Specialist Highlight: Samina Iqbal, Building Envelope Architect and Passive House Specialist
At a Glance
Name: Samina Iqbal
Role: Licensed Architect | Building Envelope and Passive House Specialist
Location: Swarthmore, PA (Greater Philadelphia)
Service Area: New York to Washington D.C. corridor, Boston, and points west within a day's travel
Specialties: Building envelope consulting, curtain wall engineering, Passive House design, energy modeling, hygrothermal modeling, building code research, construction administration
Accreditations: Licensed Architect, Passive House Certified
Experience: 20+ years
Education: M.Arch, Columbia University; B.A., NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study (Computer Science)
Availability: Open to remote and on-site engagements across the Northeast corridor
Introduction
Building envelope work sits at one of the most technically demanding intersections in architecture. Wind loads, thermal performance, water management, materiality, and constructability all have to resolve into a single set of details that perform in the field for decades. Firms that take on this work need specialists who can carry it from concept through inspection. Samina Iqbal is one of the AEC professionals on GigBench who fills that role.
Background
Samina is a licensed architect based in the Greater Philadelphia area, with more than two decades of practice spanning building envelope consulting, Passive House design, and full-scope architectural services. She holds a Master of Architecture from Columbia University and a Bachelor's degree from NYU's Gallatin School of Individualized Study, where she concentrated in computer science before transitioning into architecture.
Her career began in enterprise web development in 1999, followed by graduate study at Columbia and a focused career path in building envelope consulting. She has operated her own architectural practice since 2012, with active project delivery beginning in 2016 and full independent practice since 2019.
Notable Projects and Experience
Samina's project history covers technical envelope consulting, Passive House certification work, and independent architectural practice.
Building envelope consulting at Hoffmann Architects. Engineering of non-load-bearing curtain wall systems from wind load through structural connection, including aluminum, glass, stone, and terracotta facades. Scope included detail development, materiality, performance mockup testing, factory inspection, and on-site inspection.
Passive House Revive 2024 standard. Served as the second energy modeler in the new standard, with the project currently under construction and approaching pre-certification.
Swarthmore College. Independent architectural practice work at the university, including principal-level design and technical execution.
Quinn Evans / Lincoln University student building. Consulted on technical envelope details for the project, including code compliance and constructability review.
Local Law 11 inspections (New York). Performed curtain wall inspections under New York City's facade inspection regulations.
Areas of Focus
Samina's technical scope spans the disciplines that intersect with building envelope and high-performance design:
Curtain wall and facade engineering
Building envelope detailing and constructability
Passive House design and certification
Energy modeling and hygrothermal analysis
Performance mockup testing and factory inspection
On-site envelope inspection and quality assurance
Building code research and zoning analysis
Construction administration and site coordination
Software and Technical Skills
WUFI (10-year license, hygrothermal modeling), THERM, WINDOW, EnergyPlus, Matterport (Generation 2) for building scanning, laser measurement, and standard architectural production software.
Industry Involvement and Teaching
Samina has taught graduate-level coursework at the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University, with focus on load-bearing systems and roof and floor envelope assemblies. She has led Green Building United's Passive House group, teaching practicing professionals on building code compliance and the four layers of envelope control. In February 2026, she served as the lead expert in an advocacy delegation at Philadelphia City Hall, working with city council staff on the full adoption of building codes that include exterior insulation requirements.
Availability for Firms
Samina is available for technical building envelope engagements, Passive House and energy modeling work, construction administration, and design support across the Northeast corridor. She works on the technical and execution side of projects rather than business development, which makes her well-suited for firms that need senior envelope expertise without the overhead of an in-house specialist. She is open to remote delivery and travels regularly between Philadelphia, New York, Washington D.C., Boston, and Harrisburg.
