Building Tomorrow: Conversations with Climate Solvers

The building industry has developed increasingly sophisticated ways to measure reductions in energy use and carbon emissions. But how can we demonstrate that our work is making people’s lives better? In this episode of Building Tomorrow, we speak with author Gayathri Unnikrishnan about her new book, People Positive, coming out September 22. Gayathri argues that a major gap in sustainability is in how the industry measures human impact. While the industry has pointed to the improved social and health outcomes of sustainability, energy efficiency, and carbon reduction, it has not focused the same efforts on people. People Positive defines the next frontier of climate work as building better instruments for measuring and communicating how buildings, materials, supply chains, and places affect people.

To close out our 2026 conference, we held a fireside chat with NYC Department of Buildings' Laura Popa and Urban Green CEO Chris Halfnight. We're excited to share this special conversation as an episode of Building Tomorrow. Tune in to hear them review the city's progress on Local Law 97, the latest building data and pathways to achieving the city's 2030 climate goals. You can also watch this discussion on YouTube and our website.

NYC’s multifamily buildings are at a crossroads: LL97 deadlines are approaching, summers are getting hotter, and the economics of electrification remain stubbornly complex. In this episode of Building Tomorrow, we're sharing the live taping of session 2 from our annual conference, Meeting the multifamily moment! Tune in to hear from a terrific panel of building industry experts about the path forward to affordability, carbon reduction and access to cooling in NYC’s multifamily sector.You can also watch the video for this session on YouTube and our website.

Energy insecurity impacts approximately 1 in 3 U.S. households, with many more at risk. In this fireside chat, Diana Hernández, author of Powerless: The People’s Struggle for Energy, joins Daphany Rose Sanchez to unpack the essential dimensions of energy insecurity. They’ll discuss the physical, economic, and behavioral toll of inadequate energy, as well as strategies for advancing equity.

For this episode of Building Tomorrow, we’re excited to share another live taping from our 2026 conference held on June 3 at NYU. In this session, our panelists draw from their diverse experiences in the public and private sectors to discuss the benefits of decarbonization for stakeholders and how building professionals can best communicate them to sell their projects. Tune in for an insightful discussion!You can find the full video of our conference introduction and keynote conversation on YouTube and our event recap page.