ENV1001 Seminar: Buildings for the future: To retrofit or replace and how? with Marianne Touchie

About the Seminar:
This talk will begin by describing the environmental impact of buildings as well as the performance issues they face as our climate changes. Given that most of our 2050 building stock already exists, we will examine the potential drivers and outcomes of retrofit strategies and examine the deep retrofit approaches necessary for mitigating and adapting to climate change. We will focusing specifically on multi-unit residential buildings, the fastest growing form of housing in urban regions globally.

About the Speaker:
Marianne Touchie joined the University of Toronto as an Assistant Professor in July 2016 and is jointly appointed in the Departments of Civil & Mineral Engineering, and Mechanical & Industrial Engineering. As the Director of the Building Energy and Indoor Environment (BEIE) Lab, Dr. Touchie’s research team focuses on improving the energy performance and indoor environmental quality of existing buildings to make them more comfortable, healthy and sustainable through comprehensive retrofits. This work includes field monitoring of building energy performance and indoor environmental parameters as well as occupant behaviours and perceptions through surveys. Much of her research has been in the high-rise residential sector and particularly social housing buildings. Dr. Touchie is also the President of the Building Science Specialist Board of Canada and the former Chair of ASHRAE’s Technical Committee 2.1 of Physiology and Human Environment.

Register.