Webinar: Thermal Comfort, Solar Energy, and Resilient Homes for Texas
Wednesday, September 16, 2026
Virtual Session 12:00 - 1:00 PM
About the Presentation:
Texas faces significant challenges going forward into a changing climate. The 2021 Ice-Storm showed that not only extreme heat, but also cold can trigger thermally uncomfortable and unsafe conditions in homes. Associated with abnormal weather conditions come grid failures resulting from extreme demand peaks and physical damage to energy generation plants and infrastructures. The talk covers a series of physical measures that can be taken to reinforce houses against high and low temperatures, adapting behaviors in lifestyles and customs and also internal space use suggestions to create buffer zones and thermally safer areas indoors for the hottest and coldest times of year. The talk covers aspects of the physical construction of housing, the three dimensional design of space indoors, conditioning technologies related to solar energy availability and also to ‘solar and resilient behaviors’. The talk aims to raise awareness of what might lie ahead and provide attendees with food for thought on how they can rethink the design of their own homes and lifestyles to Be Prepared for future climates, as well in housing for clients and housing organizations.
Presenter: Susan Roaf
Sue Roaf: (B.A. Hons, A.A. Dipl., PhD, FRIAS), HonDEng, Emeritus Professor of Architectural Engineering at Heriot Watt University, Honorary Professor at Deakin University, Melbourne and the University of Queensland and Honorary Doctor at Southampton Solent University. An award winning architect, author and teacher, she has pioneered research on traditional Middle Eastern technologies, domestic solar energy, eco-design and thermal comfort. An Oxford City Councilor for 7 years, member of the UK Architects Registration Board and Lead for 5 years on building adaptation for the Scottish Government. She has written 24 books and Chaired of many international conferences on Thermal Comfort and Climate Safe Design. Her recent work in Antarctica and in the hot deserts of Australia focuses on Comfort at the Extremes.
