Leena Thomas is Professor at the School of Architecture at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). She is an expert in sustainable architecture with an interest in transformational design practices that respond to climate change and promote health and wellbeing within the built environment. She is internationally recognised for her to post occupancy evaluation (POE), thermal comfort and living laboratory research which enables building owners, developers, and designers to better understand and improve building performance to create sustainable and healthy, living and work environments for people.

Leena is the Principal Lead Investigator of the $1.7 million, multi-institution Fairwater Living Laboratory project, investigating outcomes for an 850-home development in Blacktown. She also leads En.gauge: an ongoing post occupancy evaluation (POE) and research program at the Faculty of Design Architecture and Building that encompasses Building Occupants Survey System Australia (BOSSA) an outcome of an ARC-funded project to develop the first Australian tool benchmark indoor environmental quality from the occupants’ perspective alongside a suite of next generation POE and living laboratory tools.

At UTS, Leena teaches sustainable architectural design, thermal design, lighting, acoustics and advanced environmental control in buildings. She leads a Global Studio subject in India that’s focusses on climate justice and social sustainability, and Master of Architecture design studios that explore the role of architecture as a catalyst for sustainability and regeneration in the city.