JOERG RUEGEMER

Jörg Rügemer is a licensed architect and Associate Professor for Sustainable Design at the School of Architecture, University of Utah, where he has taught since 2006. He earned his Master of Architecture from the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) in Los Angeles and holds an architectural diploma (first professional degree) from the University of Applied Sciences in Cologne, Germany. His academic background is further complemented by studies in the field of Meteorology at the University of Cologne. Mr. Rügemer is licensed to practice architecture in Germany and all member states of the European Union. He is an International Associate member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and a member of the Building Technology Educators Society (BTES) and the Society of Building Science Educators (SBSE).

Before founding Atelier Jörg Rügemer in Berlin in 2001, he worked internationally with renowned architectural practices including Frank O. Gehry (Los Angeles), Bothe Richter Teherani (Hamburg), and Anshen+Allen (San Francisco). From 2004 to 2008, he co-led KoopX, an architectural firm based in Berlin and Shanghai, focusing on large-scale urban developments and high-density housing. He has participated in approximately 60 national and international architectural and urban design competitions, winning numerous awards, and has received multiple research scholarships and honors for his built work.

Since 1999, Mr. Rügemer has taught sustainable architecture at universities in Germany and the United States. His teaching and research focus on highly resilient, energy-efficient, and cost-effective building systems, integrated design strategies, and Post-Occupancy performance monitoring. In 2011, his research culminated in the design and construction of the 125 Haus, Utah’s most energy-efficient and cost-effective house, establishing a foundation for subsequent work advancing high-performance architecture accessible to broader audiences, including low-income and underrepresented communities. His recent work includes site-net-zero, all-electric, high-performance residential projects in the Park City, Utah region, where he has consistently pushed construction methods and building performance well beyond local and national code requirements.