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Green Building Standards: Pioneering Sustainability with Pablo La Roche, Joe Mamayek, and Jonce Walker

Jan. 27, 2025
Sustainability leaders from architecture firms SAG, HLW, and Arcadis discuss green building certifications, client priorities, and the evolving role of design in achieving decarbonization and regenerative practices.

In this insightful episode of I Hear Design, host Robert Nieminen sits down with industry leaders Pablo La Roche (Arcadis), Joe Mamayek (SGA), and Jonce Walker (HLW) to explore the evolving landscape of green building standards, including LEED v5 and its far-reaching implications. From cutting-edge technologies like geothermal and passive cooling to the rise of regenerative design and embodied carbon reduction, this conversation dives deep into the challenges and opportunities shaping sustainable architecture and urbanism. Whether you're a seasoned professional or an emerging designer, tune in for actionable advice on staying ahead in the dynamic world of green building.

Meet Our Guests

 

Pablo La Roche PhD, LEED AP BD+C, Principal, Director Sustainable Design Services, Arcadis Inc 

Pablo La Roche is a Principal & Global Sustainable Design Services Director at ARCADIS, where he leads the Architecture and Urbanism division’s sustainability initiatives and works on projects worldwide. He is also a tenured Professor of Architecture at Cal Poly Pomona University and holds a Ph.D. from the University of California Los Angeles. He has authored over 150 technical papers and books, including three editions of “Carbon Neutral Architectural Design” and book chapters, including one in the 2022 Routledge Manual on Thermal Comfort. Pablo has been a technical reviewer of numerous conferences and journals, chaired the Passive Low Energy Architecture PLEA 2016 conference in Los Angeles, and is past president of the Society of Building Science Educators, SBSE. His awards include the Fulbright by the US Department of State, the Chancellors Scholarship from UCLA, the IMPACT Award from the USGBC, and the NCARB Grand Prize.

Joseph Mamayek, AIA, LEED AP, Principal, SGA

Throughout his more than thirty-year career, Joseph Mamayek, AIA, LEED AP has approached architecture as a means to explore new frontiers, provide environmental stewardship, and foster connections with communities. With a multidisciplinary focus spanning life sciences, commercial, and institutional, he ensures these objectives are a focus for each project. A captivating orator, Joe's ability to tie anecdotal narratives and highly technical data points into conversation with an audience has engaged communities on a global scale.

 

Jonce Walker, LEED AP, CSBA, Fitwel Ambassador, Principal, Global Director of Sustainability and Wellness at HLW; Managing Director of BEYOND

Jonce Walker, LEED AP, CSBA, Fitwel Ambassador, is the Global Director of Sustainability and Wellness at HLW where he oversees the coordination of a holistic, integrated design process –– from managing BEYOND, HLW's in-house sustainability, resilience, and building performance consultancy, to reinforcing the firm's pledge to the AIA 2030 Commitment. Utilizing nearly two decades of experience in both the public and private sectors, Jonce is responsible for weaving sustainability into each stage of design, working to transcend project goals to maximize value for clients, repair ecology, reduce carbon, and improve end-user health and wellness.

About the Author

Robert Nieminen | Chief Content Director

Robert Nieminen is the Chief Content Director of Architectural Products, BUILDINGS and i+s. He is an award-winning writer with more than 20 years of experience reporting on the architecture and design industry.

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