Construction & Design Outlook: Strategies for Ground-Up Development and Retrofitting

Tackling Costs, Timelines, Electrification, and Compliance with Building Codes and Sustainability Requirements

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  Suzanne Fallender

  Suzanne Fallender is VP, Global ESG for Prologis, overseeing the company’s ESG strategy, stakeholder engagement activities, public reporting, and strategic initiatives. Working with groups across the company, Suzanne and her team advance integration and scale of Prologis’ sustainability and social impact strategies, and proactively engage with investors, customers, and other stakeholders on ESG topics. Suzanne has more than 20 years of experience in the fields of corporate responsibility and sustainable investing. She holds an M.B.A. from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University and a B.A. from Trinity College in Hartford, CT. Suzanne has served on a number of industry advisory boards and committees on sustainability and corporate responsibility over the past decade. She currently serves on the board of the non-profit Net Impact/Good Institute which equips emerging leaders to use their skills and careers to make a positive impact on the world.

  Prologis

  VP of Global ESG

  Suzanne Fallender

  VP of Global ESG

  Prologis

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  Alex Spilger

  As Vice President of Real Estate Sustainability at The Sobrato Organization, Alex Spilger leads sustainability strategy across the company’s real estate portfolio, aligning environmental goals with core business priorities. In this role, he advances initiatives to reduce emissions, lower energy cost, mitigate risk, and create long-term value while fostering a culture of environmental responsibility and innovation. Alex brings over 15 years of experience in sustainability and decarbonization, with expertise spanning multifamily, office, retail, hotel, affordable housing, and industrial assets. He has shaped sustainability strategy, built cross-functional engagement, and delivered measurable impact across complex real estate portfolios. Prior to joining TSO, Alex led sustainability at Kennedy Wilson and Cushman & Wakefield, and founded GreenStep, a training firm that equipped more than 5,000 professionals to advance their careers in the green building industry. A California native and UCLA civil engineering graduate, Alex and his wife Amelia co-produced an award-winning documentary while working with coffee farmers in Costa Rica. Outside of work, he enjoys surfing, cycling, and spending time with their three sons.

  The Sobrato Organization

  VP, Real Estate Sustainability

  Alex Spilger

  VP, Real Estate Sustainability

  The Sobrato Organization

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  Lauren Galanes

  With over 30 years of experience in landscape management, construction, and regenerative design, Lauren Galanes brings a unique combination of expertise and passion to her role as Regenerative Landscape Manager at Gachina Landscape Management. Since joining Gachina in 2013, she has led the design, installation, and maintenance of sustainable and green roof systems, working with clients to create resilient, eco-friendly outdoor spaces. Lauren is a certified Green Roof Professional (GRP), having been accredited by the Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC), and holds GRIMP certification for Green Roof Installation and Maintenance. She has been actively involved in the green roof industry since 2016, contributing her knowledge to the creation of environmentally regenerative spaces. In addition to her technical expertise, Lauren's background includes a diverse set of qualifications. She earned her Master's in Humanities & Leadership from the New College of California, specializing in eco-agriculture, eco-building, and sustainable community practices. Her Permaculture Design Certification from the Northern California Permaculture Institute and her early years managing Uncommon Ground Farm and Landscape in British Columbia give her a strong foundation in sustainable agriculture, hardscaping, and regenerative practices. Lauren's extensive experience spans from her landscape contractor work in the Bay Area (1993-2004), where she specialized in design, horticulture, masonry, and sustainable landscapes, to her current role leading regenerative projects at Gachina. As a dedicated professional, she remains committed to promoting sustainability in every project, whether it's through green roof installations, sustainable landscape designs, or permaculture-based approaches. Her work continues to shape the future of the landscape industry with an emphasis on regenerative practices that enhance both the environment and communities.

  Gachina Landscape Management

  Regenerative Landscape Manager

  Lauren Galanes

  Regenerative Landscape Manager

  Gachina Landscape Management

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  John Bringenberg

  John Bringenberg serves as an Outreach Specialist at Willdan, collaborating with architects and developers to facilitate project enrollment in the Energy Design Assistance programs across major California utilities. That complimentary program saves energy on new construction projects that will exist for 50, 75 years or longer - helping mitigate climate crisis while delivering significant 5- and 6-digit incentives to the project developers. He has dedicated his career to renewable energy, corporate development, understanding of energy markets, Distributed Energy Resources, renewable policy, and corporate sustainability. Along with his sustainability knowledge, John serves as a subject matter expert and lead author on PACE Financing. Beyond his role at Willdan, John spearheads a non-profit organization focused on promoting sustainable building practices and advocating for sound climate policies.

  Willdan

  Outreach Specialist

  John Bringenberg

  Outreach Specialist

  Willdan

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  Brett Stuckey

  Brett Stuckey has worked for Turner Construction since 2009. In 15+ years at Turner, Brett has held a variety of roles and built projects in multiple market segments, including aviation, commercial, higher education, sports, and light industrial. Brett recently took the position of Regional Sustainability Manager for Turner’s Northern California Region, and works with preconstruction and project teams to implement measures to reduce carbon, waste, and water consumption on our jobsites. Turner has been the #1 Green Contractor according to ENR since 2007, and was selected as a USGBC Leadership Award recipient in 2024.

  Turner Construction Company

  Regional Sustainability Manager

  Moderator

  Brett Stuckey

  Regional Sustainability Manager

  Turner Construction Company

The Path to Zero: Strategies for Decarbonizing the Built Environment

Setting Long-Term Emission Targets, Emission Reduction Strategies, Reporting Standards, and Collaborative Pathways

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  Kairee Tann

  Kairee is Senior Vice President responsible for the development and implementation of portfolio-wide policies and programs in Sustainability, Innovation and Community Impact. Kairee oversees h³experiences®, an initiative that brings The Swig Company’s elevated experiences for building clients and community impact programs together. h³experiences® provides flexible, urban experiences designed to inspire and connect, elevate workplaces, enhance wellness and sustainability, and engage with communities in and around our buildings. Within the Asset Management Team, Kairee plays a key role in acquisitions due diligence, conceptualizing new and value-add projects and establishing Company procedures and best practices. Kairee brings over 20 years of commercial construction management experience and joined the Swig Company in 2016, overseeing the successful repositioning and sale of 300 Lakeside. Kairee has a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of California, Davis. She is a LEED Accredited Professional and ULI member.

  The Swig Company

  SVP, Director of Innovation & Community Impact

  Kairee Tann

  SVP, Director of Innovation & Community Impact

  The Swig Company

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  Isela Rosales

  Isela Rosales, CAIA, serves as a Managing Director in the Capital Markets Group as well as of ESG and Sustainability at Bridge Investment Group. She leads the firm’s ESG Steering Committee to oversee the development, implementation and refinement of firm wide environmental, social and governance initiatives and practices, driving sustainable investments and operations. In addition, she is focused on expanding Bridge’s relationships across consultant and select institutional investors, including pension plans, foundations, Community Re-Investment Act groups, family offices, and impact-oriented clients. Ms. Rosales also Chaired the Bridge Women’s Network (BWN) Inaugural Kick-Off, is a Committee Member of BWN, and an active BWN mentor. Prior to joining Bridge, Ms. Rosales worked at Brevan Howard in Investor Relations, managing corporate and public pension, endowment, foundation, private wealth, and investment consultant relationships. Previously, she was Head of Client Services for Lyxor Asset Management, Inc. and Director of Marketing & Investor Relations for Coast Asset Management in their New York offices, cultivating institutional level client relationships for each multi-billion dollar firm’s hedge fund and multi-manager products. She began her career at Cambridge Associates, serving on consultant teams for the firm’s endowment, foundation, and family office clients, covering traditional and hedge fund asset classes. Ms. Rosales received her dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in International Relations and Spanish from Stanford University, graduating with honors distinctions. She has moderated industry panels on Real Assets, Diversity & Inclusion, and Opportunity Zones as well as supported panels as a speaker on Real Estate and Opportunity Zone Fund investing. Ms. Rosales holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation and is the Chapter Head Executive for the CAIA San Francisco Chapter. She is fluent in Spanish and has competed in Ironman, endurance cycling, and marathon competitions.

  Bridge Investment Group

  Managing Director, Head of ESG & Sustainability

  Isela Rosales

  Managing Director, Head of ESG & Sustainability

  Bridge Investment Group

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  Megan White

  With over 17 years of leadership experience in sustainable design, materials, and construction, Megan specializes in leading complex, large-scale projects and cross-functional teams. Her expertise lies in addressing systemic challenges such as climate change, ethical supply chains, whole-life carbon considerations, social equity, nature preservation, and human well-being. Firecrown's mission is to help the world’s largest companies become the world’s largest solutions to the climate crisis. As a Principal, Megan is passionate about advancing decarbonization, unlocking the circular economy, and promoting a regenerative paradigm shift across society. She is a recognized process author, change-maker, and systems thinker, who partners with clients to drive innovation and ESG initiatives. Megan has led sustainability strategy for some of the world’s largest LEED Platinum and Living Building Challenge certified projects. Prior to joining Firecrown, Megan led sustainability at Webcor, served as Chief Sustainability Officer & VP of ESG at Introba (previously Integral Group), developed the ESG program for Sidara Collaborative, and was VP of Operations at All About Waste. She is currently an active board member representing USGBC California.

  USGBC California

  Director

  Megan White

  Director

  USGBC California

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  Justin Tiedemann

  Founder and CEO Justin Tiedemann spent over 20 years managing and delivering new construction projects up to $60 million to clients in New York City and California. Through his experience, he realized that energy waste was prolific in buildings both new and old and was determined to find a win-win solution to fix it. By remaining steadfast in its mission to drive decarbonization through commercial energy efficiency projects that fight climate change, EcoCosm has empowered our clients to achieve significant cost savings while enabling them to obtain energy-efficient buildings that meet their Net Zero and ESG goals.

  EcoCosm

  Founder and CEO

  Justin Tiedemann

  Founder and CEO

  EcoCosm

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  Cynthia NeSmith-Montanez

  Cynthia NeSmith-Montanez is a Director of Healthcare at SLS Consultants, bringing over 40 years of experience delivering complex projects across the Healthcare and Life Sciences sectors. Her work spans hospital campuses, medical office buildings, and advanced biotech and research facilities, with deep expertise in regulatory compliance, HCAI/OSHPD oversight, and infrastructure modernization. Cynthia’s background in both owner’s representation and general contracting gives her a unique ability to bridge technical, clinical, and operational priorities. She has also contributed to major initiatives in corporate, financial, and hospitality environments, making her a versatile leader known for strategic insight, collaborative leadership, and successful delivery in highly regulated settings.

  SLS Consultants

  Director

  Moderator

  Cynthia NeSmith-Montanez

  Director

  SLS Consultants