The Green Building Matters Podcast with Charlie Cichetti

Charlie Cichetti, LEED Fellow + WELL AP Entrepreneur | Leader | Husband | Father   To our legacy and new listeners:   Over the last five years, we've produced over 250 Green Building Matters (GBM) Podcast Episodes! Amazing guests from all over the world. I still get lots of positive feedback all the time. Someone on LinkedIn will ping me and say “that was an amazing interview.” Sometimes it is someone that's been in this industry a long time and they need that new spark. “Oh, man, I'm so glad I heard that from so and so.” Or maybe it is a new to this industry, young professional or just someone that's making a career change. So it's still very encouraging. I think we timed this special episode because I'm doing a little reflecting myself as I'm going to be turning 40 this week. I am so grateful to all of you listening to our podcast, getting encouraged, and taking action. Keep up the great work! About Charlie:    Upon graduating from Georgia Tech, Charlie went to work in Construction and later Real Estate Development. This path ultimately led him over to Green Buildings. Over the course of his career Charlie has personally taught and trained over 10,000+ professionals in-person about LEED, the green building movement, and how to pass LEED exams. His green building education company GBES.com has over 150,000+ professionals around the world who use their study tools and CE materials to help maintain their credentials after Charlie and his team helped them pass their exams. Charlie also advocates for LEED and the green building movement to thousands of people monthly as they tune in to listen to his weekly podcast, Green Building Matters. Charlie is an expert in all of the phases (design/construct/operate) of green buildings. Charlie and his umbrella of companies are all about the Green Building Movement. His online education company (GBES) trains and equips green building professionals, his green building consulting & engineering firm (SIG) helps to “plant trees” in cities all across the globe as they help building owners and property management teams achieve the highest level of certification for green and healthy buildings, his software company (Blue Ocean Sustainability) is developing the tools that will reshape the industry and advance the green building movement forward by leaps and bounds, and he has also invested in a 3D scanning company (Aetos Imaging) that is helping to create digital twins of real buildings and innovating new ways of training building operators. Charlie Cichetti is truly a sustainability-focused social entrepreneur who is motivated by elevating people and the industry to be the best they can be! Show Highlights Green Building Holdings’ (GBH) Brands: SIG Aetos Blue Ocean  GBES.com Announcements of new technology on how to change the way buildings will be designed and built in the future. Charlie’s entrepreneurial journey - pro tips on how to inspire and develop teams. Navigate the new (green building) trends in 2023.  Get your team ready for collecting accurate data to create a total carbon plan.  Closing the gap between the LEED exam and LEED project experience for professionals. What you need to know for mandates and how to get ready for a framework shift in the industry.    “We've got some amazing storytellers here…in the green building movement. Honestly, that's one of the secrets to success. We have to be able to make sure the work we do in green buildings is relatable to those that haven't done it yet.” -Charlie Cichetti     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

Pia Ohrling is an experienced sustainability Consultant. She has worked in the building and property industry for more than 30 years and with Sustainability for 20 years.   Pia is one of Sweden's leading environmental and expert consultants with more than twenty years of experience in environmental certification and sustainable buildings. She is a trained structural engineer at KTH, Stockholm and has worked for the major environmental consulting companies in Sweden. In 2010, she started Piacon to be able to influence the construction and real estate industry to a greater extent based on her genuine environmental commitment.     Pia has completed a number of successful environmental certifications, e.g. the world's first certified building according to BREEAM In Use International and Sweden's first pre-certified LEED building. She is a popular lecturer and holds courses in LEED, BREEAM, Environmental Construction and Work Environment and leads training courses at the Sweden Green Building Council (LEED and BREEAM).    Pia is a member of the Sweden Green Building Council (SGBC) and is part of the LEED committee. Between the years 2014-2021, she was active in the Technical Council for BREEAM SE. In the autumn of 2022, Pia was appointed a LEED Fellow – a prestigious title which means that you represent the top tier in the design, technology and development of green buildings. She is currently the only representative of LEED Fellow in the Nordics.    Pia is a committed and competent manager who is passionate about sustainability issues. She likes to farm, create habitats for bumblebees and wild bees, and cook and renovate things.   Show Highlights Pia shares how to navigate all the certifications systems available in Sweden (LEED, BREEAM, Miljöbyggnad, etc…)  to each client project.  The challenges with credits and systems like LEED in different  areas and parts of the world to consider. Adapting to the taxonomy, the European Green Deal, and the World Green Building Council when creating and managing projects.  Pia’s shift towards engineering and becoming an environmental engineering specialist and entrepreneur will motivate “who better than you to do it.”  The evolution ALL certification systems need to raise the bar to look at the bigger picture for sustainability and biodiversity. Pia’s company specializes in sustainability and pushes clients towards really wanting to make positive change, not just certify their projects.  She shares how to say "no" when clients  just want to certify on the lowest level. “Sometimes we think solutions are too easy. We think that 'Oh we can do that. We'll just change to this way.' But sustainability isn't that simple. There are so many things you need to think about, like biodiversity. There’s no quick fix.” -Pia Ohrling   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

Jim Hambright, is a professional registered architect that has worked in more than 30 states and 16 foreign countries over the past 48 years. He has a Masters in Architecture and is a member of the American Institute of Architects and the Royal Institute of British Architects. He is also a member of the US Green Building Council where he is a LEED Accredited Professional. He was recognized and selected as a LEED Fellow as one of twenty professionals globally for this honor in 2022 by the U.S. Green Building Council and Green Business Certification, Inc. Mr. Hambright was recognized as a Fluor Fellow in 2010 in the field of sustainability and has extensive experience and expertise in site master planning, facility planning, programming, project management, production, design and detailing of projects throughout the world.    He has specific experience in the field of pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, electronics, specialized industrial facilities, sports facilities, office and retail facilities, food industries, military, power and chemicals facilities, educational facilities, as well as smaller residential and land planning development work. He has also performed work for governmental agencies and provided expertise and consulting for a variety of specialty, security, and confidential projects.   Underlying efforts in all of Mr. Hambrights' projects has been the fundamental incorporation of elements of sustainability, creativity, innovation, functionality, and appropriateness that fit into the community and environment specific to a given project and location. Mr. Hambright strives to make the best use of resources, innovative design, and time constraints and is constantly seeking optimization on each project.   Specialties: Sustainability, Carbon Neutral and NetZero project aspects, large and small-scale masterplanning, programming, international, national, and regional projects, governmental solutions, electronics facilities, industrial, camps and campuses, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, residential developments, single and multi-housing units, community projects. Also specializing is historic renovations and rehabilitation projects, as well and photography, modeling, and Computer Aided Drafting capabilities.   Show Highlights Jim shares the myriad of disciplines within the Fluor Corporation. The struggles you face when implementing sustainable changes in a very large organization.  Logistics, labs, and data centers are the growing sectors of the movement. How green hydrogen facilities and different gasses can best be produced, stored, and distributed. The strategies and laws for the variety and emerging energy sources.  Manufacturers and producers are getting on board with the science and microbes of how they can get better production, better yield rates and better customer satisfaction. The secret and advice for sustainable entrepreneurship. The balance in finding the right amount of flexibility within an organization to implement your goals and share your expertise. “When we're all out in the midst of the battles, if you will, it's hard to even think about recognition or anything else. You're just trying to get the work done, trying to solve the problems when they come,  and provide options, opportunities, and research to help the clients to do the best thing they can do. Of course there's always a struggle with scheduling, the budget, supply chain, and a lot of other issues that we have to deal with on a daily basis.” -Jim Hambright    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

Francine Vaz, architect and urban planner, graduated from Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, MBA in Sustainable Business Management at Fluminense. She also earned a Master of Science in Architecture, Energy and Sustainability at London Metropolitan University. Francine has worked on more than 80 projects for the construction and operation of sustainable developments, being responsible for coordinating a team of consultants. She holds the LEED AP BD+C and ID+C credentials by the U.S. Green Building Council since 2010. Founder of Seed Solution. MBA professor at AVM Educacional and CEBPJUR. LEED Fellow since 2022.   Show Highlights Seed Solution brings a little bit of sustainability to the companies that don't have it yet.  Brazil's responsible approach to new construction, retrofit, and ESG to support the green building movement. A closer look at life cycle analysis and GHG emissions reports that have been neglected. Challenging factors of Fitwel and WELL that make it difficult for companies to implement in this region. Internal divisions with LEED certification and Brazilian energy efficiency certifications. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the impact on buildings (to change) in Brazil and in the world.  Balancing the challenges of being an entrepreneur and family.  “I am always very excited about working with sustainability. I bring this energy to the projects I work with and to the design team. I think this is very important, in terms of, when you put your energy in, when people start to feel that you are really passionate about this, it just helps things go smoother.” -Francine Vaz      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

Dan Matisoff is a senior researcher who studies energy and environmental policy, corporate social responsibility, and sustainability. He has a background in statistical analysis on the adoption and diffusion of energy and environmental policies and technologies. Right now he is working on a project related to the diffusion of eco-labels and advanced technologies in the built environment and how these drive market transformation in the built environment. He is the lead for Working Group 3 for Georgia Drawdown - Built Environment and Materials. He is well versed in statistical methods, quantitative modeling, and other approaches to assessing impacts of energy and environmental technologies. Show Highlights LEED Eco Label’s continuous score with a discontinuous “signal.” The impact of the LEED Eco Label on investment in energy and environmental technology.  Important research to confer economic value to customers and to society. Distribution of buildings in LEED to understand how the silver, gold, and platinum tiers caused additionality into a space.  Dan’s book tells a more dynamic process with the early movers into the LEED Eco Label and the produce positive information spillovers that help change the market. Understanding the eco label itself is the certification of these traits and making them easy to observe to individuals.  The “LEED factor” benefits with pilot projects in geographic locations. A sneak peek of some advanced degree programs for the rising demand for sustainability professionals. “The goal was to take all this research that we had really reduced for economists and for a real academic audience. Then, to translate this into more of a story that somebody in the green building world might appreciate. To translate some of these kind of challenging economic concepts and challenging statistical findings into a more digestible form that will help people in the green building movement understand what it is they're doing, what it is they've accomplished, how the economics of the label works to confer value to customers, to confer value to society.” -Dan Matisoff  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

Bahruz Mammadov is a serial entrepreneur with a main focus on chemical & material sciences. He has hands-on experience in fundraising, business development, and building teams. As a co-founder at BERKM, he raised over 3.5 million euros of venture capital. He has amassed more than 10 years experience in different branches of the chemical industry, combined with a vast network in the industry. He is passionate about new materials and bringing them to market on a large scale.   Show Highlights Bahruz shares products, startup advice, and how chemical engineering is transforming green building. Chemistry is a science filled with green building magicians using nanometer technologies to change existing materials.  The first chain of tasks to do when starting a new project or company.  Entrepreneur DNA, what inspired Bahruz to launch his own business.  BERKM technology creates solutions for less plastic, longer product shelf life and supporting recycling.  Shifts and trends towards clean chemistry with significant impact on sustainability.   “I am really proud about the sustainability impact we are making in our company in terms of reducing plastic pollution. Part of the results we’ve achieved will influence the packaging industry.” -Bahruz Mammadov     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

Dean Stanberry,CFM, LEED AP is 1st Vice-Chair, IFMA Global Board of Directors - A strategic facilities management volunteer leader who delivers forward-thinking solutions resolving operational problems. Dean has more than 20 years of broad-based experience in facility management, real estate portfolio management, process and quality improvement, procurement, workplace services, program and project management, space and occupancy planning, sustainability, information systems implementation, and critical environment operations. Prior to his ​recent role as Director – FM Services with Abraxas Energy Consulting, Stanberry worked at JLL, first on the Charles Schwab account and later on the Xerox account. Before that he worked at the Trizetto Group.   An accomplished communicator, he has presented at international FM conferences, published articles and is a contributing author of the book “Technology for Facility Managers.” Stanberry is an active industry advocate; serving in several volunteer leadership roles as a member of IFMA, the IFMA Foundation and the U.S. Green Building Council. He has been an active leader in the IFMA Denver Chapter serving as Treasurer, Vice President and President, earning him a Distinguished Member Award (2005) and Outstanding Contribution by a Professional Member (2006). He served on the IFMA Foundation Board of Trustees (2009-2014) and is currently the chair of the Environmental Stewardship, Utilities and Sustainability Community. Stanberry studied at the University of Washington, U.S. West Advanced Technical Education Program. He earned an Executive Programs Finance Certificate from Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University, a Project Management Certificate from Regis University and both a Process Management Certification and Quality Improvement Process Certification from QualTec. He earned his CFM in 2010.   Show Highlights Dean shares the core competencies of and clears up the difference between a facility manager, a property manager, and a building engineer on multi-tenant for rent versus an owner-occupied property.  IFMA’s education, organization, competency-based credentials. 5 emerging and interesting sustainability topics IFMA is including. Green Building Trends you want to make hands on for your audience.  Environmental is going to be a big component for facility managers. GSA, the General Services Administration is changing the culture of the organization with respect to Carbon. Overcoming the uniqueness and components of historic buildings and Federal facilities. Sustainability and green buildings are pivoting to a primary objective.    “We're becoming a data driven industry and so we really need to raise the bar for many people in the profession. Doesn't matter which role you have, you need to understand more about sustainability. And that's gonna play heavily into ESG reporting…You need to not just train people on the tool because that's the simple part. You need to train them on why we're doing this. What's the imperative?” -Dean Stanberry   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

Heidi Creighton is Vice President (VP) of Sustainability. In this role, Heidi will lead Skanska USA Commercial Development’s strategic sustainable initiatives across the US portfolio in Los Angeles, CA. Furthering the company’s ESG strategy, she will be responsible for identifying solutions that improve asset performance, energy management, community engagement and user experience to create the most sustainable and impactful projects in each market. Creighton will serve as a key member of the company’s leadership team reporting to Christopher Westley, Senior Vice President (SVP) for Strategic Services to support market leaders and their operational teams while integrating and expanding Skanska’s sustainability offerings with focus on Skanska’s ESG strategy. “Skanska has a holistic approach to designing and building sustainable places, keeping the project’s full life cycle in mind. It is ingrained in what we do every day and elevated when an expert like Heidi Creighton is brought to the table,” said Robert Ward, President and CEO, Skanska USA Commercial Development. “I have no doubt Heidi will ignite thoughtful conversations through project work and advocacy that will further Skanska and its leadership team’s ambitions to drive the industry forward. Creighton served as a Principal since 2011. In that role, she led the West Coast consulting group’s focus on sustainability, resiliency, health and wellbeing and social equity strategies in the academic, cultural, commercial, aviation and healthcare sectors. Creighton is also FAIA, a LEED Fellow, Fitwel Ambassador and is a member of the WELL Faculty program.   Show Highlights The importance of volunteering to align with your own values, establish a network; it draws you to great people who wanna do impactful work, and discover inspiring projects.  Skanska’s  sustainability umbrella with initiatives and policies to really drive sustainability across their entire portfolio. Supplier code of conduct for all contractors and subcontractors. How they co-develop, increase transparency, and push the envelope and test innovations.  EC3 - an embodied carbon construction calculator tool.  Advantages to connecting the main components to integrate how the developer and the construction team deliver a project. Build understanding on climate resiliency and circularity on all green building projects. Frame sustainability around what resonates with what customers are trying to accomplish.  Tips to have collective conversations about data collection and transparency to improve the entire industry.   “Leading with empathy, being a good listener, really trying to connect people together - are critical. In our role as sustainability experts, we are constantly asking people to change. We're constantly pushing the envelope and changing their business as usual. Generally people are averse to change, so you've got to really figure it out for each organization, individual, department, whoever you're working with, and really understand what their priorities and goals are.  Then, ask yourself how can I frame sustainability around that and align it with what they're trying to accomplish.” -Heidi Creighton   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

Sheila M. Sheridan - IFMA Fellow, CFM, LEED AP O+M. Sheila retired from Harvard University where she was Director of Facilities and Services at the Kennedy School of Government. As an International Facility Management Association (IFMA )volunteer member, she has held numerous roles including the Chair.   Currently, she is a USGBC Technical Committee member. Previously she was past vice chair of the LEED Operations and Maintenance Committee. She also participated as faculty for IFMA and USGBC courses. She is a recognized global speaker concerning facilities and sustainability. She has been a visiting lecturer at universities around the world. Show Highlights How volunteer work allows you to test the limits of your abilities and learn what you are really interested in. Invite champions, naysayers, and gossipers to your team to match your project to your mission.  Tips to pave your own way  to promote the change you want to see in your profession and an environmental steward.  Sheila is a “tenacious pioneer” who shares her stories of inspiration and tips to help push sustainability forward and open new doors.  Sustainability has no borders because the world’s needs are connected for a positive future.   Emerging trends and looking at how they manage buildings so we don't lose the voice of the people that work and live there. Growth in the industry only occurs when you invite people in, share information as an environmental steward.     “It's not the green building movement anymore. It’s, save the planet. Everything you do, both at home, at work and in your profession can make a difference right down to picking up a piece of trash. The green building movement is exciting. It's a vehicle to get you where we need to be and there's opportunities for you to be a specialist.”  -Sheila Sheridan     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

Emilie O'Leary, along with a business partner, launched a mechanical solar business in 2016. They built the business up to be one of the leading commercial installers in the US. They sold the business in 2020 and Emilie stayed on as CEO till January 2022.   There are very few women that do what she does in the solar industry. In February of 2022, she started Green Clean Solar based in Marietta, Georgia. She has a strong passion and expertise in the solar industry focusing on waste management and landfill diversion services while building a diverse workforce. She continues to develop and foster relationships with EPC/Owners and solar manufacturers throughout the United States while making Green Clean Solar a leader in the industry.   Show Highlights   Creating energy efficiency companies that hit a pain point in our industry. A mechanical solar installation company who understands the process of what it takes to build massive projects. Green Clean Solar is providing solutions for a huge problem with materials in the industry.  Be a revolutionary by providing solutions to managing waste on any project by working with local resources centers. How to have thoughtful conversations with manufacturers and designers to build awareness in rethinking their packaging material to make needed changes in our industry. Innovation is changing the lifecycle of solar panels. The trickle effect of green building to revitalize communities.  Connect with Emilie to learn the trends and what's happening in the solar industry and beyond.    “We were putting everything in the dumpsters and hauling it to the landfill. And it really struck me to say ‘this is counterintuitive.’ We're building these amazing energy efficiency systems, but then we're filling the earth with all this waste. It didn't make any sense because most of this material could be recycled.”   -Emilie O'leary     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