Healthy Spaces

Did you know 15% of global GHG emissions come from heating and cooling buildings? The great news is that technology exists today to significantly decarbonize the built environment. How will we get there? We start with crucial conversations like this one. In this episode of the Healthy Spaces podcast, Trane Technologies Chair and CEO Dave Regnery and VP of Sustainability Scott Tew join us live from Climate Week New York to talk about the role of climate technology in building a healthier and more sustainable future. We are also joined by Avipsa Mahapatra, the Climate Campaign Lead at the Environmental Investigation Agency, who offers her perspective on what credible corporate action on climate looks like. Listen to the full episode as they talk about accelerating the decarbonization of the built environment, as well as empowering a skilled workforce. And discover why they're optimistic about a net-zero future.Guests: Dave Regnery, Chair and CEO, Trane TechnologiesScott Tew, Vice President, Sustainability, Trane TechnologiesAvipsa Mahapatra, Climate Campaign Lead, Environmental Investigation AgencyHost: Dominique Silva, Innovation Initiatives Leader, Trane Technologies

This summer, record-setting heat waves have impacted life and work around the globe. And although drought and wildfires are visible results of climate change, the most dangerous threat to humans is heatstroke. As extreme heat conditions become more widespread and frequent, how can climate technology help people stay safe and healthy? Listen in and learn from two climate innovators who are rapidly implementing climate solutions that help protect people – and their livelihoods – from extreme heat. Learn more about Extreme Heat Initiatives at the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center. Learn more about Operation Possible at Trane Technologies. Guests: Kurt Schickman, Director of Extreme Heat Initiatives at the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience CenterRohith BL, Director of Innovation at Trane Technologies

As climate change continues to negatively impact the health of our planet and its people, medical research is continuously producing new and more effective life-saving treatments.What does this mean for climate tech? Whether helping transport life-saving treatments or monitoring ventilation in indoor spaces, climate technology plays a role in helping us get better, faster – and in making our built spaces healthier to begin with.Listen in and learn from two innovators who are leading the way to ensure that climate technologies are working to support more resilient healthcare systems.Thanks to the iAIR Institute and Allergy Standards (ASL), the iAIR Academy Healthier Buildings Awareness Program is available to Healthy Spaces listeners for just $47 – a generous discount of $110, thanks to our partners. To benefit from the discount, visit https://www.iair.academy/healthier-buildings-awareness-with-the-iair-academy-trane and use the coupon code HBA-TRANE-70 at checkout. Guests:Holly Paeper, President of Life Science Solutions for Trane TechnologiesDr. John McKeon, CEO of iAir Institute and Allergy StandardsHost: Dominique Silva, Innovation Initiatives Leader, Trane TechnologiesReferences: Impact of climate change on human pathogenic diseases subject of new study by UH researchers: Over half of known human pathogenic diseases can be aggravated by greenhouse gas emissions -- ScienceDaily Climate change, emerging infections and blood donations | Journal of Travel Medicine | Oxford Academic (oup.com)

Did you know that high-tech greenhouses are making it possible to grow tomatoes in the desert? And that innovative solutions adopted by food transporters are helping to reduce food loss and pollution in cities? Climate technology helps to play role in making food systems more sustainable and resilient.Listen in and learn from business leaders who are reimagining the way we grow and move food in ways that enhance access to healthy food, while reducing environmental impact. From electrification to big data and AI, our guests reflect on how technology and innovation are helping food supply systems to become more efficient, less wasteful and more resilient. Guests: Majed Halawi, VP Engineering & Construction, Pure Harvest Smart Farms Adnan Javed, General Manager, Trane Commercial HVAC EMEA, Trane Technologies Mtu Pugh, VP Strategic Marketing, Thermo King Americas, Trane Technologies Raluca Radu, Portfolio Leader, Thermo King EMEA, Trane Technologies Host: Dominique Silva, Innovation Initiatives Leader, Trane Technologies

We like to think of our homes as a place of refuge and comfort from the outside world - but how is technology reducing the impact that homes have on our environment - while helping us thrive inside of them?Listen in and learn from three different sustainable home innovators who are redefining green building, combining energy efficiency and artificial intelligence to make climate technology smarter, and advancing the home experience for families and the planet. Guests:Brandon Weiss, Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer, Dvele HomesKatie Davis, Vice President of Engineering, Trane ResidentialJoel Gouker, Innovation Director, Trane TechnologiesHost: Dominique Silva, Innovation Initiatives Leader, Trane Technologies

[Note: This episode was recorded before the wildfires in Canada spread out of control and reminds us how much human and planetary health are connected. We want to acknowledge the impact this event is having on the people of Canada and eastern U.S. and hope that everyone is staying safe. We believe that continued advancement in sustainable climate technologies will bring clearer skies for us all.]Scientists, doctors, and policymakers all agree that cleaner air means better outcomes for people and the planet. But is it possible to reduce air pollution without compromising energy efficiency?And with humans spending more and more time indoors, what role do our built spaces play in the overall quest to clear the air?Listen in and learn from three different clean air innovators who are disrupting the status quo, building coalitions across industries, letting data drive strategy, and making our world healthier, inside and out.Guests:Pierre Dornier, Founder, Chercheurs d’Air (“Air Seekers”)Sara Karerat, Managing Director, Center for Active DesignJeff Wiseman, Vertical Market Growth Director, Trane TechnologiesHost: Dominique Silva, Innovation Initiatives Leader, Trane Technologies

Did you know that 99% of the global population is breathing unhealthy air? What if it didn’t have to be that way? We believe that the relationship between human health and planetary health is so intertwined that it's impossible to talk about one without the other. Welcome to Season 3 of the Healthy Spaces podcast, where we’re exploring how technology and innovation are transforming the spaces where we live, work and play. From building sustainable homes to growing and moving healthy food, we’re connecting the dots for listeners between climate tech and healthier spaces for people and the planet. We’ll talk to engineers, homebuilders, food growers and business leaders about the innovations they’re developing not only to improve comfort and health for people, but also to reduce the carbon footprint of the ecosystems we all depend on to live.Join us to listen, learn and get inspired to create healthier spaces in your community.

Are we able to reimagine a world where clean air, water, and food are available to all? Where economies are focused on health and wellbeing, where cities are livable, and people have control over their health and the health of the planet?These are the questions being asked by the World Health Organization to focus attention on the urgent actions needed to keep humans and the planet healthy.  In this special episode celebrating World Health Day, host Rasha Hasaneen speaks with Trane Technologies’ Sustainability leader, Scott Tew, to explore the link between indoor environments and the great outdoors, and what we can all do to make them better. Because it’s clear - the relationship between human health and planetary health is so intertwined, it's impossible to talk about one without the other.

Throughout our podcast series we have explored the link between indoor air quality and quality of life. In this episode, we dive deeper into how some strategies for improving indoor air quality can have a taxing effect on building efficiency, and how innovation and technology is evolving to address it. Manish Sharma, Vice President and Chief Technology and Product Officer at Honeywell Building Technologies, joins us to talk about how the pandemic has accelerated innovation and technology in this space. And, how building owners and engineers are engaging on the topic and recognizing the value of monitoring other parameters of indoor air quality, beyond carbon dioxide.

According to the EPA, transportation was responsible for 29% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2019. In this episode we will look specifically at mass transit and the advancements in technology that are lowering its impact on the environment.But, beyond the air quality outside, mass transit authorities must also balance increased passenger interest in keeping the air on the inside clean and building back trust among riders who shied away from mass transit at the height of the pandemic. Jared Schnader with CALSTART and Trane Technologies’ Dwayne Cowan join this episode to take an inside out look at the relationship between air quality, equitable mass transit and quality of life.

Sports and entertainment venues were among the first places to close their doors during the pandemic and often the last ones to open up. During that time many researched and learned ways to minimize the spread of the virus and outfitted their facilities to protect employees and patrons. The time-tested mantra that “the show must go on” never rang truer than it does today – with a goal to get people who work in the sports and entertainment sector back on the job, and bring people together to enjoy their favorite pastimes once more.In this episode, Melanie Koch, director of commercial at the International WELL Building Institute, shares what she learned as she partnered with different venues over the last couple of years and how her organization is helping facilities prepare and communicate the steps they have taken.

Most people believe that the quality of air inside their homes is better than the air outside. However, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that indoor air pollutants are two to five times higher indoors. This statistic really hits home today as many of us spend an extraordinary amount of time in our homes, whether it be cooking, sleeping, relaxing and more recently – working.While many of us may be able to identify some of the most obvious pollutants that affect the air quality in our home environment, some of the biggest offenders may not be as evident. In Episode 4 of our Healthy Spaces podcast series, we connect with two science-driven leaders who spend a lot of time understanding research in the field of indoor air quality - and transforming those insights into solutions that can help make home environments safer and healthier. Jennie Bergman from Trane Residential and Dr. Emer Duffy from Allergy Standards Ltd share their expertise and experience on steps we can all take to clear the air at home.

In this episode, co-host Portia Mount from Trane Commercial shares what she learned as she interviewed leaders in research and advocacy who are actively working to address the infrastructure of school buildings, including the quality of their indoor learning environments. In 2019, 41% of school districts in the U.S. needed to upgrade or renew their heating and cooling systems in at least half their schools. And since then, the pandemic has increased our need to address inadequacies. The call to action is clear.

Many employers are inviting their workforce back to the office, and it’s raised a lot of questions about the safety and efficacy of the workspace. The good news is that the building industry has learned a lot since the onset of the pandemic. When that new information is combined with pre-pandemic research about the benefits of healthier buildings, companies can make science-backed decisions that improve both employee physical health and create peace of mind.In this episode, Joanna Frank, president and CEO of the Center for Active Design, and Dr. Alberto Acosta, executive director of Medical Services at Trane Technologies, share some key lessons learned - and a way forward for employers and employees. Joanna also spotlights increasing interest among institutional investors on performance factors of health and overall wellness in the workforce.

As the world opens public spaces amid a lingering global pandemic, the topic of what we breathe is increasingly important. In Season 2, host Rasha Hasaneen, explores specific indoor environments – like office buildings, schools, homes and public transit. She talks to the people who are managing these spaces to see what’s changed in the needs of tenants, as well as researchers who are raising standards to increase safety, maximize performance and build trust with occupants.But first, Rasha looks back at takeaways from Season 1 that remain relevant for now. And she talks with her colleagues, Jeff Wiseman and Scott Wenger about the acceleration of trends across the industry and the customer-driven demands they see coming. They even share how increased knowledge about their own indoor environmental quality drove them to make some changes in their habits.

Why isn't there a single U.S. cabinet position dedicated to buildings? Buildings consume 35% of global energy, but get considerably less attention than transportation and other core infrastructure industries. In this episode, Russ Carnahan, co-founder of Building Action Coalition, shares how his 8 years in the U.S. Congress led him to create a unified voice across organizations, representing single family homes, skyscrapers, and everything in between. The goal: to help policymakers understand the impact and needs of the built environment, and start looking at healthy spaces as a sustainable economic growth engine.In this final episode of season 1, Russ shares how this void of representation in the industry hurts individuals, businesses and the environment. As we look to recover from a global pandemic and understand the important role the health of our indoor environments will play, the need has never been so great.

Maximising shareholder value is so last century! Stakeholder capitalism is here to stay and it's changing our organizations for the better. So, why does it matter for healthy spaces?Bill Sisson, Executive Director of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development in North America, joins us to explain how this powerful social contract that includes employees and customers is transforming business approaches to the role of indoor environments.In this episode, Bill gives an insider’s view on how business leaders are rising to the challenge. We discuss the evolving health and wellbeing demands of society and the planet, and why addressing core social and environmental issues is ultimately good for business too.

How would a symphony sound without a conductor? Uncoordinated, out of rhythm... you wouldn't pay to listen to them! So why do people still invest in buildings that are so unharmonious?In this episode, we unpack how buildings continue to be designed and managed as a set of independent systems, where it's impossible to make beautiful music without a serious design intervention. Plus, the wondrous possibilities of a world where buildings and indoor environmental quality are monitored with the same level of performance scrutiny as cars and planes.Join industry expert Jim Freihaut, Associate Professor of Architectural Engineering at Penn State, and host Rasha Hasaneen as they discuss why advancing the way we look at the air around us is paramount to our health – and it all starts with how we design, build and operate buildings.

15 years ago, Lidia Morawska from Queensland University gave a presentation on strategies to prevent the global spread of an invisible but deadly enemy - SARS. Years later, that same presentation has remained unnervingly relevant as she talks with global leaders about preventative measures to stop the spread of COVID-19. But this time she’s hopeful: if society bands together, our lessons of the past can pave the way for a better future.Together with host Rasha Hasaneen, Lidia lays out what must change in the planning and development of indoor environments, and the essential coordination among multidisciplinary groups to make a transformational shift. And, if appointed Queen of the World for a day, she shares a recipe for what a better world could look like.

What if you knew how the spaces you occupy were performing? Would your expectations change if you could read the carbon dioxide level in any given room of your house? What about humidity or acoustics? So many of these elements that are invisible to us impact our quality of life and our performance in our spaces.Today's guest, Memo Cedeno Laurent, Associate Director of the Healthy Buildings Program at Harvard University, gets up every morning thinking about the spaces we occupy. In conversation with host, Rasha Hasaneen, Memo shares his unique insights on the foundational elements of a healthy building and his research into the impact of the invisible.Smart buildings need smart occupants – and it all starts with transparency. #healthyspaces