Education

B.S. in Architecture, Georgia Institute of Technology, 1981

M.Arch, Georgia Institute of Technology, 1985

Biography

With specific expertise in sustainable campus development through the holistic integration of architecture, engineering, landscape, technology, ecology, sustainability, operations, maintenance, public art, and fiscal stewardship, Howard is a sought-after thought leader, consultant, adviser, mentor, educator, and speaker.

From 2006-2019 Howard served as the AVP for Capital Planning & Space Management and Institute Architect at the Georgia Institute of Technology where he had strategic oversight of the Campus Master Plan, Landscape Master Plan, Historic Preservation Plan, campus-wide sustainability initiatives, curation of public art and overall campus beautification. Howard also initiated space utilization strategies, designed to improve overall space utilization across the entire portfolio of space typologies to reduce costs and maximize physical plant investments.

Howard led Georgia Tech’s sustainable campus development journey and was the visionary campus leader for the Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design, a fully certified Living Building, one the most environmentally advanced education and research buildings in the country. Howard provided leadership of over $1.5B in sustainable capital investments, including the development of almost 3M square feet of LEED-certified/certifiable buildings, which included 25 LEED-certified buildings, including 5 LEED platinum buildings and 2 AIA COTE Top Ten award winners. Howard also led the development of a cistern master plan and stormwater master plan, significantly reducing the use of potable water for non-potable needs. More than 50% of the campus that requires irrigation is now irrigated with harvested water from over 2.5M gallons of cistern capacity, creating a living-learning laboratory for students, faculty, and staff.

Prior to joining Georgia Tech, Howard spent 21 years at Lord, Aeck & Sargent where he was a Partner and Principal focused on technically sophisticated, sustainably designed college and university facilities. Howard previously served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Piedmont Park Conservancy, a non-profit working in close collaboration with the City of Atlanta overseeing the stewardship, operations, financial procedures, programs, and overall performance of the Conservancy and the 200-acre Olmsted-inspired public park. Most recently, Howard was asked to serve as the Interim Assistant Vice Chancellor for Facilities at Vanderbilt University.

Throughout his career, Howard has inspired design and construction professionals to become trusted partners by having an entrepreneurial spirit and creative approach to solving problems, enhancing the character and quality of the built environment to increase opportunities for student and faculty collaboration and interaction.

In 2019, Howard was recognized as one of four statewide leaders by the USGBC Georgia Chapter as one of their 2019 Chrysalis Legacy Award winners, “honoring the people… within our community that are driving innovation, transforming their industry, and accelerating knowledge exchange around a diversity of sustainability initiatives.”

Howard is a Fellow in the American Institute of Architects. He teaches graduate design studios in the School of Architecture at Georgia Tech and serves chair of the City of Dunwoody Public Arts Commission, the Life Cycle Building Center Advisory Board, and is co-chair of the Association of University Architect’s Sustainability Committee.