Energy-Efficient Buildings

City of the Future

To save our planet, we’ll need to reduce emissions — fast. And if we’re serious about addressing climate change, we’ll need to address one of our biggest carbon emitters: buildings. That doesn’t just go for the new, shiny skyscrapers with access to lots of resources, but all buildings: old and new, big and small. We’re kicking off season 3 with an episode exploring an idea that could make our cities more sustainable and even more just. Energy-efficient buildings.

In this episode:

• [0:02 - 2:58] Architect Wanda Dalla Costa on her work creating an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly housing development for the Gila River Indian Community
• [3:59 - 7:27] Sustainable buildings expert Kimi Narita on why retrofitting buildings is so important for cities responding to climate change
• [7:48 - 10:04] Proptech expert Ryan J. S. Baxter on why energy regulations can fall short in incentivizing buildings to make energy upgrades and why tech adoption could change that
• [10:17 - 14:05] Sidewalk Labs Senior Product Manager Rachel Steinberg and Data Scientist Jenny Chen on Mesa, a solution to help office buildings become more energy-efficient
• [14:43 - 16:12] Rachel Steinberg on green leases, which encourage energy-efficiency for tenants and landlords
• [16:22 - 18:20] Kimi Narita on why we need new technologies and regulations to get to net-zero carbon by 2050

To see images and videos of topics discussed in this episode, read the transcript on our Sidewalk Talk Medium page.

City of the Future is hosted by Eric Jaffe and Vanessa Quirk and produced by Benjamen Walker and Andrew Callaway. Mix is by Zach Mcnees. Art is by Tim Kau. Our music is composed by Adaam James Levin-Areddy of Lost Amsterdam. Special thanks to Wanda Dalla Costa, Kimi Narita, Ryan J. S. Baxter, Jenny Chen, and Rachel Steinberg.