Register Now: Designing for Disruption

This session will be a conversation between design, finance, underwriting, and regulatory experts about the relative importance of resilient and sustainable design. As climate change and evolving regulations reshape our industry, we’ll explore which resilience strategies still matter most—and which may be fading. From indoor air and water quality to lighting, thermal, and acoustic comfort, we’ll highlight how these elements support occupant well-being and tenant appeal. We’ll also touch on how weather resilience can protect a building’s financial health.

Brian Lomel is an advocate of sustainable design and incorporating WELL Building Standards into designs to ultimately provide financial and human benefit. His technical understanding of building systems blended with his strong commitment to common sense sustainability and out-of-the-box creativity has resulted in simple elegant and sustainable solutions for numerous buildings. Brian was among the first in the nation to earn his WELL AP bringing an emphasis on designing buildings that protect and promote human health and wellness. He leads PEAK Institute or PI TLC’s technical resource group focused on high-performance projects. Additionally he serves on TLC’s board of directors supporting consistent delivery of services across the firm.

Chris Castro is the founding director and EVP, Chief Sustainability Officer at Climate First Bank. With a distinguished career in sustainability and clean energy, Chris has significantly contributed to environmental initiatives both local, national, and internationally. Before joining Climate First Bank, Chris served as a presidential appointee for the Biden-Harris administration, managing a $16 billion portfolio of grants and technical assistance programs at the U.S. Department of Energy. Chris’s career also includes entrepreneurship endeavors including founding the renowned eco-action nonprofit organization IDEAS For Us, the urban farming social enterprise Fleet Farming, and nearly a decade of service in the City of Orlando, where he held various roles, including senior adviser to Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and the City’s Director of Sustainability & Resilience.

Bradford Dockser is the CEO and Co-Founder of GreenGen. Founded in 2011, GreenGen transforms and decarbonizes the built environment through innovative solutions that integrate energy, real estate, technology, and capital markets, empowering organizations to Operate in the Green®. GreenGen helps clients profitably transition to a zero-carbon world by implementing net zero carbon strategies developed by a global team that includes mechanical, electrical, lighting, and environmental engineers, PhDs, tradesmen, as well as real estate and capital markets experts. Brad is a Forbes contributor and a sought-after advisor and speaker on the role of sustainability in driving the profitability of real assets and investment firms. He has spoken at many ULI convenings around the world, as well as for events hosted by AFIRE, MIPIM, and PERE.