Join us for APA Sustainable Communities’ 2nd annual Climate Symposium. This virtual event will be held on February 23, 2023, between 1pm to 5pm (EST) / 10am to 2pm (PST). We’ll kick things off with a deep dive update on the Division’s Leadership in Climate Action and Resilience, followed by the presentation of various perspectives and experience from our esteemed guest panelists on the topics of “Decarbonization” and “Applying Systems Thinking”.

Symposium Agenda

1-1:10 p.m.                 Symposium Welcome

1:10 -1:50 p.m.        Sustainable Communities Division Leadership in Climate Action and Resilience

• Deep Dive into the PAS Report, Matt Bucchin – Halff Associates, Inc.

• 2023 Preview of Sustainability and Resilience CMs, Karla Ebenbach – Ebenbach Consulting LLC.

• Open Questions

1:50-2:00 p.m.        10 min break

2:00-3:20 p.m.        Decarbonization: Operational + Embodied

As the discussion of combatting climate change is shifting from reducing energy consumption to decarbonizing our networks – our panel will explore what this means at the federal, state, municipal and project levels.

• Donny Goris-Kolb – VHB, Moderator

• Lance Davis – GSA

• Chad Laurent – Cadmus

• Prof. John Nolon – Pace Law School

• Maxine Paul – Adelante Consulting

• Greg Mella – SmithGroup

3:20-3:30 p.m.        10 min break

3:30-4:50 p.m.        Applying Systems Thinking

How can and why should systems thinking be applied to our built environments? How should planners, architects, and engineers incorporate this way of thinking to address our changing climate and the inequities which disproportionally affect the most vulnerable in our communities? Learn how our panel is applying systems thinking in their work and where they would like to see it expand in the future.

• Shannon Roberts – Jacobs, Moderator

• Mark Reiner – Jacobs

• Scott Edmondson – SF Planning

• Kirstin Weeks – Bio Studio

• Sandy Mendler – Gensler

4:50-5:00 p.m.        Closing