The Green Building Matters Podcast with Charlie Cichetti

🌍 The Green Impact Report Quick take: Live from the Blueprint Vegas 2025 conference, Charlie Cicchetti unpacks how AI, automation, and sustainability startups are shaping the built world. Whether you're a green building professional, an entrepreneur, or curious about the latest tech in construction and real estate, this recap offers major takeaways from one of the industry's most influential events. 👤 Meet Your Fellow Sustainability Champion Charlie Cicchetti Charlie is the founder of Green Building Education Services (GBES) and Schema. A LEED Fellow and one of the most credentialed green building experts globally, he’s dedicated to scaling sustainability through tech, training, and thought leadership. 🌱 Breaking Ground on Better Building In this special episode, Charlie breaks down innovations and insights straight from the Blueprint Vegas 2025 conference — where the future of the built world is being written. 🧠 Key Insight #1: AI is not just a cost-saver — it's a growth engine The Challenge: Traditionally, AI in real estate has been used primarily to reduce operating costs. The Solution: Charlie emphasizes AI’s broader potential — automating repetitive tasks to let professionals focus on creativity and customer experience. ROI: Boosted efficiency and employee satisfaction, while increasing the quality of customer engagement and problem-solving. 🧠 Key Insight #2: Robotics are entering construction — literally The Challenge: Labor shortages and inefficiencies continue to plague the construction industry. The Solution: Real-world applications of robotics were showcased on the expo floor, from automation in logistics to on-site tasks. ROI: Potential for reduced delays, lower costs, and improved safety in construction projects. 🧠 Key Insight #3: Startups like Mill and Switch are redefining climate tech The Challenge: Finding scalable, tech-driven solutions that actually move the needle on sustainability. The Solution: Mill is revolutionizing food recycling (not just composting), while Switch Automation is pushing AI and ML in building controls. ROI: Measurable impacts on waste reduction and energy efficiency across building portfolios. 💬 Sustainable Soundbite "Don’t look at AI just to save money. Ask — how can you use AI to really grow your business?" – Charlie Cicchetti 📈 Your Green Building Action Plan Transform your next project with these steps: This Week: Connect with sustainability-focused startups like Mill and Switch. Explore their offerings and how they can integrate into your current workflow. This Quarter: Attend an industry conference like Blueprint Vegas, Net Zero, or Greenbuild to network, discover new tools, and gain cross-sector insight. This Year: Start an intrapreneurial initiative within your company. Identify one area where tech and sustainability intersect and champion a pilot project. 📌 Episode Overview In this special episode of the Green Building Matters Podcast, we’re coming to you from Blueprint Vegas 2025 at The Venetian, Las Vegas — the premier event on the future of the built world. With over 3,000+ attendees, 250+ speakers, and 50+ countries represented, Blueprint brings together the brightest minds in real estate, construction, technology, and sustainability. ♻️ Why Blueprint Matters for Green Building Blueprint isn’t just another real estate tech event — it’s where the future of sustainable construction and operations takes shape. From decarbonization strategies to AI-driven building management, this year’s conversations spotlight how the built world is adapting to climate goals and net-zero commitments. 🔗 Connect & Learn More Resources & Links 🌐 🎧 More episodes of the 📩 Contact us to share your green building story: [] 📖 Read the transcript: 💚 Join the Green Building Movement: ✉️ Want More Green Building Insights? Get sustainability tips 2x a week. Subscribe to our FREE newsletter here: Green Building Matters, Inc © 2025 | Good Green Fun.

🎯 The Green Impact Report Quick take: This week’s episode goes beyond bricks and beams. Brian Sheng, co-founder and CEO of Aquaria, is tackling one of the planet’s most overlooked sustainability challenges: water. His team is building clean water infrastructure by literally harvesting water from air — a breakthrough that could redefine how communities access one of life’s most critical resources. 🤝 Meet Your Fellow Sustainability Champion Brian Sheng is the co-founder and CEO of Aquaria, a company pioneering atmospheric water generation at scale. A first-generation American who grew up in New York, Brian studied at Princeton before building a career as both an entrepreneur and investor in future-focused technologies. After leading Fresh, an early-stage venture firm that backed AI, climate, and government tech, Brian shifted to operating in climate innovation. At Aquaria, he’s on a mission to make reliable, abundant, and sustainable water accessible to communities everywhere. 🌱 Breaking Ground on Better Building In this episode, Brian Sheng revolutionizes traditional thinking about water and infrastructure 🧠 Key Insight #1: Water is the overlooked frontier of sustainability. The Challenge: Infrastructure projects are stalled by insufficient access to clean water. The Solution: Aquaria generates water directly from air, creating a new and abundant supply chain. ROI: Reliable, decentralized access to clean water for homes and communities, reducing strain on existing systems. 🧠 Key Insight #2: Startups can shift how infrastructure is built. The Challenge: Water infrastructure is costly, slow, and dependent on outdated systems. The Solution: Aquaria approaches water like solar — distributed, scalable, and technology-driven. ROI: Faster deployment, more resilient communities, and the potential to scale from individual homes to entire cities. 🧠 Key Insight #3: Mission-driven innovation requires intentional culture. The Challenge: Founders often struggle to balance speed with sustainable talent growth. The Solution: Brian builds teams with intentional mentorship, complementary co-founders, and a mix of in-person and distributed collaboration. ROI: A resilient, mission-aligned company culture that scales alongside the tech. 🌏 Sustainable Soundbite "We are like solar, but for water — energy from the sun, water from the air." – Brian Sheng 📌 Your Green Building Action Plan: Transform your next project with these steps: This Week: Evaluate where water access could bottleneck your building or community projects. This Quarter: Explore distributed water solutions like atmospheric generation to reduce risk. This Year: Build partnerships with innovators that scale sustainable infrastructure, not just energy, but also water. 🔗 Connect & Learn More 🌿 Access full episode resources 🗒 Read the transcript 🔗 Connect with Brian Sheng: Website: Brian on: Brian on: Want More Green Building Insights? Get sustainability tips 2x a week. 👉 Subscribe to our FREE newsletter here: Green Building Matters, Inc © 2025 | Good Green Fun.

The Green Impact Report Quick take: What if your master plan was smart enough to beat policy to the punch? Kristen DiStefano shares bold strategies from Atelier Ten that are shaping the future of zero-carbon communities — before the ink is dry on today’s code. Meet Your Fellow Sustainability Champion Kristen DiStefano is a Director at Atelier Ten and a leading voice in environmental design. Trained in both civil engineering and architecture, she brings technical fluency and people-centered creativity to some of the West Coast’s most ambitious sustainable projects. From net-zero campuses to district-scale reuse systems, her work bridges policy, performance, and people. 🌱 Breaking Ground on Better Building In this episode, Kristen DiStefano revolutionizes traditional construction approaches: Key Insight #1: Building a blackwater-powered future in Mission Rock The Challenge: Water reuse wasn’t even legal when the project began. The Solution: Design a district-wide blackwater treatment and reuse system anyway. ROI: Now required by code, the system will save an estimated 16 million gallons annually. Key Insight #2: Rethinking energy at California College of the Arts The Challenge: Maker spaces with kilns, glass furnaces, and labs have huge loads. The Solution: Dual strategy — reduce architectural demand and work directly with studio leaders to tackle equipment use. ROI: Smart controls + future microgrid + PV = a scalable model for low-carbon academic buildings. Key Insight #3: Expanding what "zero carbon" really means The Challenge: Too many sustainability frameworks stop at operations. The Solution: Kristen argues for a broader carbon scope: refrigerants, site work, EV infrastructure, and even transportation emissions. ROI: A regenerative, resilient framework that keeps pace with reality—and policy shifts. 🌎 Sustainable Soundbite "Eventually the goal would be to never emit carbon to begin with. But we’re not quite there yet. So let’s chart the path." — Kristen DiStefano 📌 Your Green Building Action Plan Transform your next project with these steps: This Week: Revisit your project’s early-stage energy and water assumptions — are you future-proofing or checking boxes? This Quarter: Map your carbon strategy across all five pillars: operations, embodied materials, refrigerants, transportation, and site impacts. This Year: Pilot one regenerative or district-scale solution — even if it’s ahead of current code. Be the reason it's normalized later. Connect & Learn More 🌿 Access full episode resources: [] 🗒 .** 🔗 Connect with Kristen DiStefano: [] | [] Want More Green Building Insights? Get sustainability tips 2x a week. Subscribe to our FREE newsletter here: Green Building Matters, Inc © 2025 | Good Green Fun.

The Green Impact Report Quick take: Most commercial buildings are controlled by 200 global logos—and the way they’re financed makes decarbonization almost impossible. Christopher and his team at Audette are flipping that script, proving sustainability and ROI can—and must—go hand in hand. Meet Your Fellow Sustainability Champion Christopher Naismith grew up on Vancouver Island surrounded by forests and ocean. After starting as a civil engineer, a career pivot led him into construction, building science, and eventually founding Audette, a fintech company redefining how real estate owners invest in decarbonization. Today, his platform models over 30,000 commercial buildings, helping some of the world’s largest portfolios cut emissions and boost asset value. 🌱 Breaking Ground on Better Building Key Insight #1: Real estate finance is the real barrier to decarbonization. The Challenge: Property owners avoid upgrades because they eat into short-term profits. The Solution: Audette models both physical systems and financial ownership structures to reveal where decarbonization adds long-term value. ROI: Turns sustainability from a cost center into a proven value-driver. Key Insight #2: AI makes the “my building is special” excuse obsolete. The Challenge: Operators claim buildings are too unique to standardize solutions. The Solution: Audette uses AI and machine learning to pre-model millions of buildings, identify retrofit patterns, and predict energy use. ROI: Portfolio owners get audit-level insights instantly, accelerating retrofit adoption at scale. Key Insight #3: Stability sells. The Challenge: ESG has become politicized, and many owners fear added costs. The Solution: Reframe sustainability as modernization and risk management—keeping operating costs predictable and assets resilient. ROI: Attracts tenants, protects asset value, and opens new revenue streams from grid participation and resilience. Sustainable Soundbite "At some point, all of these outdated systems will be as obsolete as a coal furnace in your basement." — Christopher Naismith, Audette Your Green Building Action Plan Transform your next project with these steps: This Week: Start framing decarbonization not as “ESG” but as asset stability in conversations with stakeholders. This Quarter: Audit your portfolio for low-hanging fruit like rooftop units—swap gas-fired for heat pumps. This Year: Explore fintech-style tools to connect building upgrades with long-term value creation. Connect & Learn More 🌿 Explore resources from this episode: 🗒 . Want More Green Building Insights? Newsletter coming soon! Stay tuned. Green Building Matters, Inc © 2025 | Good Green Fun.

The Green Impact Report Quick take: 16-year heat pump water heater evangelist Gregg Holladay reveals how homeowners can slash energy costs by $400+ annually, why May 2029 changes everything for 50% of American homes, and his "proactive replacement" strategy that turns water heater failures into profitable opportunities. Meet Your Fellow Sustainability Champion Gregg Holladay is Business Development Manager for Specialty Markets at Bradford White, where he champions heat pump water heater technology across residential and commercial markets. The industry's only 16-year veteran of heat pump water heaters, Gregg introduced America's first Energy Star-rated unit while at GE in 2009. A sustainability pioneer who built his first energy-efficient home 33 years ago on a Kentucky farm, he's known for translating complex technology into compelling financial stories—like how homeowners can save $400+ annually while achieving 420% efficiency. Gregg teaches contractors nationwide that water heaters are evolving from "failure replacement" to proactive upgrades that actually pay for themselves. 🌱Breaking Ground on Better Building In this episode, Gregg revolutionizes traditional water heating approaches: Key Insight #1: The Stone Age to Space Age Efficiency Leap The Challenge: Traditional electric water heaters operate at 90-93% efficiency, forcing homeowners into incremental upgrades The Solution: Heat pump water heaters achieve 420% efficiency in one revolutionary step using proven refrigerator technology ROI: $400+ annual savings with 2-3 year payback when combined with utility rebates and 30% federal tax credits up to $2,000 Key Insight #2: Proactive Replacement Beats Emergency Failures The Challenge: Water heaters are only replaced when they fail at 10 PM on Saturday nights, creating expensive emergency situations The Solution: Educate homeowners during routine service calls about Energy Star upgrades that pay for themselves ROI: Contractors transform reactive service calls into profitable planned installations while customers save thousands over 10-year warranty periods Key Insight #3: Focus on Electric-to-Electric First, Not Gas Conversion The Challenge: Industry obsesses over difficult gas-to-electric conversions that require expensive electrical upgrades The Solution: Target the 50% of American homes with existing electric water heaters for simple 30-amp swaps ROI: Fastest path to decarbonization with same electrical service, immediate 3,000 kilowatt hour reduction per home, and grid-wide impact Sustainable Soundbite "There's never been a product that I'm aware of in the home that has had this kind of payback story. This opens the door to proactive replacement through education—not waiting until 10 o'clock on a Saturday night when a water heater fails." – Gregg Holladay Your Green Building Action Plan Transform your next project with these steps: This Week: Calculate potential savings for electric water heater replacements using local utility rates and available rebates—Tennessee offers $1,300 rebates that dramatically improve payback This Quarter: Train your team on the "refrigerator reliability" story to help clients understand heat pump technology through familiar analogies This Year: Prepare for the May 2029 mandate requiring all residential electric water heaters above 35 gallons to be heat pump units—get ahead of the curve Connect & Learn More 🌿 Access full episode resources: 🗒️ Read the transcript: 🔗 Connect with Gregg Holladay: Want More Green Building Insights? Newsletter coming soon! Green Building Matters, Inc © 2025 | Good Green Fun.

The Green Impact Report Quick take: Michael Wagner reveals how nano-ceramic coating technology can extend roof lifespans by decades while eliminating millions of shingles from landfills—plus the franchise strategy that's scaling this green innovation nationwide. Meet Your Fellow Sustainability Champion Michael Wagner is a seasoned franchise executive and the newly appointed brand president of Roof Scientist. With nearly two decades at Coastal Training Technologies (later acquired by DuPont), Wagner built international operations across Brazil, Mexico, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, India, and the Philippines. He's successfully launched multiple franchise brands including Pool Scouts (97 locations) and appeared on Shark Tank with his balance bike company Kazam, securing investment from Mark Cuban. Wagner operates under Homefront Brands, overseeing franchise development for innovative home service solutions. 🌱Breaking Ground on Better Building In this episode, Michael revolutionizes traditional roofing approaches: Key Insight #1: Nano-Ceramic Coating Eliminates Roof Replacement Waste The Challenge: Asphalt shingles are petroleum-based products that take decades to decompose in landfills, with quality declining while prices skyrocket The Solution: Cerakade nano-ceramic coating creates a 6-millimeter protective barrier that extends roof life without tear-off and replacement ROI: Dramatically reduces landfill waste while providing homeowners a more cost-effective alternative to full roof replacement Key Insight #2: Resin Technology Stops Granule Pollution at the Source The Challenge: Traditional asphalt shingles shed ceramic granules that flow into gutters and water systems, creating environmental contamination The Solution: The nano-ceramic resin system adheres to shingles and prevents granule loss while providing wind, hail, and fire protection ROI: Protects water systems from granule pollution while offering homeowners enhanced durability and potential energy savings through heat dissipation Key Insight #3: Target Housing Market Trends for Maximum Sustainability Impact The Challenge: Rising housing costs force homeowners to maintain existing assets longer rather than relocate, but traditional roof replacement is expensive and wasteful The Solution: Focus on repair and restore over replace—extending roof life fits perfectly with homeowners' need to invest in their current properties ROI: Recession-resistant business model that serves growing market demand while reducing construction waste on a massive scale Sustainable Soundbite “We can extend the life of a roof without tearing off the shingles and dumping them into landfills—shingles take a long time to degrade and decompose and the energy savings payback is also there.” – Michael Wagner Your Green Building Action Plan Transform your next project with these steps: This Week: Assess your building portfolio for roofs nearing replacement—identify candidates for coating restoration instead This Quarter: Research nano-ceramic coating options and calculate waste reduction potential versus traditional replacement This Year: Implement roof restoration protocols that prioritize repair and restore over replace, potentially exploring franchise opportunities in the growing restoration market Connect & Learn More 🌿 Learn about Roof Scientist: 🔗 Connect with Michael Wagner: 📚 Recommended reading: 🗒️ Read the transcript [here] Want More Green Building Insights? Newsletter coming soon! Green Building Matters, Inc © 2025 | Good Green Fun.

The Green Impact Report Quick take: Former Wall Street trader Scott Donachie reveals why relationship-building trumps technology pushing in decarbonization deals, shares the HVAC foam that saved Mandalay Bay $15M, and explains his "calm the fears of the unknown" approach to navigating Local Law 97 compliance. Meet Your Fellow Sustainability Champion Scott Donachie is the Chief Executive Officer at Companies for Net Zero, connecting decision-makers across real estate, finance, and technology to drive sustainable impact. Based in New York, he leads an ecosystem of 300+ organizations transforming the built environment and infrastructure. A former Wall Street trader turned decarbonization evangelist, Scott discovered sustainability eight years ago after learning about 400 dormant landfills in New Jersey. He hosts invite-only Decarb Summits that bring together building owners, investors, and technology providers to share real-world lessons from the trenches. 🌱Breaking Ground on Better Building In this episode, Scott revolutionizes traditional building decarbonization approaches: Key Insight #1: Finance Background Creates Sustainability Superpower The Challenge: Most sustainability professionals struggle to navigate complex deal structures and financing decisions The Solution: Combine deep finance experience with sustainability expertise to become "dangerous" in both arenas ROI: Ability to champion deals through complicated decision-making units and secure financing for projects others can't close Key Insight #2: Pragmatic Solutions Beat Flashy New Construction The Challenge: Industry focuses on $40M new green buildings while ignoring immediate retrofit opportunities The Solution: Prioritize proven technologies with strong case studies—like the patented HVAC foam that saved Mandalay Bay $15M annually ROI: Faster implementation, lower risk, and demonstrated returns that build credibility for larger future projects Key Insight #3: Relationship-First Approach Wins Over Product Pushing The Challenge: Technology vendors lead with features instead of understanding the full decision-making ecosystem The Solution: Build deep personal relationships, learn clients' kids' names, and address the needs of CFOs, facilities managers, and building owners simultaneously ROI: Long-term partnerships that create referral networks and repeat business in an industry built on trust Sustainable Soundbite "Calming the fears of the unknown. How do you do that? Just collaboration with very intelligent people that are in the room...everyone can be calm and positive because they are sharing their ideas and are not working in silos.” Your Green Building Action Plan Transform your next project with these steps: This Week: Identify the three key stakeholders in your next decarbonization project (CFO, facilities, building owner) and map their individual concerns and success metrics This Quarter: Research local and state incentives beyond federal programs—Scott emphasizes hyper-local public-private partnerships are expanding as federal support shifts This Year: Build your "lessons from the trenches" database by connecting with building owners who've completed similar retrofits and can share real operational data Connect & Learn More 🌿 Access full episode resources: 🔗 Connect with Scott Donachie: 📚 Recommended reading: Want More Green Building Insights? Newsletter coming soon! Green Building Matters, Inc © 2025 | Good Green Fun.

The Green Impact Report Quick take: Iryna Sukhodub reveals how Ukraine's massive reconstruction effort is driving green building innovation—from IFI-funded sustainable housing for 4.5 million displaced people to the strategic shift from energy-only thinking to comprehensive sustainability that could reshape your project priorities. Meet Your Fellow Sustainability Champion Iryna Sukhodub is a Building Modeling and Simulation Specialist at iC consulenten Ukraine and Associate Professor at the National Technical University of Ukraine "Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute." Honored as Scientist of the Year by President Zelenskyy in 2020, she bridges academia and industry through energy efficiency research, green building certification expertise, and mentoring the next generation of women engineers in sustainability. 🌱Breaking Ground on Better Building In this episode, Iryna revolutionizes traditional reconstruction approaches: Key Insight #1: IFI Financing Creates Green Building Momentum The Challenge: Green certification isn't mandatory in Ukraine, limiting sustainable development incentives The Solution: International Financial Institutions require sustainability standards for reconstruction loans and grants—driving market demand through financing requirements ROI: Access to favorable loan rates and grant funding, plus tenant lease requirements from international companies demanding certified buildings Key Insight #2: Resilience + Renewables = Reconstruction Strategy The Challenge: Ukraine's damaged infrastructure needs rebuilding while serving 4.5 million internally displaced people The Solution: Integrate PV systems with energy storage for dual benefits—cost reduction and power resilience during electricity shortages ROI: Lower operational costs plus business continuity during grid disruptions, creating "future-proof" infrastructure investments Key Insight #3: Shift From Energy-Only to Comprehensive Sustainability The Challenge: Ukrainian projects historically focus solely on energy efficiency and renewables, missing broader impact opportunities The Solution: Expand to embodied carbon, life cycle assessment, accessibility, climate adaptation, and indoor environmental quality ROI: Enhanced building performance, health outcomes, and alignment with international certification standards like LEED v5 and WELL Sustainable Soundbite "We still have to implement projects and we have to implement them in a sustainable manner, especially for the people that need housing at the moment." – Iryna Sukhodub Your Green Building Action Plan Transform your next project with these steps: This Week: Evaluate how financing requirements could drive sustainability in your projects—research available green financing programs and certification incentives in your region This Quarter: Expand beyond energy efficiency—conduct a gap analysis of your projects against comprehensive sustainability frameworks like LEED v5 or BREEAM This Year: Build resilience into your renewable energy strategy—explore PV + storage combinations that deliver both cost savings and operational continuity during grid disruptions Connect & Learn More 🌿 Access full episode resources: [Link] 🗒️ Read the transcript [Link] 🔗 Connect with Iryna Sukhodub: 📖 Recommended reading: Want More Green Building Insights? Newsletter coming soon! Green Building Matters, Inc © 2025 | Good Green Fun.

The Green Impact Report Quick take: Herbert Koomson reveals how waste audits uncover 50% recyclable materials hiding in trash streams and why the future of sustainability messaging isn't about saving the planet—it's about saving your bottom line. Meet Your Fellow Sustainability Champion Herbert Koomson transitioned from engineering to sustainable design at West Virginia University, where Professor Chris Haddix guided him to pass the LEED GA exam before graduation. He began his sustainability career with the NYC Department of Sanitation, educating major restaurant chains about commercial organics rules. Currently at RTS, he conducts waste audits throughout North America, helping clients achieve higher diversion rates through data-driven strategies. Herbert is also a coffee connoisseur, wrestling fan, and proud New Yorker who believes in making sustainability accessible rather than preachy. 🌱Breaking Ground on Better Building In this episode, Herbert revolutionizes traditional waste management approaches: Key Insight #1: Waste Audits Reveal Hidden Gold in Your Trash The Challenge: Businesses assume they're recycling properly while up to 50% of recyclable materials end up in landfills The Solution: Systematic waste audits combined with walkthrough assessments identify contamination sources and mislabeled waste stations ROI: Higher diversion rates reduce waste costs while meeting sustainability goals—clients see measurable improvements within one audit cycle Key Insight #2: Geography Determines Your Diversion Success The Challenge: Voluntary recycling programs lead to bare minimum compliance and lower diversion rates The Solution: Target markets with mandatory separation laws like California and Austin, Texas, which drive 3x higher diversion rates than voluntary programs ROI: Regulatory compliance creates consistent revenue streams while voluntary markets rely on client motivation and budget priorities Key Insight #3: Make Sustainability About Wallets, Not Polar Bears The Challenge: Traditional sustainability messaging focuses on environmental impact, which can feel political or preachy The Solution: Frame waste management as business efficiency—cost savings, space optimization, and operational improvements ROI: Financial benefits resonate universally while environmental benefits become the bonus, not the burden Sustainable Soundbite “Sustainability isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity. If we want to design a future that includes everyone, we have to start building with empathy and intention today.” – Herbert Koomson Your Green Building Action Plan Transform your next project with these steps: This Week: Conduct a mini waste audit in your office—spend 15 minutes identifying what's in your trash that should be recycled This Quarter: Evaluate waste station signage and labels across your properties—worn or confusing signs kill diversion rates This Year: Implement the "waste audit wheel"—baseline assessment, consulting improvements, follow-up audit to measure progress Connect & Learn More 🌿 Learn about RTS: 🔗 Connect with Herbert Koomson: 📚 Recommended reading: by William Rhoden 📖 More reads: by Andrew Klavan and by Daniel Keyes 🗒️ Read the transcript Want More Green Building Insights? Newsletter coming soon! Green Building Matters, Inc © 2025 | Good Green Fun.

The Green Impact Report Quick take: Morgan Holl reveals why "connectivity drives circularity" in recycling and how his glass processing innovation tackles the 38% of landfill waste from construction—plus the strategic insight that could transform your approach to sustainable materials sourcing. Meet Your Fellow Sustainability Champion Morgan Holl is a current founder in the sustainability space, with past C-suite experience in general management, strategic planning, corporate development, and product innovation. Previously, he's led product teams encompassing both long-cycle innovation in the chemical space, and short-cycle SaaS/HaaS in IoT domains. He's led decisions tied to large and small bolt-on acquisitions, authored strategic roadmaps, and prioritized organic capital deployment. Nothing excites him more than when he is able to create value and solve complex problems through partnerships. His model is rooted in humility, empathy, and an insatiable, innate curiosity. 🌱Breaking Ground on Better Building In this episode, Morgan revolutionizes traditional waste management approaches: Key Insight #1: Connectivity Drives Circularity in Construction The Challenge: People feel disconnected from recycling outcomes, leading to reduced participation and mistrust in the system The Solution: Create transparent, local processing that shows exactly where materials go and what they become ROI: Increased recycling participation, community engagement, and cost-effective local material loops Key Insight #2: Glass Processing Unlocks Hidden Material Value The Challenge: Glass breaks in single-stream recycling, contaminating other materials and making processing expensive The Solution: Process glass locally for non-traditional applications like engineered soil blends and sustainable building materials ROI: Captures high-volume recoverable material typically sent to landfills while creating functional building products Key Insight #3: Construction Waste Represents the Biggest Circular Opportunity The Challenge: Construction and demolition waste accounts for 38% of all landfill material—massive volumes with huge environmental impact The Solution: Scale thoughtful reuse and recycling of C&D waste while incorporating recycled materials into new building products ROI: Outsized improvements in circularity with significant cost savings and LEED credit opportunities Sustainable Soundbite "We launched this business with the idea of overcoming those challenges in the world of recycling... connectivity drives circularity." – Morgan Holl Your Green Building Action Plan Transform your next project with these steps: This Week: Audit your current project's waste streams—identify high-volume materials that could be processed locally instead of landfilled This Quarter: Research local circular material suppliers and calculate potential LEED credits from C&D waste diversion This Year: Develop partnerships with regional processors to create closed-loop material systems for your building portfolio Connect & Learn More 🌿 Learn about Overlooked Materials: 🔗 Connect with Morgan Holl: 📚 Recommended reading: 🗒 Read the transcript [LINK TO BE ADDED] Want More Green Building Insights? Newsletter coming soon! Green Building Matters, Inc © 2025 | Good Green Fun.

The Green Impact Report Quick take: Hamed Soroush reveals how subsurface thermal energy storage can cut data center cooling power by 80% while creating 6-month energy batteries from underground rocks—plus the mindset shift that transformed his oil & gas expertise into breakthrough clean energy solutions. Meet Your Fellow Sustainability Champion Hamed Soroush is a subsurface engineering expert and entrepreneur who has led over 350 consulting projects across seven countries. As founder of Teverra, he's pioneering technologies that transform underground formations into long-term energy storage systems. A former SPE Distinguished Lecturer, Hamed bridges oil & gas innovation with clean energy solutions, focusing on geothermal energy, carbon storage, and thermal energy systems that can store energy for months without significant loss. 🌱Breaking Ground on Better Building In this episode, Hamed revolutionizes traditional energy approaches: Key Insight #1: Subsurface Rocks Are Nature's Ultimate Batteries The Challenge: Current battery technologies offer only 4-10 hour storage while renewable energy needs long-term solutions The Solution: Heat rocks underground using excess renewable energy, storing thermal energy for 6+ months with only 5-6% loss ROI: Creates "artificial geothermal reservoirs" that provide baseload renewable energy without the limitations of traditional batteries Key Insight #2: Data Centers Can Cut Cooling Power by 80% The Challenge: 40% of data center power consumption goes to cooling, limiting Georgia's ability to add new facilities The Solution: Use subsurface formations and groundwater for district cooling systems ROI: 80% reduction in cooling power consumption plus 70% cut in CO2 emissions, enabling more data centers with existing grid capacity Key Insight #3: Transfer Oil & Gas Innovation to Clean Energy The Challenge: Clean energy lacks the advanced subsurface technologies already proven in oil & gas The Solution: Apply geomechanics, drilling expertise, and reservoir engineering to geothermal, carbon storage, and energy storage ROI: Accelerates clean energy deployment by leveraging decades of subsurface innovation instead of starting from scratch Sustainable Soundbite "We are wasting almost half of the energy that we spend a lot of time, effort, and money to generate. And by saving this energy that's wasted, we can actually lift many country's people from poverty." – Hamed Soroush Your Green Building Action Plan Transform your next project with these steps: This Week: Assess your building's cooling loads and explore subsurface cooling potential for energy efficiency gains This Quarter: Connect with local geothermal professionals to evaluate thermal energy storage opportunities for your portfolio This Year: Investigate district-scale thermal systems that can share energy between heating-dominant and cooling-dominant buildings Connect & Learn More 🌿 Learn about Teverra: 🔗 Connect with Hamed Soroush: 📚 Recommended reading: 🗒️ Read the transcript Want More Green Building Insights? Newsletter coming soon! Green Building Matters, Inc © 2025 | Good Green Fun.

The Green Impact Report Quick take: Larry Lessard reveals why geothermal systems are 400-600% more efficient than fossil fuel alternatives and how network geothermal is revolutionizing district-level sustainability—plus the strategic insight that could reshape your approach to renewable energy priorities. Meet Your Fellow Sustainability Champion Lawrence Lessard is an applied scientist with a career encompassing hydrogeology, contaminated site remediation, and geothermal system design and installation. He is the founder of both Lessard Environmental, Inc. and Achieve Renewable Energy, LLC. He is also a nature and astronomical photographer, third degree blackbelt in Judo, and a Hang Glider Pilot. 🌱Breaking Ground on Better Building In this episode, Larry revolutionizes traditional HVAC approaches: Key Insight #1: Geothermal Efficiency Crushes All Alternatives The Challenge: Natural gas boiler systems max out at 92% efficiency while losing energy up the flue The Solution: Geothermal systems move heat energy instead of creating it, achieving 400-600% efficiency ROI: Equipment lasts twice as long (protected indoors) with dramatically lower lifecycle costs and zero combustion emissions Key Insight #2: Network Geothermal Unlocks District-Scale Impact The Challenge: Individual building systems can't serve properties without underground space or share thermal loads The Solution: Connect multiple buildings to shared ground heat exchangers—cooling-dominant buildings export heat to heating-dominant ones ROI: 100+ year lifespan for ground infrastructure creates generational sustainability investments, like "building a cathedral" Key Insight #3: Target the Biggest Carbon Slice First The Challenge: Many sustainability efforts focus on electricity (only 10-15% of emissions) while ignoring bigger opportunities The Solution: Prioritize building heating/cooling (30%+ of emissions) and transportation (34%) for maximum climate impact ROI: Attacking the largest emission sources delivers the biggest environmental returns and typically the best financial incentives Sustainable Soundbite "If a natural gas boiler system is maybe 92% efficient, a geothermal system, through that same calculation, is 400 to 600% efficient. You get more energy out of the operation of the equipment than you put into it." – Larry Lessard Your Green Building Action Plan Transform your next project with these steps: This Week: Calculate your building's heating vs. cooling loads to determine geothermal feasibility and efficiency potential This Quarter: Explore federal tax credits (30-50% depending on location and domestic content) and local utility rebates for geothermal installations This Year: Evaluate network geothermal opportunities across your building portfolio—identify cooling-dominant buildings that could share heat with heating-dominant ones Connect & Learn More 🌿 Learn about Achieve Renewable Energy: 🔗 Connect with Larry Lessard: 📚 New England Geothermal Professional Association: 📖 Recommended reading: 🎬 Recommended viewing: "Dark Waters" (2019 film) 🗒️ Read the transcript Want More Green Building Insights? Newsletter coming soon! Green Building Matters, Inc © 2025 | Good Green Fun.

The Green Impact Report Quick take: Ross Guberman reveals how AI sensors and tech-enabled waste management can slash building operating costs while hitting zero waste targets—turning dumpster diving into data science. Meet Your Fellow Sustainability Champion Ross Guberman is a seasoned executive with a strong focus on sustainability and environmental management. Currently serving as the SVP of Sustainability at Recycle Track Systems, he has a proven track record of leading organizations towards high profit and impactful practices. His diverse experience includes founding and leading Great Forest as CEO, where he honed skills in contract negotiation and program development. Ross's early career as an Environmental Volunteer with the Peace Corps in Cape Verde reflects his long-standing commitment to environmental issues. With a strong educational background in Mathematics from Rutgers University, he combines analytical skills with strategic planning expertise. Ross is passionate about creating enjoyable workplaces while driving sustainable development initiatives. 🌱Breaking Ground on Better Building In this episode, Ross revolutionizes traditional waste management approaches: Key Insight #1: AI Sensors Turn Waste Bins Into Smart Infrastructure The Challenge: Building managers have no visibility into bin fullness, leading to unnecessary pickups, contamination, and wasted hauler routes The Solution: RTS Pello sensors with cameras and sonar monitor bin levels 24/7, detect contamination, and automatically alert haulers when service is needed ROI: Eliminates truck traffic, right-sizes service schedules, and provides real-time contamination feedback to reduce recycling stream pollution Key Insight #2: Consolidated Portfolio Management Beats Fragmented Haulers The Challenge: Large building portfolios juggle multiple waste haulers with separate invoices, no data consistency, and zero optimization across sites The Solution: Single technology platform managing 1,000+ locations with unified billing, data analytics, and sustainability reporting ROI: Dramatic time savings for accounting teams, consolidated invoicing, and leveraged negotiating power across entire portfolios Key Insight #3: Gamification Makes Waste Reduction Tangible The Challenge: Energy and water savings are invisible to building occupants, making sustainability engagement difficult The Solution: Reverse vending machines that reward recycling behavior with instant incentives like raffle entries and discounts ROI: Creates visible sustainability touchpoints that change behaviors and build environmental awareness across building communities Sustainable Soundbite "With waste, everybody touches waste. I don't know if you've been to a party, but anytime you say anything that you do anything in waste management, everyone wants to talk about it. This is a way to really engage people and let them see sustainability." – Ross Guberman Your Green Building Action Plan Transform your next project with these steps: This Week: Conduct a detailed waste audit across different floors and areas to understand your building's waste generation patterns This Quarter: Pilot AI-enabled waste monitoring in one building to demonstrate cost savings and contamination reduction This Year: Implement portfolio-wide waste consolidation and technology integration to achieve 90%+ landfill diversion rates Connect & Learn More 🌿 Explore RTS's waste technology solutions: 📚 Recommended reading: 🗒️ Read the transcript 🔗 Connect with Ross Guberman: Want More Green Building Insights? Newsletter coming soon! Green Building Matters, Inc © 2025 | Good Green Fun.

The Green Impact Report Quick take: Caroline Vanderlip reveals how to tackle the trillion-unit packaging waste crisis by making reuse as convenient as disposal—and why the built environment holds the key to scaling circular economy solutions. Meet Your Fellow Sustainability Champion Caroline Vanderlip is a high-energy senior executive who pivoted from building digital media empires (including launching CNBC) to revolutionizing the circular economy. Four years ago, she discovered the burgeoning concept of moving the world away from single-use toward reuse—and it came to define her life's work as founder of Re:Dish. With a background spanning journalism at Stanford, media innovation at NBC, and EdTech ventures, Caroline combines strategic vision with operational expertise to make reuse an everyday reality for corporate clients like Barclays Bank. 🌱Breaking Ground on Better Building In this episode, Caroline revolutionizes traditional waste management approaches: Key Insight #1: The Built Environment is the Reuse Bottleneck The Challenge: Buildings lack space and infrastructure for dish rooms needed to make reuse feasible at $150+ per square foot The Solution: Outsource reuse operations just like laundry and linens—centralized washing, sanitizing, and tracking systems ROI: Eliminates the need for expensive in-building dishwashing infrastructure while enabling massive waste diversion Key Insight #2: Closed Environments Trump Consumer Behavior Change The Challenge: Open-loop consumer reuse programs struggle with adoption and logistics The Solution: Target "closed environments" like corporate cafeterias, K-12 schools, and campuses where you can influence groups collectively ROI: Complete system transformation—Barclays switched all single-use cups and containers to reusables across NYC, New Jersey, and Delaware locations Key Insight #3: Data-Driven Sustainability Sells to Decision Makers The Challenge: Companies need concrete metrics to justify sustainability investments and track progress The Solution: Life cycle assessments on every product plus real-time tracking of waste diversion, carbon savings, and water conservation ROI: Clients receive comprehensive data showing exactly how much carbon wasn't emitted and how much water was saved through their reuse program Sustainable Soundbite "Before Coke went to aluminum cans, they washed the bottles and refilled them. Reuse is not a new concept. We just as a society became more accustomed to the convenience of disposable." – Caroline Vanderlip Your Green Building Action Plan Transform your next project with these steps: This Week: Audit your building's single-use packaging consumption in cafeterias, break rooms, and meeting spaces This Quarter: Calculate the potential waste diversion and carbon savings from switching to a reusable system This Year: Pilot a closed-loop reuse program in one building to demonstrate ROI and scalability for your portfolio Connect & Learn More 🌿 Learn about Re:Dish's reuse solutions: 📚 Recommended reading: 🗒️ Read the transcript 🔗 Connect with Caroline Vanderlip: Want More Green Building Insights? Newsletter coming soon! Green Building Matters, Inc © 2025 | Good Green Fun.

The Green Impact Report Quick take: LEED Fellow Bonny Gray reveals how she built the world's largest cistern under a parking garage, battles "LEED-like" terminology that's undermining green building credibility, and why prefabricated construction might be the key to scaling sustainability. Meet Your Fellow Sustainability Champion Bonita Tice Gray, AIA LEED AP BD+C, is Director of Sustainability and Quality at Method Architecture and a 2022 LEED Fellow—the green building industry's most prestigious professional designation. Selected as one of only 20 distinguished green building professionals worldwide, Bonny has made exceptional contributions to sustainability in Texas over her decade-plus career. Her achievements include administering diverse LEED and Austin Energy Green Building projects, serving as Author/Liaison for SXSW Eco from 2013-2016, and leading as USGBC Central Texas Co-Chair. She created the LEEDv4 Green Associate Professionals class and authored the Texas Green School Symposium. Starting her journey in Iowa farm country with a coal-heated 1916 home, Bonny discovered her passion for architecture walking through the beautiful red brick Architecture Hall at University of Nebraska—where she was one of only two women in her graduating class. 🌱Breaking Ground on Better Building In this episode, Bonny Gray revolutionizes traditional construction approaches: Key Insight #1: Massive water capture systems can solve regional scarcity challenges The Challenge: Texas faces severe water scarcity, forcing buildings to compete for limited municipal resources The Solution: Bonny designed the world's largest cistern underneath a parking garage at AMD's campus, capturing all roof and site water runoff for irrigation and cooling tower systems ROI: This butterfly-roof design with integrated water management eliminated municipal water dependency while creating a replicable model for water-stressed regions Key Insight #2: "LEED-like" terminology undermines legitimate green building credibility The Challenge: Developers use "LEED-like" language to appear sustainable without third-party verification or actual performance standards The Solution: Bonny advocates for clear binary thinking—you either have a LEED-certified building or you don't, with no middle ground ROI: Eliminating misleading terminology protects building owners from greenwashing liability while ensuring they capture actual energy savings and operational benefits Key Insight #3: Prefabricated construction is the next frontier for sustainable building The Challenge: Traditional construction creates massive waste streams and unpredictable carbon footprints The Solution: Bonny champions pre-assembled facades, 3D-printed buildings using carbon-negative concrete, and manufactured housing approaches with precise material planning ROI: Prefab reduces construction waste to near-zero, enables exact carbon accounting, and scales sustainable practices faster than traditional building methods Sustainable Soundbite "You can take the most mundane building and make it into something brand new that is just amazing and sustainable because you are not putting any more embodied carbon out into the world when you use an existing building." – Bonny Gray Your Green Building Action Plan Transform your next project with these steps: This Week: Audit your current projects for misleading "green-like" or "LEED-like" language. Replace with specific, measurable sustainability claims or pursue actual certification. This Quarter: Investigate water capture opportunities on your sites. Calculate potential cistern capacity and irrigation offset for your climate zone using Bonny's butterfly roof approach. This Year: Explore prefabricated building components for your next project. Research local manufacturers offering sustainable pre-assembled facades or investigate modular construction options that reduce embodied carbon. Connect & Learn More 🌿 Connect with The Lawrence Group: 🗒️ Read the transcript 📚...

The Green Impact Report Quick take: Sean Ronnie Hill shares how his journey from a freezing, poorly built Belfast home to founding Rise Design Studio led to breakthrough insights on passive house principles, embodied carbon calculations, and the massive shift toward all-electric buildings—essential knowledge for green building professionals navigating today's sustainability landscape. Meet Your Fellow Sustainability Champion Sean Ronnie Hill is the Director and Architect at RISE Design Studio, a Sustainable & Regeneration Architect, Passivhaus Designer, Retrofit Expert, and Member of The Green Register, dedicated to creating better homes and spaces for a sustainable future. As the founding director of RISE Design Studio (established in 2011), Sean brings over 20 years of experience from award-winning UK practices, including John McAslan + Partners, Arca, and Technē Architecture + Interior Design. Based in London with expansion into Barcelona, RISE specializes in residential architecture, listed building consent, conservation area projects, and community buildings. Sean's design ethos centers on four key principles: design-led approach, commercial mindfulness, innovation, and sustainability. He's committed to nurturing the next generation of architects, having mentored at several UK universities, and believes in creating places that respond to contemporary challenges, including the climate crisis. 🌱Breaking Ground on Better Building In this episode, Sean Ronnie Hill revolutionizes traditional construction approaches: Key Insight #1: Passive House principles create ultimate comfort while achieving lowest energy consumption The Challenge: Traditional buildings leak energy through poor insulation, thermal bridges, and drafty construction—like Sean's childhood home where the family slept in sleeping bags indoors The Solution: Passive House design eliminates thermal bridges, maintains constant filtered fresh air, and creates super-insulated building envelopes that recover heat from exhaust air ROI: Buildings achieve near-zero energy consumption while providing optimal temperature control, eliminating cold spots, preventing mold growth, and delivering unmatched occupant comfort Key Insight #2: The shift to all-electric buildings is accelerating beyond just environmental benefits The Challenge: Most London homes rely on gas for heating and hot water, creating carbon emissions and energy price volatility The Solution: Rise Design Studio now cuts gas connections entirely, implementing air source heat pumps and induction cooking in retrofit and new construction projects ROI: Clients gain energy independence from volatile gas markets (especially post-Ukraine war price spikes), reduce operational carbon, and future-proof their buildings against incoming regulations Key Insight #3: Embodied carbon calculations are becoming essential for every design decision The Challenge: The industry focuses on operational energy while ignoring the massive carbon footprint embedded in materials—every brick, beam, and insulation board carries significant carbon storage The Solution: Rise collaborates with structural engineers using software that calculates embodied carbon for timber, steel, and concrete structures, while exploring natural materials through partnerships like ACAN (Architects Climate Action Network) ROI: Clients receive comprehensive carbon impact data for informed material choices, preparing for future building permit requirements that will mandate total carbon planning beyond just operational efficiency Sustainable Soundbite "More and more clients are wanting to be aware and they want to make sure that whatever work that they do…that the building be able to perform sustainably in terms of its operational energy, but also longevity." – Sean Ronnie Hill Your Green Building Action Plan Transform your next project with these steps: This Week: Assess your current projects for thermal bridge elimination opportunities. Start conversations with...

The Green Impact Report Quick take: Angela Gill Nelms shares how interdisciplinary approaches and customer-centered innovation can transform healthcare while creating more sustainable outcomes—offering valuable lessons for green building professionals seeking to drive change in their organizations. Meet Your Fellow Sustainability Champion Angela Gill Nelms is an accomplished entrepreneur, philanthropist, and board member with a diverse background in SaaS and medical device technology. She excels in building teams and companies centered on global corporate culture, strategic planning, and process improvement. As the founder and host of the mental wellness podcast, Recovery Advocate Network Coffee and Conversation, she addresses stigma and resource disparities in mental health. Angela has received numerous awards, including Georgia Tech's Academy of Distinguished Alumni Award and recognition among Atlanta's 100 Fastest Growing Private Companies. She serves on the Georgia Tech Advisory Board and the Recovery Advocate Network mental health board. Outside of work, Angela enjoys hiking, reading, and engaging in activities such as woodturning, blacksmithing, and cycling, having completed six IRONMAN races. 🌱Breaking Ground on Better Building In this episode, Angela Gill Nelms revolutionizes traditional innovation approaches: Key Insight #1: Building interdisciplinary teams drives better innovation outcomes The Challenge: Siloed expertise creates narrow solutions that fail to address complex problems The Solution: Angela pioneered cross-departmental collaboration at Georgia Tech, bringing together electrical, mechanical, computer science, and biomedical engineering students to solve a medical device challenge ROI: This approach not only earned her team top honors but transformed how Georgia Tech approaches Capstone projects, creating a new category for interdisciplinary teams Key Insight #2: Customer-centric design prevents expensive innovation failures The Challenge: Medical device innovators often develop "amazing widgets" without consulting end users The Solution: Angela's approach involves getting stakeholders into the feedback loop early—whether doctors, patients, or facility managers ROI: This methodology dramatically reduces waste, shortens development cycles, and creates solutions people actually want to use Key Insight #3: Healthcare environments can learn from children's hospitals to create more healing spaces The Challenge: Traditional medical facilities often feel sterile, institutional, and anxiety-inducing The Solution: Angela suggests modeling adult healthcare spaces after modern children's hospitals with natural light, bright colors, and engaging environments ROI: These design changes not only improve patient outcomes through reduced stress but can speed recovery time, shortening stays and reducing resource consumption Sustainable Soundbite "I think part of it is being able to tell better stories about the successes we've had and why those successes matter… and also speaking with partners across different industries to ask, 'okay, what really matters to you and what have you nailed and how can we use that to become creative?'" – Angela Gill Nelms Your Green Building Action Plan Transform your next project with these steps: This Week: Identify a challenge in your organization where cross-discipline collaboration could create more sustainable solutions. Invite unconventional stakeholders to your next planning meeting. This Quarter: Implement Angela's customer-centric approach by creating a feedback mechanism for building end-users to evaluate your sustainability initiatives before full implementation. This Year: Explore how healthcare design principles might inform your green building projects, particularly focusing on environments that promote wellbeing alongside sustainability. Connect & Learn More 🌿 Connect with Angela Gill Nelms: 🗒️ Read the transcript 📧 Email Angela: hello@AngelaGillNelms.com Want More Green...

The Green Impact Report Quick take: Mark Snyder introduces a groundbreaking approach to indoor air purification using microalgae bioreactors that not only clean air more effectively than traditional methods but could potentially save billions in energy costs while addressing common challenges in energy-efficient sealed buildings. Meet Your Fellow Sustainability Champion As the CEO of VerdeTerra, Mark Snyder brings a diverse background spanning automotive engineering (including work on the Honda NSX supercar), aerospace contracting for NASA, and management consulting at Porsche Consulting. With an engineering foundation complemented by an MBA from SDA Bocconi in Italy and studies in Shanghai, Mark combines technical expertise with business acumen to develop sustainable solutions that deliver both environmental and economic benefits. 🌱Breaking Ground on Better Building In this episode, Mark Snyder revolutionizes traditional construction approaches: Key Insight #1: Harnessing Nature's Design for Indoor Air Purification The Challenge: Increasingly air-tight, energy-efficient buildings trap pollutants indoors, creating unhealthy feedback loops of recirculated air The Solution: The Albero, a microalgae bioreactor that mimics nature's own air purification system (70% of Earth's air is cleaned by ocean microalgae) ROI: Removes pollutants traditional filters can't touch: VOCs, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and sulfur dioxide Key Insight #2: Making Sustainability Economically Resilient The Challenge: Sustainability initiatives are often the first cut during economic downturns The Solution: Design clean technology that provides cost savings, ensuring it remains valuable even when companies face financial pressure ROI: Potential integration with HVAC systems could save an estimated 54 billion kilowatt hours in the United States alone Key Insight #3: Aesthetics as Key to Adoption The Challenge: Traditional air purifiers are often unsightly black boxes that detract from carefully designed spaces The Solution: Biophilic design principles using the golden ratio and nature-inspired architecture create purifiers that double as art ROI: Increased likelihood of adoption through products that enhance rather than detract from living spaces, available in both modern sculptural and traditional lamp-like designs Sustainable Soundbite "Sustainability isn't just about the environment; it's about creating systems that endure—socially, economically, and ecologically." – Mark Snyder Your Green Building Action Plan Transform your next project with these steps: This Week: Audit your building's current air purification methods and identify any VOC or gas pollution concerns traditional filters can't address This Quarter: Calculate potential energy savings from integrated microalgae air purification technology in your HVAC systems This Year: Pilot a microalgae air purification system in one space to demonstrate both aesthetic value and air quality improvements Connect & Learn More 🌿 Learn about VerdeTerra's microalgae purification: 📚 Recommended reading: 📝 Productivity tool: 🗒️ Read the transcript 🔗 Connect with Mark Snyder: Want More Green Building Insights? Newsletter coming soon! Green Building Matters, Inc © 2025 | Good Green Fun.

The Green Impact Report Quick take: Andre Baros shares how technology can transform the overwhelming process of material selection, making sustainability data more accessible and helping architects make responsible choices without disrupting their workflow. Meet Your Fellow Sustainability Champion Andre Baros is an architect whose career has been anchored in sustainability, curiosity, and rigor. After graduating from Illinois Institute of Technology, he worked with award-winning firms including Harry Weese Associates, Wheeler Kearns Architects, and HOK. With over two decades of experience ranging from small-scale projects to 12-million-square-foot developments, Andre has recently joined ACE Labs to revolutionize how architects access material information. His personal commitment to sustainability includes 17 years of plant-based eating and 25 years of primarily using bicycles and public transit for transportation. 🌱Breaking Ground on Better Building In this episode, Andre Baros shares his insights on material selection and sustainability: Key Insight #1: Sustainability as Responsibility, Not a Buzzword The Challenge: The term "sustainability" often becomes siloed or treated as an add-on rather than integral to good design. The Solution: Andre's approach treats sustainable practices as "just the right way to do things" – a responsibility rather than a separate initiative. ROI: By integrating sustainability into core design decisions rather than treating it as a separate consideration, projects achieve both better performance and design integrity. Key Insight #2: Democratizing Material Data Through Technology The Challenge: Architects struggle with comparing "apples to oranges" when selecting materials, especially when sustainability metrics vary widely between product categories. The Solution: ACE Labs pre-populates normalized data across hundreds of material categories, making comparison and selection more accessible. ROI: Reduces time spent creating spreadsheets, increases data accuracy, and allows architects to make informed sustainability choices with performance metrics at their fingertips. Key Insight #3: AI as a Workflow Enhancement, Not Replacement The Challenge: Quality control for millions of data points requires substantial time and effort. The Solution: Strategic use of AI to assist with formula creation and data validation tasks. ROI: Tasks that would take a full day can be completed in half an hour, allowing professionals to focus on decision-making rather than data processing, despite the sustainability challenges of AI's power consumption. Sustainable Soundbite "Sustainability kind of runs through in the veins of everybody here... We also realize that one of the problems in the market is if you're only a sustainability tool, then you're one more thing people have to do. We want to say that sustainability isn't a separate bucket. It's part of the same bucket of all the decisions you make in a project." – Andre Baros Your Green Building Action Plan Transform your next project with these steps: This Week: Evaluate your current material selection process and identify information gaps that hamper sustainable decision-making. This Quarter: Create a systematic approach to material responsibility by looking at entire supply chains, inspired by tools like ACE Labs or methods from "Manual of Biogenic Housing Design." This Year: Implement technologies that integrate sustainability data directly into your workflow rather than treating it as a separate consideration. Connect & Learn More 🌿 Connect with Andre Baros: 📚 Recommended Reading: 🗒️ Read the transcript Want More Green Building Insights? Newsletter coming soon! Green Building Matters, Inc © 2025 | Good Green Fun.