Ian Shapiro—founder and co-owner of Taitem Engineering and Professor of Practice (Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering) at Syracuse University—is one of New York’s leading experts on building electrification, having recently helped the City of Ithaca develop a local energy code that reduces carbon emissions by 80 percent in new buildings and will require fossil-fuel-free buildings starting in 2026.

He joined us on Urban Green Live where we’ll talk to Ian about the building industry’s readiness to electrify and the challenges of growing the workforce and reducing construction costs. This wide-ranging discussion touched on everything from heat pumps to energy opportunities in New York State.