Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
This course explores the relationship of neurodiversity and sustainability, arguing that an inclusive design approach is key to making spaces that are healthier, more resilient, and more functional and joyful to their occupants. The presentation will introduce key terms and expand our definition of sustainability to include abundance and redundancy. Case studies will include examples from a variety of project scales and components, including space planning, building systems, furniture, and wayfinding.
Continuing Education Units (CEUS) submitted 1 hour in*
• Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI)
• Building Performance Institute (BPI) WholeHouse
• Submitted for American Institute of Architects - AIA (HSW)**
• Certified Green Professional (NARI & CGP)
• GHI Certified GreenHome Professional (CGHP) Pillar(s): Health
• American Institute of Building Designers (AIBD)
• Building Science Institute (BSI) Verifier,
• Society of American Registered Architects (SARA)
**State Architect / Builder License may be applicable
Lessons Learned
1. **Understand** that an inclusive design approach enhances health by creating environments that cater to the diverse needs of all occupants, fostering well-being and resilience.
2. **Analyze** safety by recognizing how spaces designed with neurodiversity in mind can mitigate risks and promote a secure, comfortable experience for everyone.
3. **Introduce** strategies for welfare that prioritize functional and sensory redundancy, ensuring that environments provide diverse options for engagement and comfort.
4. **Articulate** the importance of broadening our design processes to embrace inclusivity, which ultimately leads to communities that are more supportive and nurturing for all individuals.
Need CEUS?
Take the Quiz here:
Speaker:
Irina Verona is the principal of Verona Carpenter Architects (VCA) based in New York City, an award-winning architecture practice and a recognized leader in inclusive design. Committed to the creation of inclusive and resilient spaces, the firm works on diverse typologies and scales, from education and community to workplace and wellness, from renovations to new construction. Teaching, writing, and advocating for a more accessible and inclusive world are key parts of VCA’s practice.
Recent and current projects include: the Health and Wellness Student Center at the School of American Ballet at Lincoln Center; the Briarwood Branch Library in Queens; Wu Dining Hall and Prospect Campus Center at Princeton; and The Neurodiverse City, winner of the 2021 Design Trust for Public Space “Restorative City” RFP with WIP Collaborative.
Irina received her B.A. from Princeton University and her M. Arch. from Columbia University. She is also the recipient of a Fulbright fellowship in Barcelona, Spain. Irina teaches architecture at Barnard College and at Columbia GSAPP. She is a founding editor of Praxis: a Journal of Writing and Building and a member of the American Libraries Association’s Core Buildings for College and University Libraries Committee.
This course explores the relationship of neurodiversity and sustainability, arguing that an inclusive design approach is key to making spaces that are healthier, more resilient, and more functional and joyful to their occupants. The presentation will introduce key terms and expand our definition of sustainability to include abundance and redundancy. Case studies will include examples from a variety of project scales and components, including space planning, building systems, furniture, and wayfinding.
Continuing Education Units (CEUS) submitted 1 hour in*
• Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI)
• Building Performance Institute (BPI) WholeHouse
• Submitted for American Institute of Architects - AIA (HSW)**
• Certified Green Professional (NARI & CGP)
• GHI Certified GreenHome Professional (CGHP) Pillar(s): Health
• American Institute of Building Designers (AIBD)
• Building Science Institute (BSI) Verifier,
• Society of American Registered Architects (SARA)
**State Architect / Builder License may be applicable
Lessons Learned
1. **Understand** that an inclusive design approach enhances health by creating environments that cater to the diverse needs of all occupants, fostering well-being and resilience.
2. **Analyze** safety by recognizing how spaces designed with neurodiversity in mind can mitigate risks and promote a secure, comfortable experience for everyone.
3. **Introduce** strategies for welfare that prioritize functional and sensory redundancy, ensuring that environments provide diverse options for engagement and comfort.
4. **Articulate** the importance of broadening our design processes to embrace inclusivity, which ultimately leads to communities that are more supportive and nurturing for all individuals.
Need CEUS?
Take the Quiz here:
Speaker:
Irina Verona is the principal of Verona Carpenter Architects (VCA) based in New York City, an award-winning architecture practice and a recognized leader in inclusive design. Committed to the creation of inclusive and resilient spaces, the firm works on diverse typologies and scales, from education and community to workplace and wellness, from renovations to new construction. Teaching, writing, and advocating for a more accessible and inclusive world are key parts of VCA’s practice.
Recent and current projects include: the Health and Wellness Student Center at the School of American Ballet at Lincoln Center; the Briarwood Branch Library in Queens; Wu Dining Hall and Prospect Campus Center at Princeton; and The Neurodiverse City, winner of the 2021 Design Trust for Public Space “Restorative City” RFP with WIP Collaborative.
Irina received her B.A. from Princeton University and her M. Arch. from Columbia University. She is also the recipient of a Fulbright fellowship in Barcelona, Spain. Irina teaches architecture at Barnard College and at Columbia GSAPP. She is a founding editor of Praxis: a Journal of Writing and Building and a member of the American Libraries Association’s Core Buildings for College and University Libraries Committee.
