Building Tomorrow: Conversations with Climate Solvers Urban Green Council

To decarbonize New York City buildings, heating systems reliant on fossil fuels must be replaced with sustainable alternatives. In this episode of Building Tomorrow, Brightcore’s Jonathan Hernandez joins Urban Green’s Ellen Honigstock to discuss geothermal energy and how it can be expanded in NYC to decarbonize buildings and make them more resilient. 

Listen in as they dive into the geothermal industry, and how new policies and technologies are making the installation of more ground source heat pump systems possible.

HOST:

Ellen Honigstock, Senior Director, Education, Urban Green Council

GUEST:

Jonathan Hernandez, Director of Business Development, Geothermal, Brightcore

RESOURCES:

Find the images and graphics discussed in the episode here.

Building systems are designed and installed separately, but at the end of the day, they have to work together in order for a building to work as intended. Commissioning makes that happen.

In this episode of Building Tomorrow, Kelly Westby from Steven Winter Associates joins Urban Green’s Ellen Honigstock to discuss all things commissioning, including:


Commissioning as a systems-thinking process
The importance of communication
Where human science and building science come together

By the end of their conversation, you’ll be able to see how commissioning makes a building complete!

This is a crossover episode! Make sure to listen to the Buildings + Beyond podcast to hear Kelly interview Ellen about addressing the skills gap in the sustainable building industry.

HOST:

Ellen Honigstock, Senior Director, Education, Urban Green Council

SPEAKER:

Kelly Westby, Managing Director, Building Operations, Decarbonization, and Efficiency, Steven Winter Associates

RESOURCES:

Listen to our crossover episode featuring Ellen on Steven Winter Associates' Buildings + Beyond podcast:


"Mind the Gap – Addressing the Skills Gap in the Sustainable Building Industry"

Explore the resources mentioned in this episode:


Buildings + Beyond Podcast by Steven Winter Associates
Ishmael by Daniel Quinn
Workforce Solutions for Decarbonizing Buildings Event, November 15, 2023

Want to learn more?


Previous Building + Beyond Episode with Kelly about Commissioning, "The Keys to Commissioning with Kelly Westby"

Retrofitting existing buildings can help increase energy efficiency and cut carbon emissions. But what do these retrofits look like in a place like Manhattan, where almost one-third of total floor area has landmark status and is, therefore, energy-code exempt?

In this episode, Dr. Erica Avrami, Nate Rogers and Kate Reggev discuss these energy code waivers and how, despite the waivers, new greenhouse gas legislation could necessitate energy retrofits in historic buildings. This new era of regulation marks a momentous shift in regulation practices and signals a need for significant reforms to preservation policies in light of climate change.

This interview expands on Dr. Avrami’s previous research, including her paper, “Energy and Historic Buildings: Toward Evidence-Based Policy Reform,” which examines the implications of a changing legislative landscape on historic preservation in NYC.

Recorded May 10, 2022

HOSTS:


Nate Rogers, Senior Associate, Beyer Blinder Belle
Kate Reggev, Project Manager, Zubatkin Owner Representation

SPEAKER:


Dr. Erica Avrami, James Marston Fitch Assistant Professor of Historic Preservation, Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation

RESOURCES:


Article: Energy and Historic Buildings: Toward Evidence-Based Policy Reform
Watch the interview on Urban Green’s website

The first compliance period for Local Law 97 is here, and energy upgrades in NYC’s existing buildings will need to pick up. But what kind of upgrades are needed, and who will do the work? 

Manny Pastreich, President of 32BJ SEIU, joins Urban Green CEO John Mandyck on Building Tomorrow for a discussion on how we can mobilize the green workforce to complete these energy upgrades.

HOST:


John Mandyck, CEO, Urban Green Council

SPEAKER:


Manny Pastreich, President, 32BJ SEIU

RESOURCES:


Recording of the Workforce Solutions for Decarbonizing Buildings event

Installing an energy upgrade in an occupied building is difficult. These projects are also critical to realizing decarbonization goals.

In this episode of Building Tomorrow, hear from Trevor Smith, a construction manager with extensive experience in completing design-build energy projects in occupied buildings. Trevor shares tips on how to carry out these projects successfully, including how to improve communication and work better with operations staff.

HOSTS:


Ellen Honigstock, Senior Director, Education, Urban Green Council


Shruti Narkar, Sustainability Project Manager, JLL



SPEAKER:


Trevor Smith, Project Manager, Ecosystem Energy Services

Measuring and disclosing “financed carbon emissions”—or Scope 3 emissions—by banks and financial institutions is critical for investors who seek to understand climate risk in their portfolios.

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander is responsible for the management of over $240 billion in pension funds and is leveraging this role to drive carbon disclosure, including Scope 3 emissions, from the companies in which pension funds are invested. On September 13, 2023, Comptroller Lander joined Urban Green Council CEO John Mandyck for a conversation about his net zero plan and how finance can be a lever for decarbonization.

HOSTS:


John Mandyck, CEO, Urban Green Council

SPEAKER:


Brad Lander, NYC Comptroller

RESOURCES:


NYC’s Net Zero Implementation Plan