Summer Intern
Hello Greenbuilders Inc.!!
My name is Karenna Laufer, and I am interning with GreenBuilders for the summer of 2023. Starting in middle school I developed an obsession with HGTV, leading to a broader interest in real estate and building. I learned more about architecture and design which led me to a shadow internship in my senior year at South Mountain Company in Martha’s Vineyard. Currently, I am a rising junior at Hamilton College, a liberal arts college in Upstate New York. Like most smaller colleges, there is no explicit program for architecture. Curriculum is far more free flowing. I am a World Politics major concentrating on environmental policy and an Art minor. A lot of classes I take examine environmental political theory, particularly in the context of climate change and the climate crisis. This overlaps nicely with GreenBuilders mission and focus on sustainability.
Early this spring, I began to explore options for summer internships. While internships after sophomore year are not as common as those later in college, I still wanted to pursue one. I thought about how my major and academic studies on environmental policy could intersect with my career interests. An environmentally driven architectural firm focusing on sustainability seemed to be the ideal intersection of all my interests. After some research on different firms in the greater Baltimore area, I decided Greenbuilders was the perfect place for me. Hands on work is a big part of the job which is something I not only enjoy doing by I also believe it will deepen my understanding of the architecture and construction fields immensely. It is an experience I could only get here.
And so begins my first day—plunging right into or on top of a signature element in Dr. Bart’s design, a green roof. I learned first-hand how, why, and what goes into this sustainable design. Armed with gardening gloves and a pad to kneel on. I unfortunately got a little bit too eager, and while weeding the roof, matted down the existing plants with the kneeling pad surface. It took some trial and error (Sorry Dr. Bart!), but I left room for improvement, and thankfully, we were able to revive the plants with some water. Now I know a lot more about how to take care of a green roof, and I will be far more prepared for next time.
All in all, it was a lovely learning experience and a great first day – Can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings!