Jake Elder and John Sheff discuss sustainability, the kinds of goals cities should make, the challenges in implementing those changes, and provides real-world examples of cities that have had success. Jake also makes suggestions on easy and cost-effective ways cities can improve sustainability. The COVID-19 pandemic has added the motivation to make changes to improve health safety, many of which will also improve sustainability.
Category: Buildings
The pandemic has upended way of life around the world — and the impact on the future of buildings, building performance, and building use is in many ways still unknown. Pre-pandemic, building design was already experiencing early waves of transformation. Now, a shaken world economy, new public health priorities, evolving standards, and a possible shift
It’s a bit of an understatement to say that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we work. Many offices are either totally empty or operating at a fraction of their intended occupancy. Remote work, once thought of as a drag of productivity, has proven so successful that it’s likely here to stay in some
Francis Dietz calls in to the show to discuss the importance of indoor air quality (IAQ), especially in a post-pandemic world. Their conversation centers around what IAQ is, how it can impact health and safety, some of the costs associated with upgrading HVAC systems to improve IAQ, and some of the challenges businesses and schools face in improving IAQ.
A new report from Navigant shows that urban areas can get on track for the 1.5 degree target and eliminate air pollution in a cost-effective way by prioritizing investments in 1) electrifying cars, busses, trucks and vessels, 2) energy efficient heating and cooling of buildings, including district energy, 3) and sector integration.
Guest bio John Mandyck joined Urban Green Council in 2018 as its first-ever CEO. He capped a 25-year career as Chief Sustainability Officer for United Technologies Corporation, a Fortune 45 global leader in the building, aerospace and food refrigeration industries. He also serves as a Visiting Scientist at the Harvard University T.H. Chan School of
A recent report from Navigant shows that just from implementing existing technology solutions for electrification of transport, energy efficient heating and cooling of buildings and sector integration – urban areas can bridge half of the gap needed to reach the 1.5°C Paris Agreement target in urban areas
John speaks with Clay Nesler about building energy efficiency, especially how it ties to economic recovery and resilience in the face of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Their discussion includes some of the various efficiency standards throughout the world and different approaches to retrofitting existing buildings.
Buildings — with their thirst for electricity, natural gas, and fuel oil — are a major contributor of atmospheric carbon. However, the building stock in the United States turns over, on average, every century, meaning today’s carbon emission output cannot be resolved without deep changes in existing buildings. The task is transformation. The challenges are
Gust bio Jae Chon, Director of Strategic Markets for Chesapeake Systems, has more than 30 years of experience in the commercial HVAC industry. Starting in building automation systems, he transitioned into mechanical system designs, planning commercial office spaces, laboratories and clean rooms, and specialized industrial processing facilities. For the past 15 years, Chon has worked