Emilio R. Armstrong:
UH in His DNA

Emilio R. Armstrong (’04) keeps coming back to Houston and the University of Houston. A native of Chile and now a U.S. Citizen, he first came to UH as a research scholar under a student exchange program to study UH’s pioneering research in Computer Aided Design (CAD) and virtual reality.  

Armstrong, who comes from a family of architects, saw interesting potential in UH’s work and wanted to learn more about how this research could assist his architectural studies in deeply rural western South America. 

“My thoughts were that using virtual reality to help explore buildings before they were built would allow architects to find flaws and design improvements before executing the entire plan,” he shared.

Armstrong returned to Chile, completed his degree, received his License in Architecture and began a dynamic career in the private sector, academia, government and urban planning. He married his college sweetheart (who he met at UH).  

Then, his life changed. His infant daughter had to seek specialty care at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston.

“TCH saved my daughter’s life with services only available here in Houston.” Because of his daughter’s need for ongoing treatment, the Armstrong family permanently relocated to Houston, leaving a blossoming career back in Chile. 

His familiarity with UH’s strong architecture program led Armstrong to pursue and complete his master’s degree in architecture while in Houston.

“I received an international scholarship and developed my expertise in sustainable architecture, 3D modeling and design. I soon landed a job at SIR Architects and Planners in Houston.” 

Armstrong went on to create a business development company of his own and even recently partnered with ISOLCORK, a manufacturer with an innovative sustainable coating technology commercialized in 14 countries with more than 10,000 projects worldwide. Its technology creates a spray-on thermal shield applied on the exterior building envelope, creating significant energy efficiency and cost reduction.

Armstrong believes that the U.S. principle of freedom and the city of Houston’s diversity and sustainable sector align well with his core values, along with UH providing a backbone to those values.

“The professors pulled real-life experiences from their architectural practice fostering an incredibly rich learning environment. There is great diversity and acceptance of many cultures. Everyone there is proud to see synergies between the different cultures.”