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Designing for climate resilience

After being hit hard by storms such as Hurricanes Sandy and Ida, New York City is already feeling the extreme weather effects of climate change. With such events projected to worsen in the coming years, it is critical that the city’s buildings and infrastructure should be able to withstand their effects.

Learn the latest science on climate change in NYC and how it’s being used to inform resiliency planning. Speakers highlight how the city is leading by example by enacting the New York City Climate Resiliency Design Guidelines for city-funded capital projects. They also show how some private building designers have already put them to use.

Published November 4, 2021

Speakers

Joel Towers
Co-Chair, New York City Panel on Climate Change

Joel Towers is a Professor of Architecture and Sustainable Design at Parsons School of Design, the Director of The Tishman Environment and Design Center, and a University Professor at The New School. He previously served as Executive Dean of Parsons School of Design from 2009-2019.

Peter Adams
Senior Policy Advisor, NYC Mayor's Office of Climate Resiliency

Peter has been advising public and private sector decision makers on how to mitigate climate change risk for over a decade. He is an experienced project manager and has developed innovative ways to address climate risk in capital planning, financing, and in public-private partnerships. He is also an expert in resilient design and climate adaptation of the built environment, working with engineers, architects, policymakers, and community stakeholders to address risk and prepare for sea level rise, high heat, coastal storms, and extreme rainfall.

Crystal Ng
Senior Associate, Director of Sustainability, Curtis + Ginsberg Architects

Crystal Yue-Hin Ng, RA, LEED AP BD+C, CPHC brings sustainability and resiliency expertise to architecture and urban design projects at C+GA. Her experience ranges from master planning to construction administration on multi-family, mixed use, and retail projects. Crystal leads several of C+GA’s Passive House/LEED projects and works closely with consultant and contractor on details to achieve higher levels of building performance.

Louis Koehl
Associate, Handel Architects

Louis Koehl is a Project Architect at Handel Architects with a focus in Passive House facade design. At present he is administering construction for Sendero Verde, a fully-affordable residential mixed-use project in New York City built to Passive House standards.

Sabrina Barker
Director of Development, Jonathan Rose Companies

Moderator

Danielle Manley
Manager, Policy

Danielle is responsible for advocacy, analysis and collaboration on Urban Green’s policy initiatives in New York City and State. She previously worked at the Center for Climate Systems Research at Columbia University’s Earth Institute researching and communicating local climate risk information for stakeholders in global cities and ecosystems, and served as project manager for the Third New York City Panel on Climate Change Report. Danielle also worked for nonprofits in Buffalo on environmental education and advocacy. She holds a Master’s Degree in Climate and Society from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies from the University at Buffalo.