News | Student Recognition
SBE Students Present Sustainable Development Research at International Conference
Jourdan Friedlander and Thelma Morgan, graduate students in the Master of Integrated Sustainable Development program at the School of Building Environment (SBE), recently showcased their practicum research at the ISARC-CSCE/CRC-MOC 2025 Conference in Montreal, Canada (July 28–31, 2025).
MISD Student Researcher | Jourdan Friedlander
Jourdan’s research titled “Creating Sustainable Landscapes to meet SITES Standards,” explored how urban green infrastructure (UGI) can reduce the environmental footprint of healthcare facilities in humid subtropical climates. By applying the Sustainable SITES Initiative, she demonstrated that low-impact development (LID) strategies could cut energy use intensity (EUI) by 7% and reduce stormwater runoff by 37%. Her findings highlight the potential of integrating landscape sustainability into healthcare operations for both environmental and public health benefits.
MISD Student Researcher | Thelma Morgan
Thelma’s work titled “An Outline Process for Evaluating the Energy Performance of Green Certified Buildings – A Review of Case Studies,” addressed the limitations of existing green building certifications (GBCs) in tropical climates. Through interviews and a comparative energy analysis of certified vs. non-certified buildings, she found that certified buildings performed significantly better in energy efficiency. Her study proposes a region-specific decision-making framework for selecting GBCs, offering a practical path toward more sustainable buildings in tropical regions.
These projects reflect the program’s commitment to real-world impact and innovation in sustainable development. Congratulations to Jourdan and Thelma for their contributions to global conversations on climate-resilient design!