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Topic of The Week:
Green Roofs: Designing for Sustainability, Food Security, and Eco-Friendly Communities
This is your chance to explore two amazing fields—sailing and engineering through sustainability—while gaining confidence, learning new skills, and being inspired by female mentors in architecture and design. Plus, you’ll meet new friends who share your passion for the environment and adventure!
Program Highlights:
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Explore Green Roof Design: Participate in a hands-on activity where you'll create your own green roof models, learning about the environmental benefits and design principles of sustainable architecture.
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Engage with Female Mentor: Connect with an inspiring woman in the fields of architecture, design, and sustainability, who will share their expertise and experiences.
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Discover Sustainable Architecture: Hear about real-world green roofs that grow food and contribute to urban sustainability, including examples from projects like Omni Ecosystems and The Roof Crop. Explore how buildings can be designed to positively impact the environment and communities.
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Learn to Sail: Sailing for a week will improve lifestyle, outlook, and encourage personal growth. Learn by doing.
Session 4: July 14-18 M-F 9am-4pm
Meet Your Mentor
Janet Olson - AIA, LEED AP
Material Element Studio, PLLC
Focusing on the connections of people and place, Janet provides thoughtful leadership of architectural and interior projects and teams. Throughout her career, she has led multi-disciplinary teams nationally and internationally for new construction, adaptive reuse, and renovation projects. Janet is a strong advocate of biophilic design, sustainability, and architecture's role in positively impacting the health and well-being of occupants while fostering memorable experiences.
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Janet participates in multiple collaborative networks, including Chief, Sustainable Design Leaders, Illinois Green Alliance, and Professional Women in Construction (PWC), and leads the Board of Directors for Architreasures,
a non-profit positively impacting Chicago's neighborhoods through art and community engagement.
