Will Pepi, a Ph.D. candidate in the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Center for Architecture, Science and Ecology (CASE) in Industry City, Brooklyn, presented his paper, “Modeling Indoor Botanical Fresh Air Generation” in the Biowalls and Biofiltration poster session at the ASHRAE conference in Tampa on June 28. Pepi then traveled to Miami, where he spoke about his research on designing with plants to CASE’s industry partner, the global architecture firm OBMI, at their Miami office. 

Working with the RPI’s Institute for Energy, Built Environment, and Smart Systems (EBESS)’ Co-Director Bob Karlicek and Josh Draper, a lecturer at CASE, Pepi studies the use of plants for improving air quality and saving energy in buildings.

In the coming months, Draper and Pepi will be working directly with OBMI to build an active green wall test bed at OBMI’s headquarters in Miami.