Beyond Energy Efficiency: How Big Data Can Lead to Socially Responsible Design

Abstract:  Every day we collect billions of data points to track energy consumption, air quality, occupancy levels and much more. Now that we have all this data, what’s next? How can we utilize data to implement not just energy efficient building solutions, but socially responsible design? Results from data analytics can guide decision makers towards solutions to improve energy efficiency; enhance Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ); streamline building retrofit decision making; address public policy and privacy concerns; and improve occupant comfort, health, and productivity. The presentation identifies examples where utilizing “big data” beyond conventional methods can facilitate opportunities for researchers to quantify the impact physical attributes such as building enclosure strategies and HVAC systems have on energy consumption and occupant health and productivity. Furthermore, results of such analytics can lead to solutions to improve the most important building feature: the occupant.

Bio: Erica Cochran Hameen, PhD, Assoc. AIA, NOMA, LEED AP, is an Assistant Professor, Doctor of Professional Practice Chair, MS Architecture Engineering & Construction Management Chair, and UDream Program Director at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). Dr. Cochran Hameen has over 20 years of experience developing technical design solutions to create sustainable, healthy, and energy efficient commercial buildings. She’s lead multiple projects focused on modeling tools, solutions to streamline whole building energy data access, energy efficiency policy, strategies to increase market uptake of DOE tools and solutions, energy and IEQ data analytics, and community engagement to enhance energy efficiency awareness. Prior to joining CMU, Dr. Cochran Hameen served as the Project Manager and Lead Architectural Designer at Architecture & Engineering firms for over fifty educational, media & broadcast, residential, community, and transportation facilities. She holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Virginia Tech, a Master of Science in Sustainable Design from CMU, and a PhD in Building Performance & Diagnostics.