Smart investments: Building resilience into commercial projects

As climate risks intensify and carbon reduction targets grow more ambitious, the building industry faces a complex and urgent challenge. The transformation required spans both existing and new structures, demanding comprehensive changes to minimize carbon emissions, reduce energy consumption, incorporate sustainable materials, and build resilience against natural disasters such as wildfires, floods, and extreme heat.

For our larger commercial buildings, this transformation presents both the greatest challenges and the most significant opportunities for impact. These projects offer the potential for substantial environmental benefits while requiring the most complex coordination of sustainable design, advanced materials, and resilient construction practices.

This panel, hosted by ROCKWOOL North America, will examine how decarbonization, energy efficiency, sustainability, and resilience can be integrated into both the construction and retrofit of large commercial and multi-family buildings. Experts will share insights from real-world examples, exploring how design strategies and material choices, policy, and innovative solutions can reduce energy use and emissions, enhance building performance, and drive long-term value.

The conversation will also highlight the evolving regulatory landscape, market pressures, and financial incentives in North America that are shaping investment decisions, demonstrating why a comprehensive approach to climate-ready buildings benefits communities, the environment, and the bottom line.

This event is part of Partnerships for the Future, a weeklong series of engagements hosted by the Consulate General of Denmark in New York and Danish Industry. It is organized in collaboration with leading businesses and organizations that are actively contributing to global dialogue during Climate Week NYC and the annual United Nations General Assembly.

Confirmed Speakers include:

• Rory Moss, President at ROCKWOOL North America
• Katie Schwamb, Managing Director at Building Energy Exchange (moderator)
• Louis Koehl, Director of Sustainable Design at Handel Architects
• Nikki Joseph, Senior Policy Advisor for Building Decarbonization at the Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice