New COTE Co-chair - Laura A Blau AIA, CPHC, CPHB

Laura A Blau AIA, CPHC, CPHB

Principal, ARCHITECT, Designer, Expert Witness

Laura transitioned from her career as an award-winning artist to an award-winning architect. A pioneering leader in sustainable design for decades, she presents regionally and internationally on high-performance envelope design and construction. She naturally incorporates artful solutions that engage all the senses. She and her partner left MGA partners in 2003 to form BluPath and sought mission-driven clients and deep green projects. In 2009, Laura became the region's first of two Passive House Consultants. In 2012, she added Certified Builder as the only architect and woman in a class 40, increasing her understanding of constructability, sequencing, and the material selected for cost-effective implementation. BluPath takes on low-carbon projects, from new construction to more complex historic passive house masonry retrofit projects. She designed the first PHIUS Plus project in Philadelphia. Her 1840s EnerPhit retrofit of a 4-unit apartment building, where her family and office reside, has won state and local AIA awards. And is. She co-authored two books: The Passive House Rowhouse Manual and Frazier Forman Peters, Westport's Legacy In Stone. Laura applies her building science knowledge as an expert witness assisting plaintiffs experiencing building envelope failures. Laura is co-chair and singer with the South Philly Acoustic Jam. As COTE co-chair, Laura hopes to build liaisons with area organizations to develop collaborative events and projects that break down silos and expands the impact of our work on the larger community.