News | Program Updates

SBE Welcomes New Director Lisa Sundahl-Platt

The UF College of Design, Construction, and Planning is excited to announce the appointment of Dr. Lisa Sundahl-Platt to the SBE Director position starting today. Since August 2019, she has been serving as an Assistant Professor of Interior Design and Research Faculty at the Florida Institute for Built Environment Resilience (FIBER), University of Florida.

Research & Teaching Interests

Dr. Sundahl-Platt’s research centers on the impact of built environment design—with a special emphasis on materiality resilience—on human health and well-being. She uses artificial intelligence and complex modeling to forecast outcomes and inform healthier, more sustainable environments. Dr. Sundahl-Platt is the creator of the SAMPL (Sustainable Adaptive Material Performance Level) framework and directs the Design Dynamics Lab at FIBER. With over 25 years of experience as a licensed interior designer and international consultant, she leverages an interdisciplinary background in interior design, psychology, and systems science to support her mission of creating living environments that are safe, supportive, sustainable, and resilient.

Dr. Sundahl-Platt teaches Interior Materials, which uses SAMPL as an educational framework; Sustainable Interiors, where advanced students gain hands-on experience assessing and designing spaces for LEED and WELL certification; and Advanced Architectural (e.g. Healthcare Design) Studio. As a CIDQ Ambassador, she incorporates NCIDQ awareness and preparation into her advanced studio curriculum.