The Green Building Matters Podcast with Charlie Cichetti Charlie Cichetti

        Today is a special episode - notes from Athens as well as LEED v5 preview. I talk about the amazing conference I recently attended in late April in Athens, Greece. The great folks that run GBCI Europe, Kay and Nicole Killmann and their entire team do such a great job promoting green buildings, especially programs like LEED, all through Europe. And every Spring, they host a LEED community reunion.   About 400 attendees that really practice green buildings and especially LEED get together in one amazing city in Europe each Spring. This year was Athens, Greece. I had never been to Athens. It was an amazing trip!    Last year was Barcelona, Spain. Two years ago I was in Munich, Germany. I want to tell you a little bit about what I saw, what I heard coming out of this amazing conference. And then one of the big topics of course, was LEED v5.   We wanted to do this special episode and put some links to the latest information on LEED v5 for all of you to make sure you're reading up on it right now.    There was an additional focus on healthy buildings and healthy communities and then really technical sessions on LEED v5. We were fortunate to hear from both Peter Templeton and Melissa Baker that came over from the U.S. Green Building Council to give us the latest information. It was great to see so many friends that practice LEED throughout Europe all in one place. ______________________________________________________ GBCI Europe Circle event  is an annual community reunion which combines the best qualities of a retreat and a conference. It is an energetic space to connect, learn and discover – a blend of familiar faces and important ideas.   LEED unites many who attend – property owners, investors, architects, entrepreneurs, engineers, consultants and more – but experience with LEED is not required, nor is our content exclusively about LEED. We discuss the topics most important to those building green and healthy in Europe, those transforming our built environment for the next generations.   Show Highlights   The event celebrated the growth of LEED in Europe, emphasizing sustainability in existing building real estate through benchmarking. European Green Building trends, programs, future Services and community focus and sustainable design. Introduction to a new platinum certification criteria to boost energy efficiency and renewable energy use while improving performance monitoring across the building lifecycle.  The shift towards emphasizing actual green building performance over design aspects was recognized as a strategic move. Highlighting the focus on LEED v5 and healthy buildings. Overview of the central areas of impact for LEED v5 - decarbonization, quality of life, ecological conservation. LEED v5 Updates Development Areas: Decarbonization, quality of life, ecological conservation Key Changes: Modified scorecards, point weighting Development Cycle: Five-year cycle, update in 2030 Focus: Continuity across building lifecycle, green building performance Certification: New requirements for platinum certification Explanation of LEED's move to a five-year development cycle and continuity across the building lifecycle.   The conference in Athens, Greece was a catalyst for positive change within the green building community, fostering a spirit of innovation and collaboration towards environmental sustainability and green building excellence.     Show Resource and Information Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES   GBES is excited our membership community is growing. Consider joining our membership community as members are given access to some of the guests on the podcasts that you can ask project questions. If you are preparing for an exam, there will be more assurance that you will pass your next exam, you will be given cliff notes if you are a member, and so much more. Go to to learn more about the 4 different levels of access to this one-

  Jeff Hochberg is credentialed as a WELL AP, LEED GA, ActiveScore AP and Fitwel Ambassador, and has spent over 35 years in the fields of healthy building and wellness and population health management, serving in leadership roles within the corporate, hospital, health plan, public not-for-profit and consulting sectors.   Along with Jeff's WELL AP credential, which signifies knowledge in human health and wellness in the built environment and specialization in the WELL Building Standard, Jeff is a member of the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) WELL Faculty.   Jeff is a Fellow of the former Association for Worksite Health Promotion (AWHP), is passionate about building healthy, livable, and sustainable communities, and working to integrate total person wellness into the built environment.   Show Highlights   Sustainable buildings and well-building initiatives, underlining the importance of employee health in corporate environments. Exploring the role of analyzing health trends in organizations. Emphasizing the importance of a value proposition in sustainability for companies and mandates Initiatives with the International Wealth Building Institute focusing on integrating sustainability education in various disciplines. Collaborative program focusing on practical application of wellness concepts. Outlining steps to achieve the healthiest building and various certification credentials. Jeff highlights the need to align with organizational goals for successful implementation, ESG investments, and mental health impacts.  Importance of well-building standards and certifications in the industry. Approaches to sitting down with prospective clients aim to alleviate feelings of being overwhelmed while also establishing clear expectations.   “My mentors were really great in helping me take that passion, as you described, and say, ‘Okay, but you've got to put good business sense behind it. You have to put a value proposition behind this.’ That's what speaks to companies. Nobody disagrees that Wellness is a good thing, but somebody's got to make a decision to spend some money on it.” -Jeff Hochber      Show Resource and Information Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES   GBES is excited our membership community is growing. Consider joining our membership community as members are given access to some of the guests on the podcasts that you can ask project questions. If you are preparing for an exam, there will be more assurance that you will pass your next exam, you will be given cliff notes if you are a member, and so much more. Go to to learn more about the 4 different levels of access to this one-of-a-kind career-advancing green building community!   If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on .  We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the !   Copyright © 2024 GBES  

    is a Regenerative Practitioner. He is a highly communicative, practical, and reliable individual who lives in the world of the five senses. He is curious and needs mental variety in life. He has an analytical and critical side and is an eternal student, enjoying rapport and exchanging ideas with people.    He is ambitious, enjoys material comfort and everything sensual and nature-related. When we look at the way we design and build our buildings, the only way forward is by creating good green buildings. Buildings that lead to improved health for homeowners, reduced impact on the environment and profit for the building industry. Emmanuel is a strong believer in a new paradigm for the Real Estate Industry which is based on trust based team formation, early collaboration, built-in sustainability and transformational leadership.   Show Highlights   Evolving beyond traditional sustainability practices towards regenerative thinking, creating systems for new possibilities.  Emmanuel highlights courses emphasizing understanding life and applying it strategically to project development. Regenerative Design's innovative nature as a "thinking technology" transforming construction processes.  Upcoming initiatives on integrative processes and facilitation roles to enhance professional capabilities in line with regenerative principles. The shift towards regenerative thinking incorporating principles from living systems science and fostering systemic understanding.  Regenerative design presented as a meta technology in policymaking at a European level. Exploration of new roles and opportunities for professionals in evolving sustainable practices. Strategic decision-making and intervention points in regenerative design processes.   “Regenerative development design is a thinking technology that has the same power that can really change the way we're going to work. And in that sense, for me, it's a real innovation. Because without regeneration there is no future.” -Emmanuel Pauwels     Show Resource and Information Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES   GBES is excited our membership community is growing. Consider joining our membership community as members are given access to some of the guests on the podcasts that you can ask project questions. If you are preparing for an exam, there will be more assurance that you will pass your next exam, you will be given cliff notes if you are a member, and so much more. Go to to learn more about the 4 different levels of access to this one-of-a-kind career-advancing green building community!   If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on .  We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the !   Copyright © 2024 GBES

    Jon Berkoe, PE, named to Builtworld’s Top 50 Tech Adopters in 2021.The current built environment is confronted by unprecedented challenges to planning and delivering projects on time and on budget, which is why his passion is putting technology into practice to lower cost and reduce risk.   He’s led digital transformation initiatives at the executive level for one of the world's largest AEC companies (Bechtel), one of the largest builders in the water industry (MWH), and one of the industry's most innovative AEC technology solution providers (Synchro Software - acquired by Bentley Systems).   Virtual Design & Construction (VDC) principles, tools, and practices are essential to advancing the productivity and value delivered in the built environment - from design to construction to commissioning to operations. Jon has gained a tremendous amount of insight and practice in navigating the challenges to VDC success with agility and resourcefulness.   His strategy has always been based on customer value - outcome driven, team-oriented, and pragmatic approaches that encourage innovation while staying focused on key goals and constraints. But that success has been achieved first and foremost by building and leading diverse high performing teams across a wide range of business environments.   Show Highlights   Visualizing data results for effective communication Change Management and Best Practices Importance of success broadcasting for encouraging adoption of new practices Excitement about connectivity of outcomes with day-to-day work processes Potential future tools include robots, augmented reality, and virtual reality Understanding the relationship between business and innovation. Impact of small innovations highlighted in the AEC industry. Organizational focus on creating value, efficiency, and sustainability       Show Resource and Information Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES   GBES is excited our membership community is growing. Consider joining our membership community as members are given access to some of the guests on the podcasts that you can ask project questions. If you are preparing for an exam, there will be more assurance that you will pass your next exam, you will be given cliff notes if you are a member, and so much more. Go to to learn more about the 4 different levels of access to this one-of-a-kind career-advancing green building community!   If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on .  We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the !   Copyright © 2024 GBES

    Alisha McFetridge, is the co-founder and CEO of Rainstick, a clean technology company committed to cutting residential water usage in half. Rainstick is a high-flow shower system of 3 GPM that saves 80% water and 80% energy through point-of-use recirculation and real-time cleansing.   Alisha holds an MSc in Climate Change and Development and a Bachelor in International Business, majoring in Sustainability. In 2020, she came first place in the Communitech's Fierce Founders Competition and is also the recipient of the Caldwell Partner's Future CEO Award, Royals Roads Leadership Award, and the TD Sustainability Award. She has spent time working, studying and living in Kenya, China, The Netherlands, the United States and Canada, where she currently lives today.   Show Highlights   Combine expertise in energy conservation and water technology to create innovative solutions for residential water and energy consumption. Rainstick's technology saves up to 80% water and energy without the need for complex plumbing systems. Tips to promote cleantech, understanding the market and customers to make sustainability mainstream. Advancements in green tech, including atmospheric water generation, outdoor recycling mechanisms, and integrating water and energy technologies for favorable ROIs and solar panel efficiency. Challenges and interconnectedness of sustainability. Emphasizes the importance of doing more with fewer resources.  Brainstorming and identifying opportunities in the residential sector. Encourage individuals to listen to feedback and pivot accordingly. Stay informed through research and podcasts in an evolving field to encourage more contributions. “Listen to the trend. Not every single piece of feedback from everybody. It's particularly important when you're starting a company, you're going to get feedback from everybody you've talked to and it can be a little bit unnerving and you're going to want to listen and then maybe try to pivot. But I would say if ten people have told you the same thing, then you need to change. If you've heard a piece of feedback over here, but then you completely heard the opposite, then trust your gut.” -Alisha McFetridge     Show Resource and Information Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES   GBES is excited our membership community is growing. Consider joining our membership community as members are given access to some of the guests on the podcasts that you can ask project questions. If you are preparing for an exam, there will be more assurance that you will pass your next exam, you will be given cliff notes if you are a member, and so much more. Go to to learn more about the 4 different levels of access to this one-of-a-kind career-advancing green building community!   If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on .  We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the !   Copyright © 2024 GBES 0000038B 0000038C 00006698 00006763 000663B6 000663B6 000063AE 000074C6 0004040F 0017036D

  Mara Baum, LEED Fellow, is an architect and partner at DIALOG, an international, integrated design collaborative that builds stronger communities and a healthier environment. She is passionate about the intersection of ecological and health issues in buildings and cities. Her design solutions are two pronged: places that create healthier and happier people, and strategies that build or rebuild a healthier environment. 20+ year track record of design, sustainability and health leadership on complex architecture and urban planning projects across North America in a wide range of market sectors.   She sits on the WELL Materials Advisory and is the Resilience Co-Chair of the AIA Academy of Architecture for Health Sustainability Committee. Outside of the studio as an online faculty for the Boston Architectural College Sustainable Design Institute, where she teaches "Green Building and Health", and "Sustainable Design of Healthcare Facilities".   A licensed architect, FAIA, LEED Fellow, WELL AP, Living Future Accredited, Fitwel Ambassador, WELL Faculty member, who also holds the EDAC (Evidence Based Design Accreditation and Certification) credential.   Show Highlights   Delve into healthy buildings and healthcare facilities participating in WELL and Fitwel. Mara played a pivotal role in shaping California's new embodied carbon laws that aim to reduce carbon emissions in large projects by 10%. Understanding diverse perspectives and translating technical concepts for different stakeholders.  The importance of credentials for building expertise and credibility in the field. Implementing new sustainability thresholds and regulations. Mara leads architecture and urban planning projects in the US for the largest architecture and engineering firm. The importance of implementing thresholds and pushing for maximum savings in sustainable projects.  Excitement about upcoming changes that will accelerate the impacts of sustainability efforts.   “We're at the beginning of the wave of climate change that is going to be followed by an unknown level of biodiversity impact. We know there's some rough stuff coming. But what I'm really excited about is we are starting to see some real movement on a
global scale, regional scale, industry scale… 
As an architect, I'm used to changing the world one building at a time. But now we're seeing the world change one electrical grid at a time or at that type of scale with major technological shifts that are helping to move us forward.” -Mara Baum     Show Resource and Information Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES   GBES is excited our membership community is growing. Consider joining our membership community as members are given access to some of the guests on the podcasts that you can ask project questions. If you are preparing for an exam, there will be more assurance that you will pass your next exam, you will be given cliff notes if you are a member, and so much more. Go to to learn more about the 4 different levels of access to this one-of-a-kind career-advancing green building community!   If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on .  We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the !   Copyright © 2024 GBES