Vivian Loftness opens the window next to her desk to let some daylight and fresh air into her work space on the fourth floor of the Margaret Morrison building. From her lofty perch above the Carnegie Mellon campus in the Intelligent Workplace, Loftness can hear students playing outside, the sound of tennis balls smacking on the courts, and the music blaring by the Carnegie Mellon Fence. By simply opening her window, Loftness becomes part of campus life, a feeling the professor of architecture and advocate for environmental design relishes.
Much of her work encourages passive conditioning—allowing nature to affect a space, for example, by opening a window to let in a cool breeze instead of turning on the air conditioner. “We’re missing out on the sensory quality of nature by sealing up our buildings,” Loftness says. “When you put the environment as a central focus, the quality of life gets better.”
Loftness is in a position to impact quality of life. She holds leadership positions in organizations that set architectural standards for green building and creative environmental design.
Her presence in the field has gone international. She was appointed to the Global Assurance Group of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. By teaching building sustainability, the board enlightens industries globally to the world Loftness lets in from her open window.
