

The Green Building Matters Podcast with Charlie Cichetti
Charlie Cichetti
Do green buildings matter to you? This podcast fuels your fire with inspiring interviews from industry and nonprofit leaders across the built environment.
Not sure if green building matters? Listen to the personal stories of our guests and let Charlie’s passion help convince you why green buildings are essential to our shared future.
Each episode illustrates a unique journey through sustainability and towards resilience. Charlie explores the challenges and celebrations of the movers and shakers in the green building industry.
Hear behind the scene stories from the inner world of green and healthy building design, construction, and management.
Not sure if green building matters? Listen to the personal stories of our guests and let Charlie’s passion help convince you why green buildings are essential to our shared future.
Each episode illustrates a unique journey through sustainability and towards resilience. Charlie explores the challenges and celebrations of the movers and shakers in the green building industry.
Hear behind the scene stories from the inner world of green and healthy building design, construction, and management.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 5, 2023 • 33min
Building a Carbon-Focused Tech Startup With CoveTool Co-Founder Patrick Chopson
Patrick Chopson, is the co-founder od the carbon-focused Atlanta-based startup, cove.tool. As the Chief Product Officer, he leads product development for cove.tool, a web-based software for analyzing, drawing, engineering, and connecting data for building design and construction. A graduate of Georgia Tech with a Masters in High Performance Buildings, he is also a licensed architect with over 18 years of experience. Prior to cove.tool, he ran Pattern r+d, a successful building performance consulting and architecture firm. Multiple publications include Architect Magazine, TechCrunch, Site Selection, ArchDaily, and more. Show Highlights Understand the value of data-driven design. Cove.Tool Real-time understanding using BIN, Building Information Network. Connecting technology and the human experience. Trusted tools and simulations to optimize performance, product selection, design and more. Consolidate different problems of data translation losses to promote timely decision making without issues. Databases that link everyone involved on a project to build common understanding and immediate updates. Why the carbon problem is a data problem. Factors that create uncertainty to drive cost increases. Why you need to follow the industries #hashtags. Tips for entrepreneurs and companies to create a detailed career path that champions the work and skills of their employees. 2 things that are going to transform how architects, engineers, contractors, and anybody involved in sustainability find information to make effective choices. AI is going to unlock and transform the industry beyond focusing operational carbon vs embodied. How to leverage new technology to provide a higher level of service. “Meet a lot of different teams, meet a lot of really interesting people. That started to shape my understanding of this problem isn't just like we need one or two people that know simulation. We need to change how everyone designs. How everyone thinks about the problem. Realizing that it was gonna take more data analytics and probably software to be able to pull that off.” -Patrick Chopson “We want to link everyone together, everyone have a common understanding of a project and then be able to see when one person makes a decision, that immediately updates using APIs or some type of connection across the internet to make sure that everyone's on the same page…And that's what will allow for low cost but high performance, low carbon buildings.” -Patrick Chopson Show Resource and Information LinkedIn Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES GBES is excited our membership community is growing. Consider joining our membership community as members are given access to some of the guests on the podcasts that you can ask project questions. If you are preparing for an exam, there will be more assurance that you will pass your next exam, you will be given cliff notes if you are a member, and so much more. Go to to learn more about the 4 different levels of access to this one-of-a-kind career-advancing green building community! If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on . We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the ! Copyright © 2023 GBES

Mar 29, 2023 • 30min
Sustainability Manager at SIG - Elizabeth (Libby) Dunne
Libby Dunne is a member of SIG’s Sustainability Team and is based in San Francisco, CA. Her primary focus is within the health and wellness space, as she is primarily responsible for managing WELL and Fitwel projects, in addition to managing portfolios pursuing the WELL Health Safety Rating. She also helps to manage a variety of LEED projects, with a focus on BD+C and ID+C. Within each project she ensures that necessary information is obtained and verifies compliance through documenting and evaluating key data. Libby also teaches LEED Green Associate exam prep live courses with GBES. Originally from San Francisco, Libby graduated from Emory University with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Environmental Science. Throughout college, Libby has worked on various research projects. Most notably, she worked on published work regarding the effects of antibiotics on bumblebee cognitive functioning. Additionally, Libby maintains a variety of credentials, including WELL AP, LEED AP BD+C, Fitwel Ambassador, and ActiveScore AP. Libby likes to spend her free time hiking, swimming, and being with family and friends. As a certified scuba diver, Libby also has a passion for marine biology and for preserving our natural environment for generations to come. Show Highlights A combination of degrees in different fields compliment each other perfectly in green building work. Interning is key to expanding your knowledge and for earning credentials that inspire your work. Meld the client communication side with the documentation side of projects to support your clients achieving their goals. ActiveScore AP Credential is a new and interesting credential program for the US. Make positive wellness impacts at the corporate level by reviewing the mind and community sections on a WELL Scorecard with HR teams. Eevie is an app that gives your team a tangible way to support individual sustainability. WELL provides a roadmap of new programs, each with a different focus, that are all focused on health and wellbeing in the built environment. Help your clients get their feet wet in wellness by recommending one of the three WELL ratings as a first step towards pursuing a full WELL Certification. The flexibility of a Fitwel certification meets people where their understanding is as a manageable option for existing buildings. “In this industry, something that's really important is just to listen, learn and absorb as much as you can. It's ever changing, there's new regulations that are coming out, so there's a lot of moving parts. Be open and willing to learn as you go throughout your career. But for someone that's kind of starting new to the industry, I think it's important to recognize that you bring a fresh perspective and a way of doing things to the table. You don't have to conform to the typical way of doing things as they've always been done. I feel like sometimes it really takes someone with that fresh perspective to kind of come in and rock the boat in a good way to make positive change.” -Libby Dunne Show Resource and Information Articles Written by Libby: Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES GBES is excited our membership community is growing. Consider joining our membership community as members are given access to some of the guests on the podcasts that you can ask project questions. If you are preparing for an exam, there will be more assurance that you will pass your next exam, you will be given cliff notes if you are a member, and so much more. Go to to learn more about the 4 different levels of access to this one-of-a-kind career-advancing green building community! If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on . We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the ! Copyright © 2023 GBES

Mar 22, 2023 • 31min
Director at Atelier Ten - Benjamin Shepherd
As Atelier Ten’s planning practice leader, Ben has extensive experience with urban ecology, renewable energy systems and green development assessments. He has directed numerous projects and managed the development of sustainability guidelines for a wide range of master plans on a multitude of sectors including commercial, university, government, and transportation. He has consulted on more than 100 high-performance building and planning projects including one of the first outpatient facilities to achieve LEED for Healthcare certification in New York City and a comprehensive environmental framework for Harvard Business School. Ben is a proud recipient of the ENR New York’s Top 20 Under 40 Award, which celebrates the excellence of young professionals who represent the “Best-of-the-Best” in the construction and design field. He is a member of the University Development and Innovation Council at Urban Land Institute (ULI) and serves as Co-Chair of the ULI New York Infrastructure Council. His dedication and enthusiasm to sustainable master planning and buildings and his attention to the wellness of people and the built environment have provided a unique, cutting edge perspective to all projects throughout his career. Ben also teaches core courses on environmental design and building services at Yale School of Architecture. He holds an MA in Environmental Management from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, and a BA in Environmental Science from Northland College. Ben has also earned the rare LEED Fellow designation. Show Highlights Be proactive in creating a healthy building center that is flexible with metering and monitoring of these spaces too. Atelier Ten strives to achieve higher levels of sustainability and connections. Leverage your involvement where you can make the most impact in the climate crisis, personally and professionally. Connecting the dots between all the different disciplines. Hit your client goals and get as much green into the projects by motivating your design teams to find connections between their specialities. Further and maybe even less than some of those travel carbon emissions. We still have to do that to a certain extent, but can really optimize that more than we did in the past. Optimize what tools to use that benefit operational emissions from energy and everything from passive techniques in the facade surrounding accounting for embodied carbon. Build resiliency in your projects to tackle climate change and “global weirding of climate trends,”for immediate and long term impact. Tips to gain experience and fail along the way to carve out your path. “To all of the people still getting involved in this [green building] movement and industry, it's really important because your project might inspire others - that continues it going along and we can always design things better. I think that's the kind of hope and optimism we all bring to the foray. So keep, keep going. It takes us all and there's plenty more work to be done. -Benjamin Shepherd Show Resource and Information Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES GBES is excited our membership community is growing. Consider joining our membership community as members are given access to some of the guests on the podcasts that you can ask project questions. If you are preparing for an exam, there will be more assurance that you will pass your next exam, you will be given cliff notes if you are a member, and so much more. Go to to learn more about the 4 different levels of access to this one-of-a-kind career-advancing green building community! If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on . We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the ! Copyright © 2023 GBES

Mar 15, 2023 • 28min
Senior Sustainability & Energy Consultant Gregory Patton
Gregory Patton is a member of the Sustainability Consulting Team at Sustainable Investment Group (SIG) as a Senior Sustainability & Energy Consultant. In this role, he oversees multiple projects related to Sustainable and Healthy Buildings. In addition to managing LEED, WELL, and Fitwel projects for clients, he also provides support to SIG’s Engineering Team for ENERGY STAR, Commissioning, and technical expertise centered around existing buildings. Gregory joined SIG in January of 2022 and brings two decades of operational experience to the team. Throughout his career he has successfully operated and managed numerous large commercial buildings as well as sustainability programs for clients. Gregory’s deep understanding of building systems and his passion to create a Sustainable and Healthy Future has enabled him to excel in the sustainability space. Gregory holds professional accreditations for LEED O+M, LEED BD+C, LEED ID+C, LEED ND, LEED HOMES, LEED Green Rater, WELL, Fitwel Ambassador, BREEAM In-Use Assessor, and ActiveScore AP. Originally from Florida (GO GATORS), Gregory has adapted to Colorado life and can be found outside enjoying the 300+ days of sunshine and blue skies that Colorado has to offer. He enjoys hiking, kayaking, live sporting events, and traveling with his wife and son. Show Highlights Greg’s entrepreneurship journey to build a top sustainability team. See the value of LEED and everything it touches beyond design and construction. Manage a smooth transition from residential to commercial builds. Tips for recommending tools and systems that provide a good maintenance model for clients to hit their performance goals. Why BREEAM is a great certification system to use and recommend. Achieve decarbonization goals in the environmental space for your clients. Follow your curiosity and prioritization credentials dedicated to meeting your goals. How to build longevity and contribute to the success of the green building movement. Show Resource and Information Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES GBES is excited our membership community is growing. Consider joining our membership community as members are given access to some of the guests on the podcasts that you can ask project questions. If you are preparing for an exam, there will be more assurance that you will pass your next exam, you will be given cliff notes if you are a member, and so much more. Go to to learn more about the 4 different levels of access to this one-of-a-kind career-advancing green building community! If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on . We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the ! Copyright © 2023 GBES

Mar 8, 2023 • 26min
Sustainable Design Leader & VP at HKS - Ramana Koti, LEED Fellow
Ramana Koti, LEED Fellow, is the Sustainable Design Leader at HKS Architects responsible for sustainable design facilitation and building performance analysis. His focus is on getting projects off to the right start with an inclusive and integrative effort, measuring progress against goals, and delivering a quantified outcome. Ramana has published several technical papers on daylighting and energy performance in buildings and regularly blogs on green building related topics. He volunteers with the AIA 2030 Working Group and the USGBC at the local and national levels. Ramana has been a certified ASHRAE Building Energy Modeling Professional (BEMP) since 2015 and was designated a LEED Fellow in 2019. Show Highlights Tools that help push the industry with daylight analysis and energy modeling. Ramana shares his experience with managing commercial mixed use practice all wrapped in one project. Start the projects off on a right footing to make sure the initial goals and strategies are being implemented. Packaging certification efforts at the end to achieve the targeted certification levels. How do you share LEED best practices amongst a large team? Incentives from the inflation reduction Act put the industry on a broader path to decarbonization and making buildings much more greener than they are. Tips on coaching your team on embodied carbon. “I wish somebody had told me change happens, but it happens more slowly; because when you're young, energetic, & hungry to affect change, you become anxious when results don't happen within the expected timeframe. But once you spend 10, 15 years in a field…things have a way of compounding and happening. And to quote Lao Tzu, "Do your work and then step back.'" -Ramana Koti Show Resource and Information Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES GBES is excited our membership community is growing. Consider joining our membership community as members are given access to some of the guests on the podcasts that you can ask project questions. If you are preparing for an exam, there will be more assurance that you will pass your next exam, you will be given cliff notes if you are a member, and so much more. Go to to learn more about the 4 different levels of access to this one-of-a-kind career-advancing green building community! If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on . We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the ! Copyright © 2023 GBES

Mar 1, 2023 • 55min
All About ActiveScore
As commuting trends evolve, influenced by global events and the rising cost of fuel, the built environment needs to reflect and support these changes. Updates to planning policies and urban design can take years, resulting in old solutions for new problems. Green certifications like ActiveScore allow new standards to be implemented quickly and in sync with industry trends. What You Will Learn: You will understand what Active Travel is. You will understand what ActiveScore does. You will learn about the relationship between Active Travel and ESG. Learn how well-designed Active Travel facilities in buildings can positively impact tenant experience. You will learn about ActiveScore’s free AP Program. This webinar can be self-reported for one half-hour of LEED or WELL continuing education. James Nash has founded 3 companies. The first was Bike Dock Solutions in 2008 which started life as a university project. Much of his focus currently is on ActiveScore which helps building owners and developers improve their cycling and active travel facilities. They have helped design and certify 350+ developments in Europe, US, Asia, Middle East and Australia-including 22 Bishopsgate in London, which is the largest office building in Europe. Clients include Blackstone, Brookfield, Lendlease, Invesco, Vornado Realty Trust, BentallGreenOak, GID, JLL, CBRE, Savills, Knight Frank, Colliers, Perial, AXA IM, PATRIZIA, Bruntwood, and EcoWorld. ActiveScore is recognised by GRESB as a design and/or construction green building certification scheme. He has also been an advisor to WELL Certification on all things Cycling and active travel related. For real estate sustainability/mobility consultants and architects they have an extremely popular free AP Programme with over 500 AP's from over 40 countries. Alex Georgiadis is the Head of Consultancy at ActiveScore. He oversees all of the certification and design projects ActiveScore works on. Alex has a design background and his passion is cycling. So much so, he spent some time working as a mobile bike mechanic, servicing commercial office buildings around London. This gave him great insight into the issues cyclists regularly face when commuting. He now regularly uses this knowledge to educate building owners and improve the active travel facilities within buildings across the world. David Reed is an entrepreneur who is passionate about solving problems with sustainable solutions. A leader in sustainable mobility, he has 13+ years of experience generating new revenue and building partnerships with and for municipalities, universities, startups, corporations, and real estate companies. He is a coalition builder and problem solver, deeply invested in colleague and client shared success. David's clients and partners have included the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Show Highlights Active Score is this intersection of transportation, sustainability and the built environment. Components and benefits of Active Travel Assess and certify buildings being active travel friendly. Help organizations and developments become future-proof by creating sustainable infrastructures and services. Only globally recognized accreditation for active travel amenities in real estate. Provide engagement services that set up active travel user groups within buildings. Employer retention Active Score can help identify commuting trends within a region or group, connect with rating systems and ESG with their clean air calculator. LEED benchmarks and credits Active Score blends with to determine which is the best standard and certification to align. Active Score design benefits Creating a more efficient and streamlined design process for both the client and the design team. Build understanding of what makes a good active travel facility. Design consultation and the design lab services. Active Score certification can be applied to both existing and new developments. “In terms of other benefits of Active Travel, health and wellbeing. I'm sure you are all familiar with how Active Travel can help an individual's health and wellbeing. The stat from this report that is very interesting is how 82% of people that were surveyed said they felt less stressed when they arrived in the office after cycling to work. So health and wellbeing. Active travel can have a huge impact on health and wellbeing” -James Nash Show Resource and Information Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES GBES is excited our membership community is growing. Consider joining our membership community as members are given access to some of the guests on the podcasts that you can ask project questions. If you are preparing for an exam, there will be more assurance that you will pass your next exam, you will be given cliff notes if you are a member, and so much more. Go to to learn more about the 4 different levels of access to this one-of-a-kind career-advancing green building community! If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on . We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the ! Copyright © 2023 GBES

Feb 22, 2023 • 24min
Director of ESG at SIG - Amy D’Angelo
Amy D’Angelo is a wellness real estate professional with over 20 years of experience. Her wide range of interests over the years have included launching a healthy food business to managing facilities for an international non-profit. Her current passion is focusing on helping busy professionals and families achieve wellness at home by creating simple and affordable strategies that are based on the best practices of the wellness real estate movement. Amy believes that by making small and positive changes, in our homes, in the food we eat or the ways that we handle stress, we can inspire those around us to live a healthier, more fulfilled life. Responsibilities Amy D’Angelo is the Director of ESG for Sustainable Investment Group. In this role, Amy provides leadership to the ESG department and works with some of the country’s largest REITs to identify and manage risks that pertain to environmental, social and governance issues. She also is leading our Corporate Sustainability Program with a particular focus on the “S” – empowering women within our organization and ensuring that we can have the greatest impact in the communities where we live. Additionally, Amy provides wellness content and webinars to SIG’s education partner Green Building Education Services (GBES). Education Amy graduated from the University of Florida with a B.A.in English and a minor in Political Science. She is also a WELL AP and a Fitwel Ambassador. Experience Amy brings 20+ years of business, leadership and entrepreneurial experience to this position. Her experience in building programs and leading teams in executive management positions for both nonprofit and for profit organizations gives her a unique perspective into ESG. Amy’s passion for innovation in ESG, especially the “S” social aspect is founded in her core value to “effect change that positively impacts the people in all organizations”, in addition to helping her clients positively impact the communities where they live and work. Interests Amy spends her free time outside and enjoying the natural resources in the community where she lives, kayaking, biking or just walking on the beach. When she isn’t outside, you can find her cooking for her family, playing with her dogs or tending to her vast collection of indoor plants. Show Highlights The biggest evolution with green washing and transparency in the industry. Being able to pivot to embrace ESG data and reporting. Essential questions to consider to shift from corporate sustainability to ESG wellness for employees and occupants of our buildings. The secrets to the ESG umbrella and where companies should focus first. The ESG team at SIG provides opportunities to use all of the big reporting functions and frameworks correctly. The Energy Star program supports data you can trust and verify. Preparation for climate related risk ties directly into resiliency. “We're seeing the shift to ESG. Prior to the pandemic, we weren't talking about ESG, we were still talking about corporate sustainability. The pandemic really highlighted wellness in a way that we hadn't seen before. The green building industry really moved the focus into the health and wellbeing of people. That really shifted the conversation from ‘we have to just build green.’ No, it's not just about building green, it's also about making sure that our facilities are green on the inside for our people.’” -Amy D'Angelo Show Resource and Information Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES GBES is excited our membership community is growing. Consider joining our membership community as members are given access to some of the guests on the podcasts that you can ask project questions. If you are preparing for an exam, there will be more assurance that you will pass your next exam, you will be given cliff notes if you are a member, and so much more. Go to to learn more about the 4 different levels of access to this one-of-a-kind career-advancing green building community! If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on . We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the ! Copyright © 2023 GBES

Feb 15, 2023 • 25min
Sustainability Strategist and People First Leader - Devon Bertram
Devon Bertram is the VP of Sustainability Consulting at Stok, focused on impact at scale, advising clients on how to define, implement, and manage customized sustainability programs and standards for their building portfolios that authentically align with their brand, values, and purpose. Her work aims to reinforce broader strategic goals to enhance ESG initiatives, develop corporate carbon strategies, and improve overall sustainability impact. Former and current clients and partners include SFPUC, Sitecore, Delta Dental, Twitter, Starbucks, Citibank, Subaru, and Sephora. Show Highlights Mapping Stok’s direction and impact. Role focuses internally and externally helping align culture to stay true while also helping clients tackle challenging climate issues. Link: . Provide integrated solutions for our clients with a sustainability consulting team, workplace solutions team, engineering team and a commissioning team. Latest Stok publication comprises survey responses that offer clarity about decisions and changes to the workplace experience that will positively impact employee productivity, retention and wellbeing. Integrating corporate initiatives, not just in building design but how a company works. Working with clients and partners to identify what challenges they're trying to resolve or solve and how to prioritize and identify the right SMEs to help push those solutions. Navigating decarbonization and ESG with clients to set operational goals to shift from hopeful to action. A new goal to “walk and talk” with clients and partners, and move this practice beyond internal team members Understanding there's no bad or wrong questions will drive the green building movement forward. “LEED volume and portfolio-wide sustainability programs help to identify a standard process of education and quality control, and a standard for how you roll that out across a portfolio rather than just on a single building.” -Devon Bertram Show Resource and Information by Charles Mackesy by Aaron DIgnan Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES GBES is excited our membership community is growing. Consider joining our membership community as members are given access to some of the guests on the podcasts that you can ask project questions. If you are preparing for an exam, there will be more assurance that you will pass your next exam, you will be given cliff notes if you are a member, and so much more. Go to to learn more about the 4 different levels of access to this one-of-a-kind career-advancing green building community! If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on . We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the ! Copyright © 2023 GBES

Feb 8, 2023 • 17min
LEED Pioneer in the Philippines - Alvin Tejada
Alvin Tejada is a LEED Fellow, an Architect, Project Management Professional (PMP), a pioneering LEED & WELL Accredited Professional, and TRUE Advisor in SE Asia; He is also USGBC and IWBI Faculty. Alvin has acquired more than 25 years of experience in architectural and interior design, corporate real estate, construction, property and facilities management. He has advanced his career as an independent practitioner and a team player in multinational companies. Specialties: Construction and Project Management, Sustainability/ LEED, WELL, TRUE, EDGE Consulting, Property and Facilities Management, Architectural Design and Space Planning Show Highlights Challenges with LEED and green building in the Southeast Asia region. Partnership with USGBC & higher education to develop a center for sustainability learning in the Philippines. Grooming future architects on key sustainability practices as part of their design process. Heightened alertness and awareness of carbon footprints has pushed the standards for practice and reporting to become a normal requirement for the built environment. How the market has been transformed to adopt green building practices. Academia has to catch up to train students in taking the correct mindset and practices to drive the change needed for the world. “There's really an interest [in green buildings] coming from students, especially hearing me share actual experiences and the developments that are going on. I've seen how they've been performing with the exercises that I've been giving and it looks like they're up to the challenge of taking on extra credentials. I've also been encouraging them that this would really support them as they build their career early in life.” -Alvin Tejada “While we're living in a challenging time, this is also an exciting time. The speed of technological development may be dizzying. We know that humankind continues to evolve with rapid changes. Just keep reading, keep learning, keep sharing, and eventually you get into the habit of this green building movement.” -Alvin Tejada Show Resource and Information Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES GBES is excited our membership community is growing. Consider joining our membership community as members are given access to some of the guests on the podcasts that you can ask project questions. If you are preparing for an exam, there will be more assurance that you will pass your next exam, you will be given cliff notes if you are a member, and so much more. Go to to learn more about the 4 different levels of access to this one-of-a-kind career-advancing green building community! If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on . We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the ! Copyright © 2023 GBES

Feb 1, 2023 • 40min
University of California (San Diego) Green Campus Planning with LEED Fellow Walt Kanzler
Walt Kanzler is a recognized leader in the green building industry, currently holding the position of Senior Director of Design at UCSD. Walt has over 20 years of experience as a licensed architect with a focus throughout his career on Sustainability. Working for several large public and private organizations Walt has delivered over $2 Billion in capital projects and currently is managing a capital program that exceeds that more than doubling his experience in diverse project types. Walt has served in a leadership role on several boards and committees that promote Sustainable Design and has been a proponent of LEED since gaining his LEED AP in 2001. Walt was awarded the high honor of LEED Fellow in 2022. Currently an active change agent at UCSD Walt is directly involved in Sustainability initiatives on campus and supports cross campus coordination in the UC system along with his colleagues at nine other campuses. One of his passions is sharing Green Building concepts with students and finding ways to integrate Sustainability into Higher Education. Show Highlights The intersection between the capital projects and facilities management. University of California’s (UCSD) direct path to making holitics improvements to best practices that break down barriers facing the green building movement. Structural Design Programs Campus Decarbonization Climate Action Plans Minimum Certification Targets Sustainable Practices Policy Green Building Working Groups The evolution ESG needs to make for system integrity of the data. Building controls to newer buildings that allow occupants to really appreciate their space. Process improvements to streamline work challenging the status quo to make projects more efficient. Practices and opportunities to reduce our impact on the environment. “When LEED first came around, it gave me a kind of framework to really understand all the different aspects of sustainability. And I think that's been one of the great advantages of LEED over the years - it created some structure for everybody to understand and then to move above and beyond those baselines.” - Walt Kanzler Show Resource and Information Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES GBES is excited our membership community is growing. Consider joining our membership community as members are given access to some of the guests on the podcasts that you can ask project questions. If you are preparing for an exam, there will be more assurance that you will pass your next exam, you will be given cliff notes if you are a member, and so much more. Go to to learn more about the 4 different levels of access to this one-of-a-kind career-advancing green building community! If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on . We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the ! Copyright © 2022 GBES