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Thomas Knittel, AIA, LEED AP, NCARB

Thomas Knittel, AIA, LEED AP, NCARB

Director of Sustainability & Design Principal

HDR Architecture

Tom is an architect, HDR’s Design Director for Sustainability, and a Design Principal in the Los Angeles studio. He actively leads the design direction of projects and the advancement of low-carbon solutions that restore ecological and human health and wellbeing. His current mass timber projects use HDR’s carbon-balancing methodology, targeting net-zero emitted carbon on day-one for structure, core, and shell. His past projects range from the first LEED Platinum net-zero building in the developing world, the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Platinum Children’s Center in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to the largest LEED Platinum campus in the middle east in 2018. Tom received a master’s degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Design and is a recipient of over 30 design awards. He is a frequent lecturer on mass timber, design innovation, and the ecologies of place.

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  • Mass Timber, Low Carbon and Authentic Interiors
    Contains 1 Component(s), Includes Credits

    As our industry is responding to the dire need to reduce our carbon footprint, we are seeing a rise in the transformative approach of using Mass Timber and other Low Carbon material construction in different building typologies such hospitality, office, residential, schools, health care facilities and laboratories. The benefits of Mass Timber lie greatly in its authentic self - from it being a renewable resource to carbon sequestering to its natural inherent beauty. The interiors of Mass Timber spaces should also be designed on the principles of health, honesty and authenticity. In this program we will explore the nuances and considerations of Mass Timber construction specific to: - Air quality, acoustics, natural light, ergonomic design and biophilia - Transparent sourcing practices; ensuring that every element in the space is ethically and sustainably produced. - How Authenticity is woven into the fabric of our interiors, celebrating the natural beauty of materials and embracing a design philosophy that resonates with the inherent character of the space. Several HDR projects will be used as case-studies to demonstrate how Mass Timber interiors can be a testament to the seamless integration of aesthetics and sustainability. We will identify valuable take-aways/lessons-learned, new hierarchies in working within exposed structure and creative solutions. We will also explore how to design for Low-Carbon Interiors and quantifying carbon impact through LCA's. In summary, by combining the strength of Mass Timber with a commitment to healthy and honest interiors, we shape spaces that not only stand tall in structural excellence but also nurture the well-being of those who inhabit them. Join us in building a future where architecture harmonizes with nature and fosters a genuine sense of vitality.