Adapt: Climate Change and the Built Environment

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 discussed on the show include the following:

The Resiliency Company

The Epicenter

The Resilient LA Delta Fund — Rebuilding with Resilience in LA

Home · Probable Futures

Construction Costs for a Wildfire Resistant Home, California Edition

Case Study: Adapt

Nature doesn't cause disasters, we do | PreventionWeb

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. Dena chairs the NCARB Futures Collaborative, has served as a guest lecturer at Yale and Columbia, and was the lead author of the architectural chapters for NYC's first-ever Waterfront Code.

Episode links:

Indigo River Studios - https://indigoriver.com/ Case Study: Wildflower Studios - https://indigoriver.com/portfolio/wildflower-studios/ Book: What if we get it right? By Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/645855/what-if-we-get-it-right-by-ayana-elizabeth-johnson/

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 - Book Review by Bookishelf

Ancient Courses: Harold Fisk's Meander Maps of the Mississippi River (1944) — The Public Domain Review

America's Achilles' Heel: the Mississippi River's Old River Control Structure | Weather Underground

Natural Solutions for Mississippi River Flooding

Flood: How climate change is making extreme rain more frequent and dangerous.

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 positioning. At the Chamber, Chaitovitz is launching a new environment and sustainability capability to give businesses the tools they need to adapt to the challenges posed by climate change.

Episode links:

Building Resilience Conference | U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation

The Economic Benefits of Investing in Climate Resilience | U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Coalition Letter on 2025 Resilience and Preparedness Priorities | U.S. Chamber of Commerce

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 climate-focused law firm, and Sustainable Strategies, a consulting firm dedicated to creating healthy, inclusive spaces through sustainability. With over a decade of experience litigating construction and insurance matters, Nicole brings a rare combination of legal expertise and deep knowledge of the real estate and sustainability sectors. She helps clients navigate building performance standards, draft climate-aligned contracts and leases, and develop practical, risk-aware solutions that support ESG goals.

Nicole also teaches sustainable development at the University of Washington and environmental health at the Boston Architectural College. She has been recognized as an Honorary Member of the American Institute of Architects (Seattle, 2021), named Educator of the Year by the International WELL Building Institute (2022), and honored as an Outstanding Voice of Pride by the Puget Sound Business Journal (2023).

Episode links:

The Chancery Lane Project: https://chancerylaneproject.org/

Responsible Contracting Project: https://www.responsiblecontracting.org/

COGFx Study: https://thecogfxstudy.com/

WELL Building Standard: https://www.wellcertified.com/

Healthy Buildings book: https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674278363

There are no accidents book - https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/There-Are-No-Accidents/Jessie-Singer/9781982129682

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: New Tools for a More Resilient Future and an editor of A Blueprint for Coastal Adaptation. She has published numerous articles, reports, and book chapters on the economics and policy of climate risk and disaster finance and she is routinely cited in media outlets.

Episode links:

Dr. Kousky's bio - https://www.carolynkousky.com/about

IBHS Fortified program - https://fortifiedhome.org/

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, CEO of ColdVest, a company dedicated to expanding its life-saving cooling technology worldwide. Finally, Jessica and Mónika talk to Andrew Crimston, creator of WashBox, a tool wash system that uses its own recycled water to provide tool washing for ALL construction trades.

Links to their companies and other issues discussed on the show are below:

WASHBOX | Sustainable Tool Wash Technology for Trades

ColdVest | Fast, Effective Heatstroke Relief | Portable Emergency Treatment

Our Company | VigiLife

A business case for protecting workers from extreme heat - Fast Company

Research Promotes Deeper Understanding of Impact of Heat Stress Mitigation Measures in Construction | Insights | Turner Construction Company

High Temperatures Increase Workers' Injury Risk, Whether They're Outdoors or Inside

The Heat Will Kill You First - Wikipedia

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 www.miamidade.gov/heat Earth Day: Fastest-Warming U.S. Cities and States | Climate Central Fast Company: Meet the 7 Chief Heat Officers who are making their cities more resilient

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 Practices in Assets and Portfolios

ULI, LaSalle Provide Framework for Real Estate Industry to Assess Climate Risk

America Adapts: The Wild Wild West of Climate Modeling

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 of Beavers and Why They Matter. They discuss beavers' past, present, and future - their connection to European settlement of North America, present-day approaches to beaver activities, and how beavers can help protect our communities in the future.

Links and resources mentioned in the show:

Ben Goldfarb

Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter a book by Ben Goldfarb

Crossings | Ben Goldfarb | W. W. Norton & Company

Beaver Institute Management, Research and Education

Microsoft Word - ECONW Escalante Beaver Values Report 0211.doc