Building Green

Hosted by Ladina Schöpf

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Jun 2026

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In a world increasingly facing the challenges of climate change, the "Building Green: Tomorrow’s Architecture Today" podcast dives deep into the intersection of architecture, design, urbanism and environmental responsibility. Our mission is to highlight the transformative power of sustainable architecture, not just as a practice but as a catalyst for broader societal change. Through engaging conversations with pioneering architects, urbanists, tech innovators, sociologists, etc. we explore the details of green architectural planning and its impacts across diverse sectors.

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June 5, 202636 min

#080 - 8 Ideas Every Architect NEEDS to Hear About Sustainability

What if the version of sustainable architecture we talk about isn't the version we actually build?After 80 conversations with architects, engineers, scientists, and urbanists, I revisited the eight moments I haven't been able to stop thinking about. These are the conversations that challenged assumptions, exposed uncomfortable truths, and changed how I think about sustainability, design, and the built environment.If you're interested in sustainable architecture, green building, urban design, climate action, regenerative design, or the future of the built environment, this episode is a great place to start.Featured episodes:• Episode 1 – Gaia Sonzogni: The sustainability premium in luxury? Five or six percent. Which is nothing.• Episode 15 – Tomislav Domes: A building lowered the homicide rate. Architecture as public health.• Episode 66 – Mikael Colville-Andersen: Urbanism is medicine. I know that now, because I worked in a war zone.• Episode 31 – Gayatri Keskar: Not all renewable materials are the same. Wood isn't automatically sustainable.• Episode 16 – Paul Schwarz: We're obviously not the only creatures on this planet.• Episode 32 – Paul Patterson: LEED Platinum doesn't mean you have an energy-efficient building.• Episode 44 – Zak Kostura: AI is going to push you towards the most mediocre decisions.• Episode 30 – Graeme Labe: True luxury is sleeping under the stars. No five-star hotel gives you that.Join me, Ladina, on this green journey, and don't forget to subscribe for more insightful conversations about sustainable living and architecture and drop us a review. If you have suggestions for future guests or topics, I'd love to hear from you on my socials!Let's explore the world of green architecture, one conversation at a time.Contact: Ladina ⁠⁠@ladinaschoepf⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠buildinggreenshow.comProduced by: ⁠⁠marketyourarchitecture.com⁠

May 20, 202653 min

#079 - Jake Rudin: Can You Build A Sustainable Career In Architecture?

Are architects massively underestimating their value? Jake Rudin, co-founder of Out of Architecture, explains why architects are capable of “almost anything” - yet so many end up trapped in careers that leave them financially and emotionally drained. From being an architect, then working at Adidas to helping 12,000+ architects rethink their future, Jake shares the biggest career mistakes architects make, why burnout often appears 15–20 years into practice, and how to actually build a sustainable career - in AND out of architecture. To explore more about Jake Rudin and his work, you can follow him on Linkedin, visit his website outofarchitecture.com, or join THE COLLECTIVE.Join me, Ladina, on this green journey, and don't forget to subscribe for more insightful conversations about sustainable living and architecture and drop us a review. If you have suggestions for future guests or topics, I'd love to hear from you on my socials!Let's explore the world of green architecture, one conversation at a time.Contact: Ladina ⁠⁠@ladinaschoepf⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠buildinggreenshow.comProduced by: ⁠⁠marketyourarchitecture.com⁠

May 5, 202647 min

#078 - Jenny Peysin: Turning 100-Year-Old Homes Into Passive Houses (Without Ruining Them)

What happens when you try to turn a 100-year-old home into a high-performance, sustainable space - without touching the exterior?Many of our cities are filled with buildings that are over a hundred years old. The question is no longer whether we keep them - but how we make them work for the future.Jenny Peysin, is an architect in New York who specializes in renovating historic homes while bringing them up to modern performance standards like Passive House.In this conversation, you’ll hear what it actually takes to turn an old building into something that feels healthier, quieter, more efficient, and more comfortable to live in. We talk about the tension between preservation and performance, how to make smart decisions when every inch and every dollar matters, and why sustainability is often just as much about quality of life as it is about energy use.If you’re renovating an older home, thinking about buying one, or designing residential spaces yourself, this episode will give you a much clearer sense of what to protect, what to upgrade, and where sustainability really starts.To explore more about Jenny Peysin and her work, you can follow her on ⁠Linkedin⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠ @jennypeysinarchitecture, or visit her website ⁠jpeysin-architecture.com⁠Join me, Ladina, on this green journey, and don't forget to subscribe for more insightful conversations about sustainable living and architecture and drop us a review. If you have suggestions for future guests or topics, I'd love to hear from you on my socials!Let's explore the world of green architecture, one conversation at a time.Contact: Ladina ⁠⁠@ladinaschoepf⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠buildinggreenshow.comProduced by: ⁠⁠marketyourarchitecture.com⁠

April 22, 202658 min

#077 - David Sellers: This Waste Is Turning Into Luxury Homes (And They Are Self-Sufficient)

What if surfboard waste could actually become the construction blocks of the homes we live in?David Sellers didn’t always believe climate change would be something he’d feel in his own lifetime.As an architect in Hawaii, he’d spent years thinking about sustainability as a future problem… Until one moment changed everything.Standing in the ashes of Lahaina after the fires - David realized something that most architects never fully confront… That they’re not just designing individual homes… they’re shaping entire communities, entire systems… and ultimately, the future.That moment forced him to rethink his role as an architect and led to the creation of Hawaii Off Grid - a company designing fully self-sufficient homes powered by renewable energy, built to operate independently from traditional systems.But what makes David’s work different is how far he’s willing to go - turning surfboard waste and construction trash into construction blocks, creating a circular system where one house quite literally becomes the next.Because for him, this isn’t just about sustainability. It’s about redesigning how we live - from the ground up.To explore more about David Sellers and his work, you can follow him on Linkedin, Instagram @hawaiioffgrid, or visit his website hawaiioffgrid.com. You can also watch his movie Journey Beyond the Grid and read Dezeen’s article on how his team is turning surfboard waste into sustainable construction materials in Hawaii.Join me, Ladina, on this green journey, and don't forget to subscribe for more insightful conversations about sustainable living and architecture and drop us a review. If you have suggestions for future guests or topics, I'd love to hear from you on my socials!Let's explore the world of green architecture, one conversation at a time.Contact: Ladina ⁠⁠@ladinaschoepf⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠buildinggreenshow.comProduced by: ⁠⁠marketyourarchitecture.com⁠

April 7, 202647 min

#076 - Maria Stasevich: I Built My Architecture Career by Just Being Visible

What if the only thing holding you back is… not being visible?In this episode, Maria shares how she went from a student with “not enough knowledge” to building a platform, interviewing real architects, and getting opportunities just by putting her work out there. She talks about why “visibility matters,” how to learn faster by asking questions, and why sustainable architecture should start with reusing what already exists.If you’re a student, creative, or just starting out, this is your reminder: you don’t need to know everything - you just need to start.To explore more about Maria Stasevich and her work, you can follow her on Linkedin, Instagram @mari_architecture and @media_oblik, subscribe to her Youtube channel, or visit her agency website media-oblik.tilda.ws.Join me, Ladina, on this green journey, and don't forget to subscribe for more insightful conversations about sustainable living and architecture and drop us a review. If you have suggestions for future guests or topics, I'd love to hear from you on my socials!Let's explore the world of green architecture, one conversation at a time.Contact: Ladina ⁠⁠@ladinaschoepf⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠buildinggreenshow.comProduced by: ⁠⁠marketyourarchitecture.com⁠

March 24, 202651 min

#075 - Ariane Laxo: The Hidden Psychology Blocking Sustainable Architecture

Why do great designs fail - even when everything is done right?Ariane Laxo, Director of Sustainability at HGA Architects & Engineers, has seen it firsthand: “people take their own customization into a space,” often reshaping even the most well-intended designs. In this conversation, she reveals why sustainability isn’t just about better materials or technology - but about behavior, trust, and the everyday choices people make inside a space.From testing ideas in small ways to understanding why “no one likes to be told what to do,” Ariane explains how real change happens - and why we are no longer designing for one predictable future. If you’ve never stopped to ask, “how could the changing climate impact my project?” - this episode might be the shift you didn’t know you needed.Resources mentioned in this episode- National Climate Assessment https://toolkit.climate.gov/NCA5- Resilient MA https://resilient.mass.gov/- Cal-Adapt https://cal-adapt.org/- University of Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership (MCAP) https://climate.umn.edu/- First Street https://firststreet.org/- AIA Trust Climate Factsheet https://theaiatrust.com/home/climate-factsheet/- Class 3 Technologies climate risk assessment https://www.class3technologies.com/- LOCA downscaled climate projections for North America https://loca.ucsd.edu/- WeatherShift https://weathershift.com/- Victor Insurance webinar: Navigating climate-related risks: Legal and practical strategies for design firms- HGA and MCAP study on the use of climate data in design https://hga.com/climate-forward/- Six Classes Approach to Reducing Chemical Harm https://www.sixclasses.org/- State and county climate action plans, resilience plans, and hazard mitigation plansTo explore more about Ariane Laxo and her work, you can follow her on Linkedin or visit her website at hga.com.Join me, Ladina, on this green journey, and don't forget to subscribe for more insightful conversations about sustainable living and architecture and drop us a review. If you have suggestions for future guests or topics, I'd love to hear from you on my socials!Let's explore the world of green architecture, one conversation at a time.Contact: Ladina ⁠⁠@ladinaschoepf⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠buildinggreenshow.comProduced by: ⁠⁠marketyourarchitecture.com⁠

March 10, 202649 min

#074 - Bryn Davidson: The Massive Carbon Footprint Hidden Under Our Cities

What if the most “sustainable” building is still harming the planet? Bryn Davidson has spent the last two decades trying to make buildings better for people and the planet — not just through design, but through the boring-but-powerful stuff most architects avoid: policy, zoning, and building codes.He explains why a “green” building can still be a climate disaster, talks about the idea of the “carbon iceberg” hiding under our nicest projects, and shares one simple rule about daylight that could make apartments feel instantly more livable. And then we get into the real controversy: why “protecting neighborhood character” can accidentally break housing, push sprawl, and lock cities into car-dependence.If you’ve ever wondered why doing the right thing still feels hard - this episode will make you see the system behind it.To explore more about Bryn Davidson and his work, you can follow him on Linkedin, Instagram @lanefab , or visit his website lanefab.com.Join me, Ladina, on this green journey, and don't forget to subscribe for more insightful conversations about sustainable living and architecture and drop us a review. If you have suggestions for future guests or topics, I'd love to hear from you on my socials!Let's explore the world of green architecture, one conversation at a time.Contact: Ladina ⁠⁠@ladinaschoepf⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠buildinggreenshow.comProduced by: ⁠⁠marketyourarchitecture.com⁠

February 26, 202644 min

#073 - Isaias Hernandez: How to Talk About Climate So People Actually Listen

How do you go from being rejected by Greenpeace to interviewing the Vice President of the United States?Isaias Hernandez is an environmental influencer who’s built a huge platform by making climate topics feel human, clear, and actually worth paying attention to.You’ll hear how he went from finishing his environmental science degree and landing in the corporate world, to creating his own online platform not by trying to sound like a “perfect expert,” but by being very openly himself and letting that strong point of view attract the right people. We talk about what universities don’t teach you: how to explain climate to regular people without making it feel like homework — and why storytelling, humor, and culture can sometimes land harder than facts alone.If you’ve ever felt like you don’t belong in the room, this conversation might change how you see your voice, your impact, and your role in the climate movement.To explore more about Isaias Hernandez and his work, you can follow him on Linkedin, Instagram, Youtube, or visit his website queerbrownvegan.com.Join me, Ladina, on this green journey, and don't forget to subscribe for more insightful conversations about sustainable living and architecture and drop us a review. If you have suggestions for future guests or topics, I'd love to hear from you on my socials!Let's explore the world of green architecture, one conversation at a time.Contact: Ladina ⁠⁠@ladinaschoepf⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠buildinggreenshow.comProduced by: ⁠⁠marketyourarchitecture.com⁠

February 10, 202654 min

#072 - Ross O'Ceallaigh: Why “Green” Cities Are Making Climate Change Worse

Today’s guest is Ross O’Ceallaigh, and he’s here to ruin the idea that a green city is automatically a good one.In this episode, you’ll hear why perfectly cut grass can be bad for nature, why some cities accidentally kill biodiversity while trying to “save the planet,” and how letting places get a bit messier can actually make cities cooler, healthier, and safer during heatwaves and floods. Ross also explains why people sometimes rebel against nature projects — and what happens when communities aren’t told what’s going on.If you’ve ever thought trees on buildings look cool but wondered if they actually help… or if cities can fix climate problems without turning into jungles, this conversation will seriously change how you see urban life.To explore more about Ross O’Ceallaigh and his work, you can visit his website urbanwildinghub.com, listen to The Green Urbanist podcast, and read his newsletter on greenurbanist.substack.com.Join me, Ladina, on this green journey, and don't forget to subscribe for more insightful conversations about sustainable living and architecture and drop us a review. If you have suggestions for future guests or topics, I'd love to hear from you on my socials!Let's explore the world of green architecture, one conversation at a time.Contact: Ladina ⁠⁠@ladinaschoepf⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠buildinggreenshow.comProduced by: ⁠⁠marketyourarchitecture.com⁠

January 21, 20261 hr 9 min

#071 - Dr. Eugene Tsui: Why Modern Architecture Is Killing the Planet

What if our buildings could survive earthquakes, floods, and climate change by learning from nature?Dr. Eugene Tssui explains why modern buildings are failing - and how studying creatures like the nearly indestructible tardigrade can lead to safer, stronger, and cleaner architecture. This episode challenges everything you think you know about concrete, glass, and the future of design.To explore more about Dr. Eugene Tssui and his work, you can follow him on Facebook or visit his website eugenetssui.com.Join me, Ladina, on this green journey, and don't forget to subscribe for more insightful conversations about sustainable living and architecture and drop us a review. If you have suggestions for future guests or topics, I'd love to hear from you on my socials!Let's explore the world of green architecture, one conversation at a time.Contact: Ladina ⁠⁠@ladinaschoepf⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠buildinggreenshow.comProduced by: ⁠⁠marketyourarchitecture.com⁠