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PODCAST

Adapt: Climate Change and the Built Environment

Monika Serrano; Jessica Mederson

Hosts Mónika Serrano and Jessica Mederson interview people across the private and public sectors to discuss adapting the built environment to a changing climate. While climate mitigation and sustainability get most of the attention and financial investments, climate resiliency and adaptation are just as crucial because we are already experiencing the impacts of changes to our climate. Ensuring that we are adapting to extreme weather and evolving climate patterns requires us to reexamine what it

business natural sciences

All Episodes

45:39

Bridging the Gap: Finding Funds to Build (and Build...

Adapt: Climate Change and the Built Environment ·

2025/08/27

Monika and Jessica talk to Abby Ross, the founder of The Resiliency Company, focused on helping communities adapt to climate risk. Abby has used her background as an entrepreneur and experience working with charitable giving to identify the funding gaps holding communities back from fully recovering from natural disasters and find ways to fund those gaps. The Resiliency Company mobilizes the funding, policies, and innovation required to shift markets and minds toward resiliency. Links and articles

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45:24

Resilient Waterfronts: Designing for the Future

Adapt: Climate Change and the Built Environment ·

2025/08/13

Dena Prastos, CEO and Founder of Indigo River Studios, joins Monika and Jessica to discuss waterfront resilience in NYC and beyond. Indigo River Studios is a women-owned design firm specializing in waterfront infrastructure, climate adaptation, and regulatory innovation. Dena is both a AIA licensed architect and civil engineer. She leads transformative public and private projects across New York and beyond, including work with NYCEDC, the Trust for Governors Island, and the Hudson River Park Trust

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01:01:59

Messing with the Mississippi: Lessons Learned from...

Adapt: Climate Change and the Built Environment ·

2025/07/30

Monika and Jessica speak with Boyce Upholt, a writer and "nature critic," about his first book, The Great River: The Making and Unmaking of the Mississippi. They discuss the long history of American efforts to control and corral the Mississippi River, the engineering feats that have gone into that project, and some of the consequences of those actions. Links discussed in the show include: Boyce Upholt The Great River a book by Boyce Upholt - Bookshop.org US Is a River Alive? by Robert Macfarlane

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31:21

Future-Proofing Business: The Chamber's Work on...

Adapt: Climate Change and the Built Environment ·

2025/07/16

Monika Serrano and Jessica Mederson speak with Chuck Chaitovitz, Vice President for environmental affairs and sustainability at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. They discuss the work being done by the Chamber as well as the Chamber's foundation to help businesses improve resiliency in the face of climate change. Chuck brings to the Chamber twenty-five years of experience focused on environment and energy issues, working with companies on strategies to improve their bottom line and competitive

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49:17

Healthy Buildings, Smarter Leases: Climate Law in Action

Adapt: Climate Change and the Built Environment ·

2025/06/25

Nicole DeNamur joins the podcast this week, along with co-hosts Jessica Mederson and Monika Serrano, they talk about emerging state and city climate-related laws, climate-aligned contracts and leases, and how they intersect with issues like water shortages, indoor air quality, occupant health and other climate mitigation and adaptation strategies. Nicole DeNamur (she/her), J.D., Hon. AIA, WELL AP, LFA, Fitwel Ambassador, LEED Green Associate, is the founder of Climate Aligned Law, a

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45:42

Home Insurance: Will it Weather the Storm?

Adapt: Climate Change and the Built Environment ·

2025/06/11

Carolyn Kousky, Acting Chief Economist at Environmental Defense Fund and founder of Insurance for Good joins Jessica Mederson and Monika Serrano, to discuss the current and future status of home insurance, the relationship between insurance at the individual level vs. community, what home owners can do today and much more. Dr. Kousky’s research examines multiple aspects of climate risk management and policy approaches for increasing resilience. She is the author of Understanding Disaster Insurance:

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01:01:07

Three Solutions for Climate Ready Construction

Adapt: Climate Change and the Built Environment ·

2025/05/28

Mónika Serrano and Jessica Mederson talk to three entrepreneurs about their solutions to problems the construction industry faces on the job site, particurarly in the face of extreme heat, poor air conditions, and lack of water. They first talk to Zachary Kiehl, CEO and principal engineer of VigiLife, a connected health and safety technology company dedicated to protecting and enriching the lives of individuals at risk through innovative solutions. Then Mónika and Jessica speak with Tracie Wagman,

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37:15

Hot Lessons, Cool Solutions: The Miami-Dade Story

Adapt: Climate Change and the Built Environment ·

2025/05/14

Jessica Mederson and Mónika Serrano sit down with Jane Gilbert, Miami-Dade County's Chief Heat Officer. Together, they dive into the growing threat of extreme heat for cities, its disproportionate impact on vulnerable communities, and how communities leaders can respond through thoughtful design and policy. Jane shares how her groundbreaking role has shaping heat mitigation strategies—from education strategies to tree canopy initiatives—and what is next. Links: www.Heat.Gov

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32:05

Are Real Estate Investors Addressing Climate Risk?

Adapt: Climate Change and the Built Environment ·

2024/12/19

Jessica Mederson and Mónika Serrano speak with Julie Manning, Global Head of Climate and Carbon Strategy at La Salle Investments. This conversation explores if real estate investors are factoring climate risk into their decision-making, what resilience actions are taking place, the challenges of evaluating climate risk across portfolios while considering the unique characteristics of buildings and surrounding communities, and more. Links: ULI, LaSalle Physical Climate Risks and Underwriting

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38:03

Beavers: Nature's Climate Resilience Engineers

Adapt: Climate Change and the Built Environment ·

2024/12/11

Drought. Flooding. Wildfires. These are all risks our communities and built environment face and these risks are increasing as our planet warms. Beavers, nature's engineers and a keystone species, can help us fight all of these risks. Beavers are central to water management (reducing flooding and droughts and mitigating wildfires) because of how they handle water: they slow it, spread it, store it, and sink it. Mónika and Jessica interview Ben Goldfarb, author of Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life

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49:02

From The Ground Up: Local Efforts to Create Resilient...

Adapt: Climate Change and the Built Environment ·

2024/11/27

Jessica Mederson and Mónika Serrano speak with Alison Sant, author of the book From the Ground Up: Local Efforts to Create Resilient Cities. They discuss how empowered local communities have created and led valuable efforts towards climate adaptation. From small, actionable steps to large-scale collective efforts, our conversation with Alison highlights stories of communities overcoming challenges, building strength, and fostering hope. From New Orleans to Minnesota and across the United States,

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54:41

The Money Will Follow: Investors on Climate Risk and...

Adapt: Climate Change and the Built Environment ·

2024/11/13

Mónika Serrano and Jessica Mederson talk to Greg Lindsey of Alpha Geo to explore how investors evaluate risks and opportunities in the face of climate change and climate migration. We also discuss public versus private investments, what the money follows, and the challenges individuals and communities face when considering climate migration. Topics and resources discussed include: AlphaGeo: AI-Powered Geospatial Predictive Analytics Columbia University Managed Retreat Conference The People

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42:52

A New Standard For Property Resilience

Adapt: Climate Change and the Built Environment ·

2024/10/30

Mónika Serrano and Jessica Mederson talk to Holly Neber, CEO of AEI Consultants, and chair of the development of the recently approved ASTM International Standard Guide for the assessment of physical climate risk and resilience for commercial properties known as the Property Resilience Assessment (PRA). We talk about the development of this new resilience standard, Holly's work as an emissary from commercial real estate finance to the resilience/adaptation community, and the processes of

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48:46

Concrete Conversations: Resiliency, Sustainability, &...

Adapt: Climate Change and the Built Environment ·

2024/10/16

Mónika Serrano and Jessica Mederson talk to Jim Schneider, Executive Director of PCI Mountain States, a chapter of the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) covering Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming. They discuss concrete's role in increasing the built environment's resiliency to climate change as well as the greenhouse gases that are emitted in manufacturing concrete. They also cover some of the innovations being made in how concrete is manufactured and used. Links and

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49:14

Working with Resiliency Consultants to Adapt the...

Adapt: Climate Change and the Built Environment ·

2024/10/02

Mónika and Jessica talk to Amy Macdonald, Founder & Principal of Ripple Resilience. Formerly a principal and founder of Thornton Tomasetti's Resilience Practice, her career spans four continents, with leadership roles responding to catastrophes including Sandy, Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, and earthquakes in New Zealand and Nepal. Amy discusses how her experience in disaster recovery has led to her career working with clients to incorporate resilient design, nature-based solutions, and

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01:10:41

Building a Resilient Tomorrow: Federal Policy...

Adapt: Climate Change and the Built Environment ·

2024/09/18

Jessica Mederson and Monika Serrano speak to Alice C. Hill, an expert in resilience to catastrophic risks, having served as Special Assistant to President Obama and Senior Director for Resilience Policy on the National Security Council. She led policy development on natural disasters, national security, and climate change. Previously, as senior counselor to the Secretary of Homeland Security, she developed the department’s first climate adaptation plan. Currently a Senior Fellow at the Council on

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42:26

Resilience Pays: Insurance Companies Fund...

Adapt: Climate Change and the Built Environment ·

2024/04/24

Jessica Mederson and Monika Serrano close the first season speaking with Dr. Anne Cope, Chief Engineer at IBHS, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, a nonprofit supported by property insurers, reinsurers, and affiliated companies. Anne leads the engineering team, researching the performance of homes and businesses in hurricanes, wildfires, severe thunderstorms, and hailstorms. We talk about her role at the National Institute of BUilding Sciences, building codes, affordability, return

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27:28

The Legal Landscape of Climate Adaptation

Adapt: Climate Change and the Built Environment ·

2024/04/10

Mónika and Jessica interview Professor Michael Gerrard, founder and director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School. We discuss issues such as building codes and FEMA flood maps, government regulations that could be used to improve resiliency in the built environment but only if communities use the latest versions of these regulations, which are beginning to incorporate future climate modeling--not just historical climate date. We also discuss potential liability for

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21:42

Keeping US diplomats safe abroad

Adapt: Climate Change and the Built Environment ·

2024/03/27

Jessica and Monika speak with Dr. Cassandra Smith and David Keller, from the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, US Department of State. Their Climate Security and Resilience program works to understand and generate awareness of outposts' vulnerability to natural hazards and to enhance their resilience in preparation for potential natural hazards. We learn how they analyze and act on climate hazards that may affect diplomats outposts, how these assets have been affected, what the future outlook

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43:27

New Orleans and Resilience Realities

Adapt: Climate Change and the Built Environment ·

2024/03/13

Mónika and Jessica discuss living in New Orleans with Ashley Robinson, a construction lawyer with a civil engineering degree who lives and works in New Orleans. We discuss living in New Orleans post Katrina – from work being done to prepare for future hurricanes to the multiple rounds of litigation after a major disaster. Ashley addresses the problems with getting home insurance in the face of increasing extreme weather issues and the roles building standards, green infrastructure, and individuals

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25 results

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