Robert Schubert, professor of architecture and associate dean for research in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies at Virginia Tech, has been conferred the title of professor emeritus by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.

The emeritus title may be conferred on retired professors, associate professors, and administrative officers who are specially recommended to the board by Virginia Tech President Tim Sands in recognition of exemplary service to the university. Nominated individuals who are approved by the board receive a copy of the resolution and a certificate of appreciation.

A member of the Virginia Tech community since 1976, Schubert initiated and was a leader and active participant in Virginia Tech's Solar Decathlon competitions sponsored by the Department of Energy. Virginia Tech's LumenHAUS 2010 Madrid, Spain, entry and FutureHAUS 2019 Dubai, United Arab Emirates, entry both won first place in their respective competitions.

Schubert and the Virginia Tech LumenHAUS team were selected by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) as one of nine recipients of the 2012 AIA Institute Honor Award for Architecture. This is the only time this honor has been conferred to a university team in the history of the award.

In addition, Schubert served for 22 years as the College of Architecture and Urban Studies’ associate dean for research. During that time, he worked to expand the physical research infrastructure in the college to promote building science-related research, culminating in the faculty-team led design of the Research and Demonstration Facility completed in 1994. This facility is currently being remodeled to better accommodate an evolving smart construction research agenda for the college.

Schubert was dedicated to the cultivation of experiential learning and created the college’s Student-Initiated Research Grants Program, which helped to encourage experiential learning and promote undergraduate/graduate research opportunities for 15 years. He also created and taught the Environmental Design and Sustainability course for 17 years, which was one of the first courses offered at the university dealing with the topic of sustainability.

In 1982, Schubert initiated The Virginia Passive Solar Study, the first study of its kind in the Commonwealth of Virginia which looked at passive solar buildings and their performance to better understand how they function with the intention to provide design guidelines to demonstrate how passive solar buildings could be a viable solution to environmentally condition buildings.

Schubert's contribution also included indoor air quality research where he pioneered innovative radon detection and remediation techniques for buildings.

In 1974, he co-authored Alternative Energy Sources in Building Design, a book published by Van Nostrand Reinhold and later translated into Chinese and Russian.

Schubert received his Bachelor of Architecture degree and a Master of Architecture degree from Virginia Tech.

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