Continuing Education Credits
We are currently hard at work planning our 2022 conference! Please check back later for more information.
2021 Conference
Climate, Equity and Health: No More False Choices
As we navigate this historic time for climate change, racial equity and public health, the built environment sits front and center. New state and federal climate policies are being enacted, and technologies are starting to be deployed at a large enough scale to affect outcomes in all three arenas for generations.
Our 2021 conference investigated how we can optimize policy and building design for climate, equity and health together—and discard paradigms that sometimes pit one against the other for compromised solutions. Experts shed light on the aspects of public policy that are most likely to provide sustainable, equitable and healthy outcomes for all.
Across two keynote addresses and two panel discussions, experts explored the benefits and unintended consequences of emerging technologies and discussed real-world collaborative solutions that integrate these aspects.
Thank you to everyone who attended Climate, Equity and Health: No More False Choices, and we can't wait to see you all again next year! You can watch the recording of this year's conference here and on Urban Green's YouTube channel.
Also, make sure to read our conference recap blog.
Keynote Addresses
Systemic Solutions to Systemic Problems
Peggy Shepard | Co-Founder and Executive Director, WE ACT
Peggy Shepard has successfully combined grassroots organizing, environmental advocacy and environmental health community-based participatory research to become a national leader in advancing environmental policy and the perspective of environmental justice in urban communities.
Buildings at the Intersection of Climate, Equity and Health
Dr. Joseph Allen | Associate Professor of Exposure Assessment Science, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Dr. Allen directs the Healthy Buildings program at Harvard where he created ‘The 9 Foundations of a Healthy Building’. He works with Fortune 500 companies on implementing Healthy Building strategies in their global portfolios and presents internationally on the topic of Healthy Buildings. His work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, National Geographic, Financial Times and NPR, among others.
Session 1: Prioritizing Health and Equity in Climate Policy
Policymakers and advocates from the city and state discussed the important changes in climate policy over the past few years that will impact building health and ensure equitable outcomes.
Christopher Coll | Director of Energy Affordability and Equity Program, NYSERDA
Adriana Espinoza | First Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice, NYC Mayor's Office of Climate and Sustainability
Maritza Silva-Farrell | Executive Director, ALIGN
Raya Salter | Energy and Environmental Law and Policy Consultant and Educator, Member of NY State Climate Action Council
Janet Joseph (Moderator) | Senior Vice President for Strategy and Market Development, NYSERDA
Session 2: Building Health and Equity into Electrification
Electrifying heating systems in multifamily buildings could provide a multitude of necessary health and equity benefits including healthy ventilation, cooling relief in the summer, and workforce opportunities for local companies to participate in this burgeoning industry.
Donnel Baird | Founder and CEO, BlocPower
Ryan Cassidy | Director of Sustainability and Construction, RiseBoro Community Partnership
Rory Christian | President, Concentric Consulting Group, LLC
Carolyn Olson | Assistant Commissioner, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Bomee Jung (Moderator) | Principal, Topsight Advisors
Thank You To Our Lead Sponsor
Thank You To Our Host Sponsor
