Low-carbon & low-cost housing in Mexico
Ramon Weber, Professor
Architecture
Applications for Fall 2025 are closed for this project.
In this research we want to create new building prototypes for affordable and resilient homes in Mexico. The research project should address how, with a minimal budget, we can address challenges around safety and occupant health to create a blueprint for low-cost, low-carbon housing - aligning architectural design, with structural and environmental performance. In the creation and mass production of housing at such scale, and with new challenges around climate change there are important research questions to consider, to ensure that the housing not only serves its occupants but also considers environmental impacts on the community and the country at large.
For this we want to address the following critical research questions:
- How can we increase resilience through passive design strategies, lowering energy costs, strains on the public grid infrastructure, while protecting residents from heat waves during power outages?
- How can we construct buildings using less materials, and materials that have less carbon emissions associated with them, while creating a safe and resilient structure?
Role: Undergraduate will collaborate with PI and local NGO in Mexico to develop a design proposal for building prototype.
Qualifications: Required: Interest in sustainability.
Civil engineering or architecture undergraduate student.
Personal Skills: Detail Oriented, Clear communicator, Self-directed, Work in a team.
Software Skills: Adobe Creative Suite, Rhinoceros, (maybe Karamba).
Making skills: Detail Oriented, model-making, simple construction and openness to learning experimental methods of making.
Hours: to be negotiated
Related website: https://www.ramonweber.com
Related website: https://www.ramonweber.com