Dr. Juliana Felkner is a researcher at Eindhoven University of Technology working at the intersection of sustainable architectural design, urban systems, and energy infrastructure. She is part of the 4TU research community, collaborating across Dutch technical universities on challenges related to the energy transition, as well as HACURA and the Heritage program, which both look to enlarge the role of solar energy in the built environment. Her research focuses on decarbonizing the built environment through the integration of building performance analysis, urban energy modeling, and data-driven design. She investigates how embodied carbon, whole-life carbon assessment, ESG frameworks, and spatial planning influence decision-making by designers, developers, investors, and building owners in retrofit and adaptive reuse projects. A central aspect of her work examines design strategies for transforming existing and historic buildings into high-performing, low-carbon assets while preserving architectural and cultural value. Her research explores how innovative approaches can help manage energy-transition risks in real-estate portfolios by addressing stranded building assets and enabling the transformation of existing buildings into resilient, grid-neutral developments that reduce pressure on local energy infrastructure. By integrating circular design principles and balancing embodied and operational carbon, her work supports scalable pathways for converting existing building stock into low-carbon, future-ready urban infrastructure. She continues to hold a courtesy appointment at The University of Texas at Austin, where she leads the Sustainable Built Environment research group and continues to advise PhD students.

Dr. Juliana Felkner holds a PhD in Architecture from ETH Zurich, where her doctoral research focused on multi-objective design methods that balance structural performance, environmental impact, and architectural considerations. She also holds an MSc in Spatial Planning from KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and a Master of Architecture from University of Kansas. Earlier in her academic training, she studied environmental management as a visiting researcher at Aalborg University and completed a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies and English at University of Kansas.

She has served as Assistant Professor at The University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture, teaching courses in building structures, environmental controls, sustainable integrated design, and research methods. Her teaching emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to low-carbon design, integrating architecture, engineering, and urban planning to address climate change and sustainable development challenges.