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On the final day of AIA’s Conference on Architecture, expert panelists convened to discuss building efficiencies when concerning policies, technological innovations and other external forces on the industry. Liz Haggerty, president of Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope®, was among the panelists in the session titled “A One-Hour Tour of the Future.” The panel was moderated by Phil Bernstein, the associate dean at Yale School of Architecture and included Tiffany Hosey, founder and CEO of BuilDATAnalytics and Jonathan Jones, director of capital projects for the Brooklyn Academy of Music in addition to Haggerty.
“I think we have a really unique situation with the spaces that architects design, and the buildings that our contractors build and the products that we provide to create solutions to really be a driver in this space of inclusion, equity and well-being,” Haggerty said. “Access to the outdoors, natural lighting, focus on safety and security are all things that … if we really could work together and collaborate on, we could have a much faster and more positive impact to our communities and to our planet.”
She also noted the importance of collaboration with the federal government.
“Collectively, we have to make sure we have a voice within that space, make sure we are driving codes and standards and incentives that drive the right behaviors, and that we can execute on,” she said.
Haggerty emphasized using innovating technology to “tackle” decarbonization problems and collectively reduce the industry’s carbon footprint. She noted where significant impacts can be made including bringing labor and more talent to work in the industry.
Bernstein posed scenarios and questions to the panelists to discuss industry-wide collaboration and sharing information across the value chain. He presented Haggerty with a hypothetical situation, asking if she would be willing to enlist 10 of her competitors to create a centralized, curated, anonymous and well-organized database that the industry could use for information on carbon for building enclosures.
Recognizing that collaboration is a crucial factor in making progress, she reflected on her times in the HVAC industry and how competitors in the industry agreed to be held to the same standard by being tested through third parties to ensure everyone is meeting efficiency requirements.
“I think it’s very similar to what we should be doing in this industry, especially as we start thinking about carbon footprint and understanding the embodied carbon.”
The AIA’s virtual Conference on Architecture was held on four days over the past two months, providing in-depth discussion on a variety of topics, including several focused on glass and glazing. USGNN’s full coverage of the event is available through the links below.
AIA Virtual Sessions Cover the Impacts of Glass on Sustainability and Health
One AIA Virtual Session Covered the Balance between Performance and Aesthetics
Keeping the Noise Outside, AIA Virtual Conference Session looks at Acoustical Performance
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