Ralph Bennett, FAIA, LEED-AP BD&C

Ralph Bennett, FAIA, LEED-AP BD&C, is Professor Emeritus in the School of Architecture Planning and Preservation at the University of Maryland where he has taught in the design studio program at all levels, graduate and undergraduate for 48 years. He has taught courses including the Comprehensive Studio, theory, drawing and housing including sessions on housing and urban design for the School of Public Policy. He has taught a topical graduate studio on housing and directs masters thesis projects from time to time. Since the Spring of 2010, he has taught courses called "Measuring Sustainability" and "Sustainability at the University of Maryland." He was named a Distinguished Professor by the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture in 1999.

Bennett is the retired founding partner of BFM Architecture, a firm known as Bennett Frank McCarthy Architects from 1980 to 2025; its current partners include Larry Frank, Brian McCarthy and Shawn Buehler, all Maryland graduates. The firm specializes in residential architecture from single-family homes to institutional housing, especially for special populations including the elderly and multi-family assisted housing. Bennett and his firm have won a number of regional and national awards and competitions.

Bennett was a Commissioner of the Montgomery County Housing Opportunities Commission for 13 years, and Chair for 4 years. He is Co-Chair of the Affordable Housing Conference of Montgomery County and is President of Purple Line NOW, an advocacy group for light rail between Bethesda and New Carrollton. 

Research Interests:

• Decarbonization
• Energy Efficient Construction