Almost every human activity involves some sort of fumes or toxins that worsen the air quality. The emission of fumes from cars, airplanes, factories, chemicals, and many more consistently adds to a critical situation.
While the world is moving towards moderation and awareness campaigns for making the Earth a better place are on a surge, there is hope that things will eventually fall into place. Hafsa Burt, an architect, and entrepreneur is working in her full capacity to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings and look at regenerative techniques.
Hafsa Burt is widely known for her famous works at San Francisco Airport and collaborative associations with Gerson/Overstreet Architects on public projects such as West Oakland Youth Center. Being aware that her industry plays an immense role in the global greenhouse gas emissions, Burt has made it a point to infuse sustainability in each of her projects. She has been working for almost twenty-two years in the industry and has made her mark with her innovative projects.
Over the years, Hafsa has managed to establish her firm, hb+a Architects. A pioneer of Healthy Buildings and Environmental Sustainability before the terms were industry norms. She has been involved in initiating green building ordinances and design standards. From designing fast-casual restaurant concepts to multifamily dwelling units, Hafsa Burt takes pride in an experimental approach to varied project types. The firm’s current project portfolio of completed and onboard work spans from Sacramento to Los Altos Hills. Her current client list includes prestigious entities such as Lincoln Property Company, Stonebrae, and Pacific Urban Residential.
The Idea of Improving Indoor Air Quality
While building a house from scratch or renovating, people almost always overlook the number of chemicals and toxins used. Unpleasant odors easily suggest bad air, but some toxins and irritants are not easily detectable and affect human health. It is a known fact that various gases let off by paints, furniture finishes, floorings or sprays, have toxic compounds and are detrimental to health. Such things pollute the indoor air, making it difficult to breathe. However, Hafsa Burt, a qualified graduate of SCAD, is actively working on these issues to eliminate these often ignored elements in the design.
Focusing on carbon neutrality and zero energy, Hafsa Burt emphasizes the usage of natural ventilation. Using nature as a source of lighting and air purification, she considers options to save on the cost and usage of mechanical equipment. Through her firm, Burt has the power to translate her ideas into reality. Being mindful of sustainability concepts, she has designed such projects as the 18 unit Mei Apartments in San Leandro, Terra Glen, in San Jose,32 unit SOMA House in San Francisco, and more.
The Box Lab Venture
Hafsa Burt, the passionate environmentalist, and architect is the mastermind behind “The Box Lab” which is focused on active research and development of zero energy/zero carbon buildings. One of the projects under this arm is The Box Factory, which is a prefabricated single-family home, an excellent vision for forward-thinking home construction. This prototype is a 1750-square foot family home built on a nine-acre land in California, with zero carbon impact. She states,
“The main purpose of the Box Factory was to create a functioning model for our concept: energy and water independence, with a minimalist design aesthetic. We successfully achieved those technical and functional goals.”
The project was completed in 2019 and has garnered attention from news sources worldwide. Since the house uses thermal mass, it is peacefully quiet, which adds to its beauty. As of 2021, the house is being used as a demonstration project and a retreat area for visiting architects. Burt reveals,
“People say it’s a great place to be in, not only because of the views and the home’s relationship to nature but also because the spaces heat up and cool down quickly—and retains that energy because of its design. The house doesn’t require much energy to get to a nice level of thermal comfort.”
