Today we’d like to introduce you to Surabhi Khanderia.
Hi Surabhi, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Growing up in India, I was taught the value of conserving resources. My father, a wise man, once admonished me for wasting food at the dinner table, reminding me that money may be mine but resources belong to society. This lesson has stayed with me, reminding me that the ability to buy resources does not give us the right to waste them but rather comes with the responsibility to use them wisely and conservatively for the benefit of all.
While studying Architecture at CEPT University in India, I became keenly aware of how designs impact building materials and resources. I was also fascinated by how natural forces shape design and, in turn, impact the sociological aspects of human life. The idea of “treading gently” on the earth with our interventions was deeply ingrained in me during my time at architecture school. During a trip to India in 2013, I was inspired by the sustainable development practices at Auroville, an experimental township, and began to explore ways to apply these principles to my work.
In 2016, I was selected to participate in the US Department of State’s “I-LEAD” program at American University in Washington, D.C. This program brought together young leaders from around the world to discuss global challenges such as climate change, the refugee crisis, and terrorism. The experience empowered me to be a change-maker in my profession and to work towards a greener future.
To gain experience, I joined Drishtee, an NGO based in Delhi, where I served as a design researcher. I led on-the-ground research for a sustainable rural housing project in the village of Bihar and worked to pilot the second phase in Assam. Through this work, I saw firsthand the harsh living conditions faced by those without access to electricity and the need to rebuild homes every rainy season. This experience inspired me to work towards improving the design and operations of our urban environments to reduce externalities on indigenous communities.
Today, I am a manager at Leading Edge, a sustainability consulting firm in California. We work with architecture and real estate firms to reduce the environmental impact of their projects in the design, construction, and operation phases. I am passionate about using my skills to create a more sustainable future for us all.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Despite my prior experience in large-scale hospitality and civic projects, the shift in work and public space dynamics brought on by the pandemic sparked my interest in the live-work lifestyle and the potential for residential typologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in urban environments. This led me to work in Ventura, a county facing a severe housing shortage and increased risk from natural disasters such as wildfires, earthquakes, and rising sea levels. As a lead Architectural Designer and Sustainability specialist at The Akeena Group, I incorporated sustainable design strategies for affordable housing solutions such as ADUs and multifamily projects. I also led the design and documentation of single-family residential projects that were rebuilt after being lost in the 2017 Thomas Wildfires. The challenges and opportunities presented by the pandemic allowed me to work towards my mission of incorporating resilience strategies into the sustainable design at a smaller scale.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
In 2019, I had the exciting opportunity to work on some of the most iconic Disney parks projects as part of the Sustainable Design and Engineering team within Walt Disney Imagineering. I conducted environmental assessments and collaborated with design teams to implement sustainable design strategies that helped the company meet its corporate sustainability goals.
Later, I joined the City of Philadelphia’s Division of Aviation, where I worked on their expanding sustainability program through enrollment in the Airport Carbon Accreditation. I also led design research for locally manufactured recycled materials that met FAA specification standards for the design and construction of aprons. Recycled glass aggregates were used in the Philadelphia International Airport’s (PHL) Remain Overnight (RON) apron project, which was recognized by Airports Going Green (AGG) forum with an Outstanding Sustainability Infrastructure Development Award in 2022.
Through these projects, I developed expertise in building decarbonization through design. I also co-designed ‘Petal, Power, Place’, a vision for green energy infrastructure that beautifully integrates solar and winds power into our urban environments while incorporating productive landscapes as part of the design.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
There’s something special about hearing the same stories over and over again as a child. For me my favorite childhood memory is of my grandmother telling me bedtime stories. I loved how she would tell the same stories every night, and I would always know what was coming next. It was like a comforting routine that helped me feel safe and secure. The familiarity of the stories and their predictable endings brought me a sense of calm and peace. Even though I knew how the stories would end, I still enjoyed listening to them and getting lost in the tale. It was a simple pleasure, but one that brings back warm and fond memories for me.
Even today, I continue to seek and preserve the stories that the architecture of a place tells through preservation efforts and look forward to see the places this journey takes me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.surabhikhanderia.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/surabhi_khanderia/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/surabhi.1394/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNIkHKGNu79o8HJpzBma2XQ
