Electric Avenues: New York City’s First Net-Zero Research Buildings

New York City will soon have its first two all-electric, net-zero ready research buildings, both partially funded through the generosity of Roy and Diana Vagelos. The Vagelos Innovation Laboratories at Columbia University and the Roy & Diana Vagelos Science Center at Barnard College share similar programs for advanced teaching and research laboratories while addressing significantly different contextual challenges. Both projects employ ambitious strategies for sustainability and innovative engineering systems that avoid the use of fossil fuels, meeting stringent Local Law 97 requirements to support New York’s plan for greenhouse gas reduction.

Located on Audubon Avenue in Washington Heights, the Vagelos Innovation Laboratories, designed by KPF with WSP Engineers, will provide more than 55,000 square feet of biomedical research and education space in a new building to support ongoing initiatives at Columbia’s Irving Medical Center. The Roy & Diana Vagelos Science Center, designed by Perkins&Will with JB&B Engineers, is a comprehensive renovation and addition to the existing Altschul Building located on the Claremont Avenue side of the Barnard College campus. The completed project will provide 170,000 square feet of teaching, research, classroom and commons space for Barnard’s science programs.

The event will include presentations of both buildings led by their architects and engineers, followed by a moderated panel discussion.

Speakers:
Christopher Colasanti, PE, CEA, LEED AP, Managing Principal, Jaros Baum & Bolles
Robert Goodwin, FAIA, LEED AP, BD+C, Principal, Perkins&Will
Hana Kassem, FAIA, LEED WELL AP, NOMA, Principal, KPF
Jeffrey Rios, PE, LEED AP, Senior Vice President, WSP

Moderator:
Gina Bocra, FAIA, LEED Fellow, Vice President, WSP

About the Speakers:
Chris Colasanti is committed to a philosophy of building system design that maximizes best practice in efficiency and sustainability while contributing to the ongoing health and well-being of the building’s users. His passion for the intersection of technology and design has informed his entire career as well as his leadership of the JB&B Deep Carbon Reduction Group. This has resulted in delivering energy- and carbon-reduction solutions to meet the rapidly changing policy requirements locally and nationally through effective energy-efficiency and capital improvement strategies. As a leader in the industry, Chris frequently speaks on building performance and sustainability. Most recently, he shared his expertise in a three-part NYSERDA video series on strategic decarbonization planning. He earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Pennsylvania State University and is a licensed Professional Engineer in 10 states, LEED Accredited Professional, and a Certified Energy Auditor.

Hana Kassem is a Principal at Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, with 30 years of experience, leading the design of projects globally and in the United States. Her architectural approach centers on human-centric, and sustainable design, aiming to foster belonging, elevate well-being and meet societal needs, through an attention to craft, context and performance. Her international portfolio spans various typologies and has earned numerous awards and recognition. Kassem is a pioneer in the design of innovative academic, science and research facilities as exemplified by the net-zero-ready Vagelos Innovation Laboratories (CUIMC), the University of Michigan Center for Innovation and the AIA award-winning Advance Science Research Center, the keystone project of the City University of New York’s “Decade of the Sciences” initiative. She has also recently completed the AIA-awarded and highly sustainable HKUST University Activity Center. Kassem has served as VP for Design Excellence on the AIANY Board of Trustees and is President Elect for ’27 and Founding Chair for the AIANY Global Dialogue’s annual Leaning Out | Women in Architecture panel. She currently serves on the Storefront for Art & Architecture Board and has also served on the Van Alen Institute Executive Board of Trustees, where she spearheaded the initiation of the Neighborhoods Now project, mobilizing architects during the COVID-19 pandemic to aid communities. Kassem was tapped to join the Mayor's Advisory Council for NYC's post-COVID-19 reopening. Kassem has taught at The Cooper Union, the Yale School of Architecture and Parsons School of Constructed Environments and lectures globally. She is a published author, with articles that focus on experiential engagement with our built environment. She is co-editor of a book entitled Architect d.b.a | On Re-defining the Roles of the Architect Today.

In 30 years of practice, Rob Goodwin has created a compelling body of work spanning a range of types and scales. Driven by a critical investigation of program, context and environment, he creates meaningful architecture through inventive design strategies, integrated sustainability and innovative technologies. As a design leader for the New York office of Perkins + Will, Goodwin’s design work has focused primarily on program-driven architecture, encompassing educational, research, healthcare and commercial projects. Notable clients include Cornell University, Barnard College, The University of Michigan, New York University, Stanford University Medical Center, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Penn Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Unilever, Shangri-La Hotels and Columbia Property Trust. Goodwin’s approach has been widely recognized with numerous local, national and international design awards, and in publications including the Architectural Review, The Plan, Architectural Record, Architecture, The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. He has presented his work at the AIA, the Architectural League, Stanford University, Cornell University, MIT and the World Architecture Festival, where his design work has been exhibited and he has chaired several design juries. Goodwin has also devoted much of his time to mentoring architecture students and emerging professionals. In addition to visiting critic roles at Cornell, RISD and City College in New York, he taught a graduate level design studio at Roger Williams University in 2020. He worked with the Central Harlem Senior Citizen’s Council in the DesigNYC program and helped lead several public health-focused initiatives related to the Covid-19 pandemic. Most recently Goodwin has become involved in the NYC AIA’s Torch Mentorship program to support emerging professionals.

Jeffrey Rios specializes in increasing energy efficiency within new and existing buildings. He is highly valued for his 25+ years of experience as a mechanical engineer and his expertise in energy modeling platforms. Rios has shared his expertise at Greenbuild on WELL Building, at Urban Green on NYC Energy Codes, and as a continuing lecturer at Cooper Union. Additionally, Rios serves as a member of the ACEC Metro Region Energy Code Committee, as well as the NYC DOB Energy Code Advisory Committee. He has been named a Notable Leader in Sustainability by Crains NY, a New York Construction Idol by NY Build, and a Power Player in Climate, Energy, and Sustainability by PoliticsNY.