CBE students, faculty, community members, and programs are often featured in local, national, and campus media. Learn about groundbreaking research and other accomplishments, and hear from faculty with expertise on issues impacting the built environments. Be sure to check our event listings for upcoming lectures, meetings, and more.
In Memoriam: L. Jane Hastings
April 19, 2024
In her long career as an architect, Jane Hastings was involved in the design of more than 500 projects. Equally important were her many contributions to the architectural profession, to education, and to the city and region. She is loved and remembered by an extraordinary number of friends and colleagues.
The next iteration of carbon research and education
April 9, 2024
Since 2010, CLF has been hosted at the University of Washington under the leadership of Professor Kate Simonen. As its impact and reach matured, we recognized there was benefit to doing work in a structure that differentiated the academic laboratory from the public advocacy and education.The Carbon Leadership Forum is now an independent nonprofit organization.
In her own words: Dean Renée Cheng
March 26, 2024
Dean Renée Cheng shares her journey as a woman in architecture, offering valuable insight into how her perspective has shaped her path.
Mix Masters: Students Shaping Concrete’s Future
March 6, 2024
Nestled in a former airplane hangar in the sprawling former Navy base at Magnuson Park, construction and engineering students stress-test recipes for concrete—one of the world’s most used substances.
CBE Professor Faces an Electrifying Challenge
February 21, 2024
Department of Construction Management Professor Hyun Woo “Chris” Lee, King County Metro, and UW Mobility Innovation Center team up to advance billion-dollar bus electrification projects for zero-carbon emissions.
Tsunami preparedness in WA
January 19, 2024
CBE and the University of Washington have been working with Westport and their neighbors to help them face the threat of tsunamis head-on. | The Seattle Times
Bird-Friendly Design: Overcoming Building Barriers
December 5, 2023
Led by researcher Judy Bowes, The Bird Friendly Campus project aims to track bird-building collisions, provide bird-safe design tips, and raise awareness about the dangers of transparent glass to wildlife.
Crafting a path: Architecture youth programs
November 30, 2023
During the summer, the University of Washington’s Continuum College Youth & Teen Programs gave high school students a glimpse into college through their architecture camp.
Support CBE students this Giving Tuesday
November 27, 2023
This Giving Tuesday, the College of Built Environments is calling on the community to support CBE students across all 5 departments.
Dean Renée Cheng on Sources of Energy, Research, and Making Equitable Spaces
October 18, 2023
In her conversation with Amy Stone, Dean Cheng shares her unique career journey, shaped by family values and artistic influences, and her transition into the world of architecture, emphasizing the transformative impact of teaching and mentorship.
Connecting the coastline
October 17, 2023
How the UW is helping Westport prepare for a tsunami | UW For Washington
From the Dean: Welcome Back!
September 21, 2023
As we usher in another academic year at the College of Built Environments, I want to extend a warm welcome back to all our faculty, staff, and students.
Interested in serving as a mentor?
September 21, 2023
You can work one-on-one with a College of Built Environments student and help them grow professionally through career exploration, networking, and professional skill-building by signing up for our mentor program. This is an excellent opportunity to support the built environments community by sharing your advice and professional experience.
Preserving affordable housing across the nation: research spotlight on Vince Wang
September 19, 2023
New Runstad Department of Real Estate Assistant Professor Vince Wang is shedding light on the mechanisms of sustainable, affordable housing and opening doors for student researchers.
Carb talk: CBE’s Climate Solutions Community of Practice sparks interdisciplinary collaborations
September 11, 2023
Is there a way to break through knowledge barriers and foster climate change collaboration within and without CBE? Professor Kate Simonen and other faculty think they’ve found it: CBE’s new Climate Solutions Community of Practice (CoP), a group dedicated to generating climate solutions across disciplinary frameworks that encourages student, staff, and faculty participation.
[Re]Visioning the Ave: Students devise real-world strategies for a thriving, accessible neighborhood hub
August 24, 2023
For several years, the U-District Partnership has sought to figure out what kinds of investments and interventions might help bring optimism back to the Ave. In this effort, UDP reached out to the College of Built Environments for assistance. Might there be a chance to get CBE students involved in devising some solutions?
Building a more just and beautiful future: CBE’s new faculty cohort makes strides on campus
July 13, 2023
The College of Built Environments at the University of Washington has big dreams. Faculty, staff, and students are tackling issues of social and environmental justice and climate change. They’re seeking out innovations in sustainability, breaking out of disciplinary silos, and forging new collaborations
Congratulations 2023 graduates!
July 5, 2023
Congratulations to this year's graduates! Our mission of advancing knowledge is embodied in and by the students who graduate each year and the community who supports them. We all have a lot to celebrate this year.
Eight honored with CBE Distinguished Faculty Award for Lifetime Achievement
June 27, 2023
We are pleased to announce the eight individuals who have been selected to receive the CBE Distinguished Faculty Award for Lifetime Achievement. “It is an honor to recognize these outstanding faculty for their inspiring leadership to students and colleagues alike,” said Renee Cheng, John and Rosalind Jacobi Family Endowed Dean of the College of Built…
CBE Celebrates 2023 Faculty & Staff Award Winners
June 26, 2023
The CBE Faculty & Staff Awards recognize exemplary faculty and staff for their dedication and service to the CBE community. View the list of winners.
Beyond Seating: Benches Build Community
June 23, 2023
Students began with individual projects using reclaimed materials like cardboard and sticks to learn about scale and structure. They then collaborated on a bench project, requiring planning, sketching, trial and error, and utilizing the Fabrication Lab for cutting and assembly.
Remembering Jon Runstad: A Philanthropist and Real Estate Visionary
June 21, 2023
The College of Built Environments is deeply saddened by the loss of Jon Runstad '64, a prominent figure in the real estate industry and a dedicated philanthropist.
Gould Gallery showcases students’ work and the power of design
June 14, 2023
Emerging elegantly from Gould Hall’s Brutalist gray concrete exterior, the College of Built Environments’ Gould Gallery features works of societal impact.
Finding Your Place: How unaffordable housing drives homelessness
June 5, 2023
Gregg Colburn, assistant professor of real estate, joined NPR's Marketplace Morning Report to discuss the common myths believed to be the primary drivers of homelessness versus the actually demonstrated linkages between housing demand and pricing despite the varied wealth of cities. | Marketplace Morning Report
Youth Perspectives on Disaster Planning project wins Population Health Initiative grant
May 25, 2023
Among the awarded projects was "Incorporating Youth Perspectives to Improve Disaster Planning: Piloting Drone-Based Photovoice to Explore Cultural Assets" whose investigators include UDP Associate Professor Daniel Abramson and UDP Masters' student Matias Korfmacher, in collaboration with researchers from DEOHS.