Kurt Zimmerman, AIA, LEED AP
Assistant Professor | Milwaukee School of Engineering
Milwaukee, WI, UNITED STATES
Kurt Zimmerman advocates for affordable sustainability, best practices and building science to advance high performance buildings.
Spotlight
Education, Licensure and Certification (2)
B.A.: Architecture, University of Notre Dame 1986
Registered Architect: State of Wisconsin
License A-7234
Biography
Kurt Zimmerman is a career architect with more than 30 years of experience in a wide range of building types. He has a passion for the design of high-performance buildings. In his position as senior design architect, Zimmerman was charged with initiating building projects by generating functional space requirements, establishing space programs, adjacency diagrams, material research and specification and conceptualizing the overall design. He has coordinated multi-disciplinary teams of engineering consultants, set sustainability and performance targets and was responsible for maintaining the integrity of the initial concept through the entire design and construction process.
Zimmerman is the author of several of Wisconsin’s most recognizable buildings. He volunteers his time for the community: he has served as design consultant for Milwaukee’s Lincoln Village Main Street Program, led several design charrettes with Community Design Solutions and the Menomonee Valley Partners overseeing implementation of the 2.0 master plan. Zimmerman is dedicated to the architectural profession leading the AIA Milwaukee and AIA Wisconsin.
Zimmerman is a nationally recognized leader in the field of sustainable design. His design interest focuses on the ecology of the built environment, particularly building science topics and high-performance buildings. His personal experience includes working with the US Green Building Council’s initial pilot project that established the LEED certification system for buildings. His design philosophy encompass not only building and site issues but local, community and global concepts as well. Zimmerman was a member of the City of Milwaukee’s “Green Team” selected to support Mayor Tom Barrett’s sustainable initiatives. He has worked closely with corporate leaders implementing sustainable best practices; most notably Johnson Controls Brengel Technology Center (managing one of the world’s first LEED certified buildings) and their corporate cultural change as well as designing a living laboratory for JohnsonDiversey.
Areas of Expertise (8)
Deep Energy Retrofit
Integrated Project Delivery
Architecture
Design
Building Envelope
Building Science
Sustainability
LEED AP
Affiliations (11)
- American Institute of Architects: Member (AIA Wisconsin - B Arch, University of Notre Dame, College of Engineering, Bachelor of Architecture, 1986, President 2016)
- AIA Wisconsin - Convention Committee Chair, 2017; President 2013-2016
- Architecture for Humanity-Milwaukee Chapter, Founding Principal, 2010-2011
- MSOE - Architectural Engineering Technical Advisory Board, 2008-Present
- AIA Milwaukee-Director at Large/Education Director, 2017-present; President, 2008-2012
- UW-Wisconsin Madison - Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Management Advisory Board, 2005-2006
- City of Wauwatosa - Design Review Board, 2005-2011
- City of Milwaukee - Main Street Milwaukee Program-Lincoln Village, Design Consultant, 2005-2008
- Boy Scouts of America - Milwaukee County Council - Explorer Program Chair, 2005
- City of Milwaukee-Mayor's Green Team, 2003-2004
- United States Green Building Council - LEED Technical Advisory Group, 2000-2001
Event and Speaking Appearances (2)
Deep Energy Retrofit Seminar
Build Chicago/Greening the Heartland Chicago, IL
2018-05-01
Deep Energy Retrofit Workshop
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI
2017-10-01
