When we think about conservation and historic preservation, we often think first of land and buildings. But Juli Polanco’s work is putting people, culture, and climate at the center of those topics.  We talked to Juli about her work as State Historic Preservation Officer for California, her role founding and leading the Climate Heritage Network, and her involvement with the Urban Land Institute’s Sustainable Development Council. Her mission, she says, is to help build resilient communities....

Gina Ciganik is CEO of the Healthy Building Network, which is known for research and guidance around products and green chemistry. Gina is recognized as a national leader in transforming human and environmental health through strategic partnerships, innovative business practices, capacity building, and novel approaches. Having jumped from one career (affordable housing development) to another (public health and toxicology), Gina has become a “chief translator” about chemicals and health -- it...

“I have always seen sustainability and social concerns as part of design,” says architect Angie Brooks. This perspective is rooted, in part, in her undegrad architectural studies that emphasized regionalism. And since her early days in practice, Angie has felt that architects should shape the framework within which they work. Her career and practice, with partner Larry Scarpa, shows how architects can be proactive agents of change.  Angie's passion for communities has led to advocacy and...

Lotte Schlegel is the Executive Director of the Institute for Market Transformation (IMT), a national nonprofit organization focused on equitably decarbonizing buildings through policies and programs that increase demand and action for high-performing buildings. She’s also a co-founder and board member of ecountabl, which helps people support causes they care about when they bank and shop. Lotte described how she came to the built environment space because it is where issues of energy and...

Susan Szenasy is one of the best known design critics and editors of the past four decades; she served as editor of Metropolis magazine from the mid 1980s until a few years ago. In 2017, she was the winner of a Cooper Hewitt National Design Award. During her tenure, Metropolis became one of the most expansive design publications in the American media landscape -- covering all disciplines and tackling sustainability as part of design early and deeply.  We talked to her about ethics, Trombe...

Julie Hiromoto is a Principal at HKS, where she serves as firmwide Director of Integration, leveraging business, design excellence, and technical expertise to advance socially and environmentally responsible design. Julie is a big believer in research and coalitions, and has always engaged with numerous organizations, including AIA, ULI, ILFI, and IWBI. She attended the UN’s COP26 (as part of the AIA delegation). Julie stresses the value of asking questions and being open to learning through...

Architect Ilana Judah recently completed her graduate studies in an interdisciplinary program with a focus on urban climate adaptation. This step in her career was designed to orient herself to where she could make the greatest possible impact addressing the climate crisis. She has been consulting to building industry stakeholders through her firm, ACORN Resilience & Sustainability. Before going back to school, Ilana was Principal/Director of Sustainability at FXCollaborative, known for...