Wendy Meguro, AIA, LEED Fellow

Wendy Meguro is a licensed architect and associate professor, whose teaching and research focus on high-performance and carbon neutral architecture, grounded in building science and professional practice experience. With a joint appointment in architecture and Sea Grant’s Coastal Sustainability and Resilience Team (CReST), she also studies enabling coastal communities to adapt to sea level rise and future warmer weather.

Students learn from her experience as an associate and environmental designer at Atelier Ten, consulting architecture design and construction teams on energy efficiency, water conservation and reuse, daylighting, visual and thermal comfort, material selection, greenhouse gas emissions reduction, and LEED certification.

The UH Board of Regents awarded Wendy one of six 2021 Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Teaching for exhibiting an extraordinary level of subject mastery and scholarship, teaching effectiveness and creativity, and personal values that benefit students. The U.S. Green Building Council recognized her as a LEED Fellow, the highest international recognition for green building professionals.

She directs the Environmental Research and Design Laboratory and the Sea Grant Center for Smart Buildings and Community Design where students gain experience in applied research.

Research & Creative Work

This study demonstrates a replicable process using early design phase energy modeling to reduce energy use in multifamily residential buildings in subtropical climates and achieve net-zero site energy.
This study demonstrates a replicable process using early design phase energy modeling to reduce energy use in multifamily residential buildings in subtropical climates and achieve net-zero site energy.
As part of UH Sea Grant’s interdisciplinary Coastal Sustainability Initiative, we dove into watershed restoration at loʻi kalo (taro patches) Heʻeia ahupuaʻa. Photo: Bruce Hamakawa
As part of UH Sea Grant’s interdisciplinary Coastal Sustainability Initiative, we dove into watershed restoration at loʻi kalo (taro patches) Heʻeia ahupuaʻa. Photo: Bruce Hamakawa
By maximizing passive systems such as daylighting and natural ventilation, UH students design innovative high-rise residences in Honolulu. Photo: UH Foundation.
By maximizing passive systems such as daylighting and natural ventilation, UH students design innovative high-rise residences in Honolulu. Photo: UH Foundation.
Professor Meguro lead Atelier Ten’s environmental design consulting for Ennead Architects on the LEED Gold certified Weill Cornell Medical College Belfer Research Building. New York, NY. Photo: Wendy Meguro.
Professor Meguro lead Atelier Ten’s environmental design consulting for Ennead Architects on the LEED Gold certified Weill Cornell Medical College Belfer Research Building. New York, NY. Photo: Wendy Meguro.
Professor Meguro lead Atelier Ten’s environmental design consulting for Renzo Piano Building Workshop on the Columbia Manhattanville Jerome L. Green Science Center for Mind Brain Behavior. New York, NY. Photo: Wendy Meguro
Professor Meguro lead Atelier Ten’s environmental design consulting for Renzo Piano Building Workshop on the Columbia Manhattanville Jerome L. Green Science Center for Mind Brain Behavior. New York, NY. Photo: Wendy Meguro
Professor Meguro lead Atelier Ten’s environmental design consulting for Renzo Piano Building Workshop on the Columbia Manhattanville Lenfest Center for the Arts. New York, NY. Photo: Wendy Meguro
Professor Meguro lead Atelier Ten’s environmental design consulting for Renzo Piano Building Workshop on the Columbia Manhattanville Lenfest Center for the Arts. New York, NY. Photo: Wendy Meguro
Our interdisciplinary team wrote the article, “Establishing a Sea Level Rise-Adjusted Design Flood Elevation for Buildings: A Comparative Study of Methods” in the journal Water.
Our interdisciplinary team wrote the article, “Establishing a Sea Level Rise-Adjusted Design Flood Elevation for Buildings: A Comparative Study of Methods” in the journal Water.
This two-page article title, “A Visionary Approach to Advancing Sea Level Rise Adaptation in an Urban Coastal Community, Waikīkī, Hawai‘i” in the journal Oceanography summarizes our interdisciplinary team’s research.
This two-page article title, “A Visionary Approach to Advancing Sea Level Rise Adaptation in an Urban Coastal Community, Waikīkī, Hawai‘i” in the journal Oceanography summarizes our interdisciplinary team’s research.
The study “Estimating Thermal Comfort and Energy Use with Future Warmer Weather” provides design guidance to keep people comfortable and anticipate future energy needs.
The study “Estimating Thermal Comfort and Energy Use with Future Warmer Weather” provides design guidance to keep people comfortable and anticipate future energy needs.
The guidance document “Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Buildings” informs the Mayor, City Council, and executive departments as they draft policy and planning.
The guidance document “Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Buildings” informs the Mayor, City Council, and executive departments as they draft policy and planning.
This award-winning, interdisciplinary research informs future planning and design by envisioning potential adaptations to sea level rise in the urban coastal community of Waikīkī , HI and documenting the public’s preferences.
This award-winning, interdisciplinary research informs future planning and design by envisioning potential adaptations to sea level rise in the urban coastal community of Waikīkī , HI and documenting the public’s preferences.
Our interdisciplinary team wrote the article, “A Science and Community-Driven Approach to Illustrating Urban Adaptation to Coastal Flooding to Inform Management Plans” in the journal Sustainability.
Our interdisciplinary team wrote the article, “A Science and Community-Driven Approach to Illustrating Urban Adaptation to Coastal Flooding to Inform Management Plans” in the journal Sustainability.
Areas of Interest
  • Conducting applied research on energy, water, and climate change adaptation to inform professional practice and policy
  • Designing high performance buildings to reduce fossil fuel use
  • Estimating impact of climate change on future building energy use and thermal comfort
  • Adapting existing coastal communities to flooding
  • Reducing coastal erosion and flooding with living shorelines
  • Using building performance simulation (eg., energy, daylight) to inform design
Professional Experience

Workshop Green, 2014-present
Atelier Ten, 2005-2013
Parsons the New School, 2008-2012
KYA, 2016-2018
Walters, Kimura, Motoda, 2001-2003
Dinmore & Cisco Architects, 2000-2001

License(s)

Licensed Architect in Hawai‘i

Selected Publications

Selected academic papers, posters, and technical reports

Meguro, W., J. I. Briones, E. Teeples, C. H. Fletcher. “Establishing a Sea Level Rise-Adjusted Design Flood Elevation for Buildings: A Comparative Study of Methods.” Water, 17(16), 2376. Section: Oceans and Coastal Zones. Special Issue: Climate Risk Management, Sea Level Rise and Coastal Impacts. August 2025.

Meguro, W. “Co-Innovating for Integrated Research, Teaching, and Outreach in Sea Level Rise Adaptation.” Technology | Architecture + Design. June 2024.

Meguro, W., J. Briones, G. Failano, C.H. Fletcher. “A Science and Community-Driven Approach to Illustrating Urban Adaptation to Coastal Flooding to Inform Management Plans.” Sustainability. March 2024.

Meguro, W., C.H. Fletcher, J. Briones, E. Teeples, G. Casey. “A Visionary Approach to Advancing Sea Level Rise Adaptation in an Urban Coastal Community, Waikīkī, Hawai‘i.” Oceanography Special Issue on Sea Grant: Science Serving America’s Coastlines and People Vol. 37 No. 1. March 2024.

Meguro, W., and E.J. Glassman. “Evaluating Energy Targets and Efficiency Measures in Multifamily Subtropical Buildings through Automated Simulation”, Technology Architecture + Design. April 2021.

Meguro, W., Peppard, E., Meder, S., Maskrey, J., Josephson, R. “Going Beyond Code: Monitoring Disaggregated Energy and Modeling Detached Houses in Hawai‘i,” Buildings 2020, 10(7), 120.

Meguro, W., Paradis, C. “Student Learning Through Monitoring Existing Buildings’ Energy Use and Occupant Comfort,” Architecture Research Consortium Conference, p 449-458. August 2019.

Meguro, W., Zapka, M., Peppard, E. “Methods to Monitor and Simulate Existing Residences” Building Technology Educators Society, July 2019.

Meguro, W. “Waipahu Transit Oriented Development Flood Mitigation Measures.” Prepared for the State of Hawaii Office of Planning. August 2019.

Meguro, W. “A Primer on Coastal Transportation System Resilience and Adaptation to Sea Level Rise on Oahu Using Living Shorelines and Green Infrastructure.” Prepared for the Department of Transportation Pacific Southwest Region University Transportation Center. December 2018.

Meder, S., Meguro, W., Zapka, M., Peppard, E. “Improved Energy Efficiency, Thermal Comfort, and Net-Zero Potential in Monitored and Simulated Homes.” Prepared for the Department of Hawaiian Homelands. July 2019.

Meguro, Wendy. “Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in the Built Environment,” University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Outreach College Sakamaki Extraordinary Lecture Series, July 2016.

Meguro, W. “Coastal Risk Management Considerations and Sustainable Building Criteria.” Prepared to guide three professional design teams on the Hawaii Presidential Center Bid. 2014.

Selected buildings for which I provided environmental design services while at Atelier Ten:

  • The Green Center at Columbia University by Renzo Piano Building Workshop is published in the New York Times and Architectural Record.
  • The Croton Water Treatment Plant by Grimshaw Architects is covered in Architectural Record
  • The Federal Building by Krueck+Sexton Architects is featured in Architect.
  • Rising Currents is an exhibition and book at the Museum of Modern Art with a review in the New York Times.
  • Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine by Weiss Manfredi is featured in Architect.
Recognition

Individual Recognition

  • University of Hawai‘i Board of Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Teaching
  • U.S. Green Building Council LEED Fellow
  • American Institute of Architects Next to Lead inaugural program
  • American Institute of Architects Work Group for United Nations Climate Change Conference COP27 Work Group
  • Blue Planet’s “We Are 100: committed to Hawaiʻi’s journey to 100% clean energy”

 

Team Recognition for Academic Work

  • Society of American Registered Architects (SARA) National Design Awards
  • American Institute of Architects Honolulu 66th Annual Design Awards
  • American Institute of Architects Honolulu 65th Annual Design Awards
  • American Institute of Architects Honolulu 64th Annual Design Awards
  • Hawai‘i Chapter of the American Planning Association Awards Program
  • Northwest and Pacific American Institute of Architects (AIA) Design Awards for Alaska, Hawai‘i, Idaho, Mariana Islands, Montana, Oregon, and Washington
  • Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture Collaborative Practice and Leadership Award