9:30 AM-
9:55 AM

Registration Check-In

9:55 PM-
10:00 AM

Welcome & Opening Remarks

Alex Bachrach, Publisher, Architectural Record

10:00 AM-
11:00 AM

Tech-Driven Sustainability: Empowering Architects to Design for a Resilient Future

Ellis Herman, Principal Product Manager, Autodesk
Giuseppe Ardito, Senior Product Owner, Autodesk

Achieving zero carbon emissions in the built environment is a challenge, but architects and designers can lead the way—if we have the right tools. In this session, we’ll explore how innovative workflows enable architects to reduce carbon from the outset of every project by managing both operational and embodied carbon in real time. We’ll discuss why early carbon analysis is essential, and how democratizing access to this data empowers all design professionals to make impactful, informed decisions. With the right tools, we can accelerate the transition to carbon-neutral buildings. This hands-on session will provide practical applications you can implement immediately and will foster a lively discussion on the collaborative, iterative process of decarbonization. Whether you’re an architect, educator, or student, this session will offer valuable insights into the future of sustainable design.

Sponsored by:

11:00 AM-
11:30 AM

Permasteelisa: Pioneering Low Carbon Facades - Permasteelisa Group Path to Zero

Andrea Zani, Innovation Manager & Sustainability Lead, Permasteelisa
Anna Foden, Head of Sustainability, Permasteelisa

Permasteelisa Group, a leading global contractor in advanced facade systems, is at the forefront of sustainable innovation in construction. This presentation explores Permasteelisa’s strategic commitment to achieving carbon neutrality, highlighting its pioneering low-carbon facade solutions. The discussion will showcase the group's approach to sustainability, its use of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to measure and minimize environmental impact, and its innovative strategies for designing and constructing low-carbon curtain walls. Through cutting-edge technology, advanced materials, and collaborative design methodologies, Permasteelisa is setting the benchmark for environmentally responsible facade systems.

Sponsored by:

11:30 AM-
12:00 PM

Lunch Break

12:00 PM-
1:00 PM

Lunch & Learn:  Embodied Carbon and the Envelope

Andy McIntyre, Regional Sales Manager, Kingspan

In the fight against climate change, efforts intensify against the planet’s number one enemy—carbon dioxide. The building industry will play a significant role in these efforts. Embodied carbon—the global greenhouse gas emissions generated from sourcing raw material and processing, manufacturing, transporting, and installing building materials—will be the target over the next decade. This course will define embodied carbon, its impact on greenhouse gas emissions, the construction industry's impact, and the methods and tools that building designers can employ to limit embodied carbon.

Sponsored by:

1:00 PM-
1:20 PM

Networking Break

1:20 PM-
1:30 PM

Afternoon Welcome

Josephine Minutillo, Editor in Chief, Architectural Record
Nicholas de Monchaux, Professor and Head of Architecture, MIT

1:30 PM-
2:00 PM

The Rebirth of Piraeus Tower

Ilias Papageorgiou, Founder, PILA

Abandoned for 50 years, Piraeus Tower—the second tallest building in Greece—has been transformed into a new landmark at the Port of Piraeus, embracing sustainable strategies and circular economy principles.

2:00 PM-
2:45 PM

Designing for Circularity

John Ochsendorf, Professor, MIT
Juliana Berglund-Brown, PhD Researcher, MIT
Recent research at MIT has developed radically lower carbon structures by questioning basic assumptions about material sources and uses. Several projects will demonstrate how creative design teams can deploy material circularity in construction today.

2:45 PM-
3:00 PM

Sustainability Myths and Realities of Structual Steel

Brian Raff, Vice President of Sustainability & Government Relations, American Institute of Steel Construction
This presentation dispels common myths about the environmental sustainability of the U.S. structural steel industry. It explains the two primary methods of steel production (BOF and EAF) and their environmental impacts, focusing on the benefits of the EAF process which uses recycled steel scrap as its primary input. The presentation also details how the industry uses Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) to transparently report the environmental impact of its products. It also compares the carbon emissions of the U.S. steel industry to other countries and industries, highlighting its relatively low emissions. Finally, the presentation emphasizes the recyclability of steel and its minimal contribution to landfill waste.

Sponsored by:

3:00 PM-
3:25 PM

Networking Break

3:25 PM-
4:25 PM

The Nature of Cities: Ecology, Culture and Carbon

Moderator: Joann Gonchar, FAIA, Deputy Editor, Architectural Record
Anne Whiston Spirn, Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Landscape Architecture and Planning, MIT
Chris Hardy, Senior Associate, Sasaki
This panel will explore the role of landscape architecture in urban settings and its potential to heal ecosystems, sequester carbon, and create more equitable and just communities.

4:25 PM-
5:10 PM

Crafting Breathing Architecture

Merritt Bucholz and Karen McEvoy, Founding Directors, Bucholz McEvoy Architects
Dublin-based Bucholz McEvoy Architects will discuss their work in climate attuned architecture and the evolution of the work over time through a series of civic projects.

5:10 PM-
6:00 PM

Reception

Location

In Partnership With

PLATINUM SPONSOR

PRESENTING SPONSORS

PROFESSIONAL PARTNER

SILVER SPONSORS