Zoe Kaufman joined the Communities and Urban Science Group at NREL in 2020. Her work focuses on guiding building fabrication toward achieving verified and replicable low-carbon design by implementing low-load envelope technology, mechanical systems integration, and whole-building life cycle assessment. Her other area of focus centers on hygrothermal modeling and validation of construction materials and practices, with the aim of improving envelope durability and supporting a healthy retrofit revolution.

Zoe’s background ranges from design, testing, and analysis of net-zero manufactured homes to consulting and energy modeling for multifamily Passive House buildings in New York City. Her undergraduate degree in biology fostered a scientific approach that carried over to her master’s in sustainable design, where she homed in on developing and applying contextual, methodical, and statistics-rooted approaches to building energy efficiency. Through the lens of this diverse background, she views buildings as interconnected systems and seeks to enhance these connections on a large scale by applying hands-on experimental analysis of advanced construction and evaluation methods.

Research Interests

Innovative life cycle carbon reduction strategies

Advanced construction and systems integration techniques

Building performance evaluation and diagnostics

Biomimicry

Education

M.S., Sustainable Design, Carnegie Mellon University School of Architecture

B.S., Biology, Stanford University