RESEARCHING, ADVOCATING AND TEACHING

SHORT BIO

Sandra Bernal has a doctoral degree in Arid Lands Resource Science and over 25 years as architect and art curator. Her goal is to contribute to the concept of contemporary architectural design priorities exploring ways to improve indoor environmental quality and responsible use of natural resources. Her interest in the arid regions of the Southwest U.S. and Northwester Mexico is focused in the impacts of urban communities that anticipate future increase in energy and water consumption as well as risks to human health. As a social scientist her professional practice and research have incorporated qualitative and quantitate methods. Individually and in research teams, the topics that she has analyzed include energy efficiency in buildings, decision making, community engagement in sustainable practices, participant perceptions of space, and participatory design.