It’s a pivotal moment for climate action. Federal headwinds are impeding progress, states are prioritizing energy cost and reliability, and New York City is entering a new mayoral era with fresh opportunities. Where do we go from here?
At NYC NEXT: 2026 Building Trends, industry leaders will unpack the forces transforming the future of commercial and residential buildings and the strategies that can move New York toward a cleaner and more resilient built environment, while keeping affordability front and center.
Join us at NYU on June 3 to hear from the people and companies leading the way to decarbonizing buildings. Then, connect with industry peers at our post-conference reception at the AIA Center for Architecture. To attend the networking reception, register here in addition to the conference registration below.
Program
Opening remarks
John Mandyck, Urban Green Council
Keynote conversation
Session 1 • How to sell decarbonization in 2026
Climate communication in a shifting policy and economic landscape.
Fiona Cousins, Arup (Moderator)
HG Chissell, Advanced Energy Group
Anthony Fiore, NYSERDA
Hrisa Gatzoulis, Rudin
Dana Schneider, Empire State Realty Trust
Fireside chat • On energy insecurity with Diana Hernandez
Energy insecurity impacts approximately 1 in 10 U.S. households, with plenty more at risk. In this fireside chat, Diana Hernandez, author of Powerless: The People’s Struggle for Energy, joins Daphany Rose Sanchez to unpack the essential dimensions of energy insecurity. They’ll discuss the physical, economic, and behavioral toll of inadequate energy, as well as strategies for advancing equity.
Diana Hernandez, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
Daphany Rose Sanchez, Kinetic Communities Consulting
Session 2 • Meeting the multifamily moment: Challenges, breakthroughs and what’s next
NYC’s multifamily buildings are at a crossroads: LL97 deadlines are approaching, summers are getting hotter, and the economics of electrification remain stubbornly complex. This session examines how innovations in policy approach, technology and retrofit practices are creating a path forward to balance affordability, carbon reduction and access to cooling in NYC’s multifamily sector.
Danielle Manley, Urban Green Council (Moderator)
Caroline Kopp, Con Edison
Kelly Wesby, Steven Winter Associates
Jen Leone, NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development
Adam Romano, Association for Energy Affordbility
Fireside chat • Building toward 2030 with Laura Popa
A conversation about NYC building decarbonization, Local Law 97 results and the road ahead.
Chris Halfnight, Urban Green Council (Moderator)
Laura Popa, NYC Department of Buildings
Closing remarks
Thank you to our sponsors!
