2023 Hankin Distinguished Lecture - Residential Innovation Challenges and Opportunities

Theresa Weston, founder of The Holt Weston Consultancy and a building science research professional specializing in the durability and energy efficiency of buildings, delivered the 2023 Hankin Distinguished Lecture, hosted by the residential construction program and the Pennsylvania Housing Research Center, which is housed in Penn State’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Her talk, “Residential Innovation Challenges and Opportunities,” was held at 4 p.m. on Nov. 1 in the Freeman Auditorium in the HUB-Robeson Center at University Park. A reception followed the free, public event.

The amelioration of global climate change through energy efficiency improvements and decarbonization and the response to it through the resilience of our built environment and communities will impact our life in the coming years. These aspects of climate change, along with managing the effects of diminishing housing affordability, and enhanced interest in health and well-being are expected to drive the residential construction industry. While these areas often appear to be in opposition with each other, when they intersect or overlap, the challenges created provide unique opportunities for innovation. This presentation will highlight these trends and their intersections through examples of industry research and innovations.