Riya Malhotra is a Master’s of Science candidate at Carnegie Mellon University School of Architecture, specializing in Building Performance and Diagnostics. She believes in a collaborative approach to mainstream sustainable urban development at the nexus of innovative technology, applied research, performance, and durability. Before pursuing her graduate studies, she was practising as an architect and a research professional in the energy and environment sector in India. She worked as a Research Associate at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) contributing to the policy development, consultancy, and research in the field of building sciences with a focus on energy-efficient science-based solutions. During her time at TERI, she closely worked on different projects with UNEP, BEE, MoHUA, DSIR, GIZ, World Bank, Saint Gobain and Mahindra Lifespaces. In addition to her work at TERI, as a Co-founder of M.U.D Collaborative, her interests also expand to socially and environmentally sustainable building practices and natural clay- and bio-based building materials. Core interest: Building Science + Technology, Circularity in Built Environment, Data Analysis, Policy and Research: Energy & Environment, Health and well-being, Sustainability and Material Use, Community Development