How to sell decarbonization in 2026

Published June 24, 2026

How can we best communicate the benefits of decarbonization in a shifting political landscape? In a new episode of Building Tomorrow, the expert panelists from our 2026 conference discuss the benefits of decarbonization for various stakeholders and how to communicate them.

You can find the full video of this conference session on YouTube and our event recap page.

Thank you to our sponsor, Carrier!

Speakers

Fiona Cousins

Arup

Arup is a global consultancy with extensive technical and advisory expertise across more than 150 disciplines used to guide, plan and design the future of the built environment. As the COO of Total Design at Arup, Fiona has global responsibility for services, sustainable development, quality, collaboration, skills, innovation and products and technology. Fiona is also an Arup Fellow and an executive director and member of Arup Group Limited Board.

HG Chissell

Advanced Energy Group

HG is the Founder & CEO of Advanced Energy Group (AEG). AEG is a multi-city, intersectional stakeholder engagement platform that drives collaborative progress on city and state-level commitments, such as the CLCPA and PlaNYC. With a background in energy optimization, architecture and consulting, HG facilitates quarterly engagements to promote understanding, engagement and accountability regarding the most challenging obstacles to a just, clean energy transition. In 2024, HG launched The Carbon League.

Anthony Fiore

NYSERDA

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) works to promote energy efficiency, renewable energy, and emissions reduction across New York’s economy and energy system. As Chief Program Officer, Anthony leads NYSERDA’s cross-cutting programmatic strategy to optimize sector-specific interventions, ensuring that all communities benefit equitably from the clean energy transition. He has over 27 years of government experience across a broad range of disciplines; most recently as the Chief Decarbonization Officer for the City of New York.

Hrisa Gatzoulis

Rudin

Rudin is a full-service owner, operator, and developer of commercial and residential real estate in New York City. As the VP and Head of Sustainability at Rudin, Hrisa leads energy, sustainability, and wellness strategy across the firm, guiding decarbonization efforts, ESG reporting, and long-term climate planning for existing buildings and new developments. She has over two decades of experience in sustainable real estate, with expertise spanning Local Law 97 compliance, portfolio-wide carbon reduction, and high-performance building strategies.

Dana Schneider

Empire State Realty Trust

As the Senior VP and Director of Energy and Sustainability for Empire State Realty Trust (ESRT), Dana defines, leads, and executes a comprehensive program for all company and property-level energy and sustainability initiatives. Dana leads the work behind ESRT’s globally recognized Net Zero work, for ESB by 2030 and the portfolio by 2035. Previously, Dana led JLL’s Energy and Sustainability Projects team for the Americas, working on over 250 million square feet of impact projects over 18 years.

Key takeaways

When making the case for decarbonization, it is essential to tailor the message to what your audience values, understanding that not every stakeholder shares the same concerns. A few benefits of decarbonization include environmental preservation, energy efficiency, financial savings, operational ease, residential comfort and improved health.
A successful pitch to owners emphasizes the returns on investments that they can expect. One can list the short- and long-term benefits of investing in more sustainable systems and materials.
The pitch for decarbonization may emphasize the benefits to residential health. For instance, people spend 80% of their time indoors. Systems and materials that improve indoor air quality can also improve the quality of life for many people.
Decarbonization intersects with affordability. Investing in decarbonization may create more job opportunities and cultivate the green economy. It may also reduce energy costs for consumers concerned about the skyrocketing prices of oil and gas.

Transcript

The transcript is coming soon.