improve health outcomes and enhance human experience, especially in healthcare facilities. It emphasizes patient comfort as a driver for energy efficiency and explores how design elements such as solar shading, envelope integration, and material choices affect both building performance and human well-being. Using tools like thermal imaging, simulation software, and real-time CO2 monitoring, the team identified inefficiencies in mechanical systems and building envelopes that impact patient recovery and staff cognitive performance. The speaker also discussed how alternative materials like mass timber can reduce embodied carbon while supporting healing environments. The presentation concluded with examples of high-performance, carbon-balanced hospitals and a systems-thinking approach that combines architecture, engineering, and collaboration. It highlights the urgent need for sustainable, resilient, and people-centric healthcare infrastructure as climate change and energy concerns intensify.
Benefits and Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Describe how an adaptable design chassis can accommodate unknown users and evolving research programs in academic and medical facilities.
- Explain how integrated mechanical, electrical, and architectural systems support long-term flexibility in building operations.
- Discuss how building and mechanical integration can enhance patient comfort and reduce energy consumption.
- List key sustainable design strategies that impact both health outcomes and environmental performance, including shading, mass timber use, and air quality management.
- Explain how collaboration across disciplines and the use of performance modeling tools can lead to smarter, more resilient healthcare environments.
Assessment of Learning Outcomes
Students' achievement of the learning outcomes will be assessed via a short post-test assessment (true-false, multiple choice, and/or fill in the blank questions).
Who Should Attend?
- Architectural Engineers
- Structural Engineers
- Sustainability Consultants
- Construction Engineers
- Academic and Professional Researchers
- Early Career Professionals
How to Earn Your CEUs/PDHs and Receive Your Certificate of Completion
To receive your certificate of completion, you will need to complete a short post-test and receive a passing score of 70% or higher within 1 year of purchasing the course.
How do I convert CEUs to PDHs?
1.0 CEU = 10 PDHs [Example: 0.1 CEU = 1 PDH]