Ilha Niohuru

Ilha Niohuru is a PhD student at CASE in the Built Ecologies Program. Her work at CASE focuses on developing cross-scale feedback loops linking urban energy and health policy with individual adoption, addressing barriers like data privacy, acquisition methods, and affordability that hinder implementation at the individual level, translating systemic goals into actionable change. Her goal is to advance equity by enabling marginalized and resource-constrained communities to reduce their energy and health burdens, improve the cost-effectiveness of government spending and budget allocation, and enhance data quality and mitigate sampling bias to support more accurate and equitable future research.

She holds a dual B.A. degree in Psychology and Art from Smith College, and an M.Arch. degree in Architectural and Building Technology from Yale University. Her past research has focused on exploring biogenic materials, such as mycelium hemp, bamboo, and palm trees that embody customizability, regional specificity, and circular economy values; advancing urban policy, planning, and design by bridging scientific research with practical tools; and fostering transdisciplinary collaboration between public health and urban policies on climate resilience, health, and equity.