Solving for Climate Mina Hasman: Inside the world of sustainable architecture
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Sep 30, 2025 Mina Hasman, Sustainability Director at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, champions innovative low-carbon designs in architecture. She delves into the Urban Sequoia concept, envisioning buildings that emulate trees through biogenic materials and carbon capture. Discussion includes the transformative potential of algae-based concrete and direct air capture technology. Mina emphasizes the importance of integrating beauty with sustainability and stresses the need for regulations to elevate industry standards. Her insights illuminate the path toward greener building practices.
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Buildings’ Carbon Is Frontloaded In Materials
- Construction materials dominate building emissions: cement and steel each account for about 7–8% of global CO2.
- Operational emissions then add more through heating and cooling over decades of use.
University Sparked A Career In Sustainable Design
- Mina's sustainability journey began at university after a visiting professor inspired her to design sustainably.
- She developed her career at SOM, adopting an integrated, multidisciplinary approach to sustainability.
Buildings Designed To Act Like Trees
- Urban Sequoia envisions buildings that behave like trees by using biogenic materials and capture systems.
- The design combines algae-based materials with integrated carbon capture to reduce embodied and atmospheric CO2.