ART - DESIGN - SUSTAINABILITY
BIO
Art & Design
Sustainability Consulting
Education
Seema Lisa Pandya is a Brooklyn based accomplished sustainability consultant and a multidisciplinary artist that explores the intersection between sustainability, art, culture, and the built-environment with an aim of connecting audiences with experiential awareness of natural cycles. Her work ranges from sustainability consulting, certification coordination, public art, building integrated installations, artful community/ occupant engagement programs, and social 'happenings', painting, photography, bio-inspired forms, kinetic sculptures, her cultural connection to her South Asian heritage, and more.
Sustainable sensitivity influences Seema's process. With 18+ years of experience in the environmental building and design industry, she has an exclusive perspective into sustainability-oriented integrated creative solutions. She has managed the LEED certification of over 40+ projects, reviewed over 150 projects for the USGBC as a LEED reviewer, and is a professor of sustainable design at NYSID and FIT in New York City.
Her work has been shown in the Museum of Contemporary Art-Long Island, Anderson Contemporary, Pioneer Works, Plaxall Gallery, BRIC Arts, Wagner College, FIT, Prospect Park, Governor’s Island, (NYSID) New York School of Interior Design, Leon Gallery, Greenwich Art Society, and more. Seema and her work have also been featured in Vogue India, Fine Woodworking Magazine, GB&D Magazine, Mood of Living, CodaWorx Magazine, Slow + Sustain, other publications, and more recently in a 2022 Super Bowl commercial. She has made works for recipients such as Khizr Khan and Chelsea Clinton. Her early career curatorial gallery achievements as Co-Owner of Revoluciones Collective Art Space in Denver Colorado included featuring artists such as Shepard Fairey and was awarded Best Alternative Art Space - Top of the Rockies Colorado in 2004, and Best Gallery Award, Go-Go Magazine in 2001.
Pandya has served as a mentor for the NYFA Immigrant Artist program, an advisor for the Diversity, Equity and, Inclusion committee at New York School of Interior Design (NYSID), and has extensive public speaking history including being a panelist at the Asian Arts Alliance “Art, Environment, and Justice in a Changing World” in 2019. She is also on the Board of the Brooklyn Raga Massive music collective.
Pandya earned her BFA with a concentration in Sustainable Design from Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design and currently teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in sustainable building at NYSID. She currently lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.
RESUME / CV
Current Affiliations
Aritst
LEED AP- BD+C since 2007
LEED reviewer - GBCI - 7 Group
Senior Sustainability Manager- D2d Green Design
Adjunct Graduate and Undergraduate Professor at New York School of Interior Design (NYSID)
Member of New York School of Interior Design (NYSID) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Commission
Advisory Member of New York School of Interior Design (NYSID) Sustainability Commission
Board of Directors - Brooklyn Raga Massive
Member of the ResonantMind Collective
Curator – Co Founder FTP Art Salons, Brooklyn, NY
Past Affiliations
Executive Director- Brooklyn Raga Massive (music collective)
Senior Sustainability Manger for YR&G, a sustainability consulting company 2007-2015; New York, New York
Technical Expert and Co-Author for LEEDuser content, a LEED guidance tool developed in partnership with Building Green and the USGBC; 2009
Adjunct Graduate Professor at FIT SUNI College in NYC-The Future of Sustainable Interiors
Active Design guideline development with NYC Department of Buildings; 2011; New York, New York
New York Board of Directors Member of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA)
Co-chair of the IIDA NYC Sustainability Forum
Member of The Living Building Challenge’s NYC chapter
Member of U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) NYC Urban Green chapter
Co-Owner- Curator of Revoluciones Collective Art Space;1999 -2007; Denver, Colorado
Select Art Exhibitions, Commissions, and Residencies:
Public Art Sculpture - Brooklyn Botanic Gardens- Seed of Potential, Brooklyn, NY June- October 2023
Artist Fellowship - Ankhlave Arts Alliance, NYC 2023
Group Exhibition- Packard Collegiate Academy, Brooklyn, NY 2023
Group Exhibition - SAVAN Pakistan Flood Relief Auction, NY, NY, 2022
Solo Exhibition - Tabla Sculpture Series - Anderson Contemporary, NY, NY 2022
Group Exhibition - Greenwich Art Society, Greenwich, CT, 2022
Group Exhibition - Museum of Contemporary Art- Long Island, Patchogue, NY 2022
Group Exhibition - 440 Gallery, Brooklyn, NY 2021
Group Exhibition - Trolly Barn Gallery, Poughkeepsie, NY 2021
Multimedia Theatrical Video Art - “Waves of Gravity” - Culture Hub, NY, NY 2021
Public Art - Reclaimed Parametric Wood Bench - Brockport College , Brockport, NY 2020
Group Exhibition – FTP Art Salon, Brooklyn, NY 2019
Group Exhibition – Brooklyn Waterfront Artist Coalition, Brooklyn, NY 2019
Animation Sound Installation – Leon Gallery, Denver, CO 2019
BRIC Arts & Media - Group Exhibition - November - December 2017, Brooklyn, New York
New York School of Interior Design - Group Exhibition - October - December 2017, New York, New York
Goddard College - Guest Artist in Residence - September 2017 Ft. Townsend, Washington
Public Art Sculpture - Wagner College; July 2017 Staten Island, New York
Public Art Sculpture- Prospect Park - Art Slope - Seed of the Void; September 2016 Brooklyn, New York
Tabla Sculpture Series at Pioneer Works- Ragas Live Festival; July 2016; Brooklyn, New York
(SAW) Storefront Art Walk June 2016; Bay Ridge Brooklyn, New York
Public Art Sculpture - Governor's Island- Figment; 2014; New York, New York
Revoluciones Collective Art Space Solo Show; 2005; Denver, Colorado
Revoluciones Collective Art Space Solo Show; 2003; Denver, Colorado
Revoluciones Collective Art Space Solo Show; 2001; Denver, Colorado
Select Lectures and Speaking Engagements:
Panelist - How Interior Designers can Fight Climate Change, ASID and NYSID NY, Sept. 2022
Panelist - Climate Change is Real and Women’s Equality Day, NY Moves Forum, Aug. 2022
Panelist - The Intersection of Climate & Social Justice, IDEC Interior Design Education Council, NYC 2022
Moderator – Keynote Speaker Jennifer Graham, NYSID Teaching Green Symposium, NY, NY 2021
Featured Artist Talk, Art Sustainability and the Built Environment, Brooklyn Raga Massive Virtual Interview NY 2021
Moderator- Panel Lecture, Art, Environment, and Justice in a Changing World, Asian Arts Alliance, Brooklyn, NY 2019
Moderator- Panel Lecture, #Metoo and Power in South Asian Performing Arts, The Rubin Museum, NY,NY 2019
Featured Presenter, Creativity and Sustainability, FIT State University of New York, Sustainable Business and Design Conference NY, NY 2016
Panel Lecture, Regenerative Culture, MINDS, Treeline Pictures, Bitcoin Center, and US Dept. of Arts and Culture, People’s Xchange event, NY, NY, 2015
Guest Lecture, Art and Sustainability in the Built Environment, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, 2015
Panel Lecture Facilitator, The WELL Building Standard, IIDA, NY, NY, 2015
Panel Lecture Facilitator, Beauty, Biophilia, and the Living Building Challenge, IIDA, NY, NY, 2014
Panel Lecture, Land Art Generator Book Launch, Arsenal Gallery Central Park, NY, NY, 2013
Select Sustainability Green Building Consulting Projects:
National Audubon Headquarters; New York City
Delos Living Multi-family; New York City
Starwood Offices; New York City
Westmoreland Museum; Greensburg, PA
199 Mott Street Mixed-Use, Multi-family; New York City
14th Street Mixed-Use; New York City
Columbia University, School of Journalism; New York City
WestLB Headquarters; New York City
Trinity Real Estate Headquarters; New York City
City Bank Corporate Offices,111 Wall Street; New York City
City Bank Changi Business Park; Singapore
Barclays Corporate Offices; Toronto
ING Headquarters; New York City
Kings County Courthouse; Brooklyn, NY
The Flea Theater; New York City
Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe Headquarters; New York City
Jean Nouvel Residential Tower, 100 11th Avenue; New York City
WilmerHale Headquarters; New York City
Active Design Guidelines Developer Outreach; New York City
Inscape Showrooms; New York City
University of Albany - Schuyler Building; Albany, NY
State University of New York - Oneonta Alumni Hall; Oneonta, NY
CREE - Mohawk Vally Microchip Fabrication Campus; Utica, NY
Publications:
NY-1, News TV Feature. “Exhibition at Brooklyn Botanic Garden highlights the power of trees”, https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/arts/2023/06/28/exhibition-at-the-brooklyn-botanic-garden-highlights-the-power-of-trees. June 28, 2023
Time Out NY, Online Feature, “A new exhibit at Brooklyn Botanic Garden showcases the ,power of trees”, https://www.timeout.com/newyork/news/a-new-exhibit-at-brooklyn-botanic-garden-showcases-the-power-of-trees-061523, June 15, 2023
The Suffolk County News, Art show highlight, “‘Asia America’ keeps unity diverse” https://www.suffolkcountynews.net/stories/asia-america-keeps-unity-diverse,90108 , April 6, 2022
GB&D Magazine, Full feature article https://gbdmagazine.com/nysid-sustainable-design, Feb. 15 2022
Canvas Rebel Magazine - Online Feature, https://canvasrebel.com/meet-seema-lisa-pandya/ , June 2022
Super Bowl Commercial with Will Smith - Bel-Air TV artwork release https://youtu.be/nolcJF_197c February 2022
Mood of Living Magazine - Voices, Online Feature, https://moodofliving.com/voices/ July 2021,
Fine Woodworking Magazine, Magazine Print and Web Feature: ,“Campus Trees Get New Life”, print ed. October 2020 https://www.finewoodworking.com/2020/09/29/gallery-campus-trees-get-new-life
Vogue India, Magazine: pg 388, Tabla Fascial Tala, November 2018
CODA Magazine, Web Feature, Amoebic Merry Go Round,: Kinetic Art 2016
Green 2.0, Web Feature, Highlighting leaders of color in the environmental arena, 2015 http://diversegreen.org/leadership/
Business of Home, Feature article, Brooklyn designer creates sustainable art for built environment, https://businessofhome.com/articles/brooklyn-designer-creates-sustainable-art-for-built-environments, March 2015
The Editor At Large, Web Article, “Brooklyn Designer Adds Sustainable Art To Built Environments”, 2015 http://www.editoratlarge.com/articles/5044/brooklyn-designer-adds-sustainable-art-to-built-environments
Book Publication, Pollack and Melconi, Designing for Privacy and Related Needs, New York: Fairchild Publications, pg. 231 – 232, Pandya’s Nautilus Lounge, 2005
Awards:
2019 Honorable Mention – Art Best In Show, BWAC, Recycle 2019. Brooklyn, NY
2005 Competition 3rd Place National, IDEC Student Design Competition, Cradle to Cradle Eco Effective Design
2004 Competition 1st Place, Fairchild Publications, Sustainable Design Concept, Denver, CO
2004 Art Curatorial, Best Alternative Art Space, Top of the Rockies, Denver, CO
2001 Art Curatorial, Best Gallery Award, Go-Go Magazine, Denver, CO
2001 Art Curatorial, Best Gallery Award, City Search.com Editors Choice, Denver, CO
2001 Art Curatorial, Valedictorian Award, Go-Go Magazine, Denver, CO
2000 Art Curatorial, Editors Choice Best Gallery Award, City Search.com, Denver, CO
2000 Art Curatorial, Audience Choice Best Gallery Award, City Search.com, Denver, CO
Certifications:
2020 Parsons Health Material Lab, Healthier Materials and Sustainable Building Certificate, NY, NY
2010 LEED Accredited Professional – Building Design + Construction, US Green Building Council
2006 LEED Accredited Professional, US Green Building Council
Education:
Bachelor of Arts, Interior Design/ Area of Specialization in Green Design
Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design, Denver, Colorado
FIDER Accredited, Suma Cum Laude , August 2003 - April 2005
University of Texas, Austin, Texas September 1994 - August 1996
Certificate, Digital Fabrication Program in Subtractive Fabrication
New York City College of Technology, Brooklyn, NY, January 2014 – May 2014
Certificate, Healthier Materials and Sustainable Building
New School Parsons Healthy Materials Lab, NYC, Summer 2020