WEBINAR – ResArch Lab: Indoor Environmental Technologies

*This event will be occurring as a live webinar. Registrants will be emailed a link to access the program.*

“ResArch Lab (RA Lab): Indoor Environmental Technologies” will explore leading-edge furnishing, fixtures, and equipment capable of providing homes with cleaner air and water, quieter spaces, and healthier living experiences.

John Rusk, Founder and Partner of Rusk Renovations, will interview and lead a group discussion with product representatives from Dornbracht—on their research and development of products that explore innovation in home water therapy; USAI—regarding their work with Circadian rhythm and the role of color intensity on health; and Delos—regarding their home health monitoring technology, which provides the home designer and owner with the capability to measure and monitor water quality, air quality, and lighting levels.

This is the first event in an ongoing series that will demonstrate the important role thot custom residential architecture serves for the design and construction industry at large. Each custom home commission is based on a unique set of criteria determined by the user to meet the current needs of their household, often requiring materials, technology, and techniques that need to be modified, reinvented, or launched to suit that one-of-kind program. As a result, building product manufacturers get to test new ideas in custom homes; custom home designers bring new ideas to building product manufacturers.

RA Lab is a forum to promote a dialog between the makers and the designers to advance the quality of architecture, to learn from implementation building product challenges and setbacks, and to demystify the resources, regulations, and limitations faced in research and development of new materials and new technologies.

Speakers:
Ann Schiffers, Vice President, Specification Sales, USAI Lighting, began her career in lighting at Fisher Marantz Stone where she worked during the day as an Architectural Lighting Designer while pursuing her Masters degree at Parsons School of Design. Her Masters Thesis topic was “Advancement of Downlighting” with Edison Price, the light fixture inventor and scientist and world-renowned Architect, Philip Johnson serving as her mentors. Fast forward nearly thirty years and her involvement in the lighting industry encompasses architectural lighting design, teaching, lecturing and most recently working with the industry leading lighting LED fixture manufacturer USAI Lighting (2010) to advance both artful and scientific applications of LED downlighting. USAI has been in the forefront of tunable lighting since its first introduction of “Warm Glow Dimming” in 2012 to simulate the incandescent light source and “Color Select” in 2014 to offer unique colors and spectrums of light.

Kelly Drewry, AIA, Senior Vice President, Delos, is a New York City-based architect whose passion for health in the built environment has driven her career. She brings highly developed skills and professional versatility ranging from architecture, interior design to project management, marketing, graphic design, as well as business aspects. Kelly loves teaching and passing her knowledge to the new architects and engineers. She holds a Bachelor and Master of Architecture with a minor in Industrial Design from Virginia Tech, as well as a Master of Business Administration from George Washington University.

Alexander Dornbracht, President & CEO, Dornbracht Americas, is the fourth generation of leadership of the Dornbracht Group. He frequently speaks and consults on the restorative power of water and its importance to personal wellness strategies, and is passionate about adapting and introducing traditional European wellness concepts to global audiences. He currently leads the Americas Region for the company, driving sales and marketing performance for the Dornbracht and Alape brands. He is also responsible for the company’s digital transformation, having led the development and launch of a new global website and performance marketing culture. Alexander received his MBA in International Marketing & Supply Chain Management from the University of San Diego and worked in digital marketing before joining the company.

Moderator:
John Rusk, Founder and Partner of Rusk Renovations, is a recognized industry building design leader, who is equally dedicated to client service and master craft. His expertise in the design and engineering of complicated mechanical systems, paired with a background in fine arts, has equipped him with the rare ability to understand and deliver the vision of both clients and their respective design teams. He is the author of On Time and On Budget, a homeowner’s guide to renovation, published by Doubleday. As an enthusiastic educator dedicated to developing the next generation of artisan builders, John teaches Residential Construction Management at Columbia University. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Carnegie-Mellon University.