Even the most successful Retro-Commissioning projects encounter some level of conflict. Thoughtful collaboration with the building’s operating staff can help overcome these challenges and prove to be valuable to the entire project team. Using project examples, this session provides guidance on how to engage the operations team for a successful Retro-Cx program.

While certifications are crucial to pushing the limits of sustainable construction, validating investments, and providing quality assurance, they sometimes risk a narrowed viewpoint, shifting priorities towards meeting a prescribed matrix and away from big picture values better benefitting building occupants and the environment. This presentation showcases individual projects and lessons learned from pursuing single and multiple certifications (LEED, Living Building Challenge, Passive House and WELL), and how they can be leveraged to create truly regenerative buildings.

For decades, the drive for energy efficiency took priority over indoor air quality (IAQ). With COVID, the pendulum swung in the direction of IAQ, but as we emerge from the pandemic and prepare to meet ever more stringent building performance standards, we need to design and operate buildings for both IAQ and efficiency. The question is how to solve for these seemingly contradictory goals given the “energy penalty” associated with higher ventilation rates.

Adopting circular economy approaches in a high-growth, high-waste sector like the built environment presents a tremendous opportunity for businesses, governments and cities to minimize structural waste and thus realize greater value from built environment assets. It is time to reshape our urban future and move from principles to practices. In this session, visionary practitioners will provide their perspectives on how partnerships are key to understanding and solving tomorrow’s challenges.

New York City’s Climate Mobilization Act (CMA) is viewed by many building owners as legislation thrust upon them, mandating unaffordable retrofits that benefit the environment at their expense. But for owners with the right strategy in place, these retrofits present a highly profitable investment opportunity, even with little access to capital.