Kara S. Strong, AIA, LEED AP
Kara S. Strong is a registered architect and a LEED® accredited professional with over twelve years of experience practicing the art and science of architecture. She believes that an integrated design approach is the key to designing beautiful buildings that use resources effectively. She has worked on projects as various as a 900 square foot sustainable affordable house, a 225,000 square foot high school, and a 78,000 square foot archival storage facility for the Library of Congress.
Kara prefers a collaborative approach to environmental design. With Sustainable Design Consulting, she assists design teams in evaluating and improving the environmental performance of their projects. An integrated design approach creates efficiencies not possible in conventional design. Kara illustrated this concept while at the University of Florida, where she developed guidelines for designing sustainable urban neighborhoods as part of her graduate research into sustainable design and materials.
Kara’s commitment to sustainable design extends beyond her workplace. She is a past Chair of the Washington DC AIA Committee on the Environment. COTEdc promotes the awareness and practice of sustainable design and green building with the participation of design firms, organizations, and individuals who support this endeavor. Kara organizes the monthly speaker’s series, which introduces COTEdc members to professionals throughout the green building industry. Kara recently moved into an environmentally responsible community, Eastern Village Cohousing. Her home features geothermal heating and cooling, a vegetative roof, native vegetation, and low-VOC materials – all within a short walk of the SDC office.
Qualifications
- LEED Accredited Professional, 2003
- Registered Architect, Massachusetts, 2002 and Maryland, 2004
- Master of Science in Architectural Studies, University of Florida, 2001
- Bachelor of Architecture, Boston Architectural Center, 1997
Professional Affiliations
- American Institute of Architects (AIA) Member
- DC AIA Committee on the Environment, Member and 2005 Chair