What do actor Mark Ruffalo, Republic of Kenya President William Ruto, and Estée Lauder’s chief sustainability officer Nancy Mahon each have in common?
They will speak at Climate Week NYC 2025 this September, among other world leaders in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. Topics this year again put a heavy focus on resiliency, which will be explored through case studies of projects, and tours, right here in the city. Other subjects covered in the talks include retrofitting buildings, decarbonization, and energy use.
Climate Week NYC officially starts on September 21 and lasts through September 28. AN rounded up some must see events for architects, planners, and building industry professionals. Find the calendar of talks, tours, and more here.
Monday, September 22
Designing NYC’s Climate Future: Policy, Engagement, and Architecture at Work
At 25 Park Place, join WXY’s Claire Weisz, ARO’s Adam Lubinsky, and planner Chris Rice for a scintillating discussion about the future of public space, environmental justice, and more.
Wagner Park Sustainability Tour
In July, a major re-engineering of Wagner Park by AECOM was completed, bringing much needed flood mitigation strategies to the site. Thomas Phifer and Partners designed a new pavilion there, dubbed the Wagner Park Pavilion, slated to open this fall. On September 22, the Battery Park City Authority will offer a tour of the revamped green space.
Tuesday, September 23
In Dialogue with Nature: Snøhetta on shaping environmental and social sustainability
Craig Dykers, Snøhetta cofounder, will deliver a keynote lecture at a September 23 event sponsored byHydro. Dykers will present the firm’s ongoing Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library project and discuss its approach to sustainable and circular design.
Planning Meets Practice: New Decarbonization Tools from ASHRAE, USGBC, and The Retrofit Playbook
NYSERDA grants are helping architects meet Local Law 97 benchmarks, and retrofit existing buildings to bolster energy efficiency. On September 23, NYSERDA senior project manager Sophie Cardona will be in conversation with Laurie Kerr, USGBC principal climate advisor; and Phil Keuhn, principal at RMI, to discuss strategic decarbonization solutions.
Community-Centered Solutions to Combatting the Urban Heat Island Effect
Celeste Frye and Melissa Lee will delve into how Public Works Partners is tackling the urban heat island effect plaguing cities around the world. The City of Hudson, Newtown Creek, and other case studies will be used.
The Place for Dialogue – by Hydro
David Beasley—executive director of the World Food Programme (WFP), which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020—will convene with Elman Peace Center director Ilwad Elman; and Owen Gaffney, chief impact officer at Nobel Prize Outreach, for a one-day event to examine the role of circularity in a just and resilient future.
Wednesday, September 24
Join The New York Times architecture critic Michael Kimmelman; Holcim Foundation’s Kate Ascher, author of The Works: Anatomy of a City; and Rebuild by Design director Amy Chester for a roundtable about climate infrastructure projects reshaping lower Manhattan.
Water: Designing an Equitable Water Future for NYC
Design Trust for Public Space is hosting an event at 99 Gansevoort Street to launch its 12th call for projects: Water. There, a panel of artists, urban planners, and infrastructure experts will explore into the intersections of public space and water.
AIANY Climate Change and Architecture Tour
AIANY’s first Climate Week walking and boat tour takes place September 24 on Manhattan’s West Side. Join AIANY to learn about “waterfront resilience and the changing political priorities of our time.”
Thursday, September 25
Rooted and Ready: Planning and Designing the Next Generation of Resilience Hubs
Justine Shapiro-Kline, director of planning at ONE Architecture & Urbanism, will be in conversation with Rebuild by Design’s Amy Chester and Climate Resilience Consulting president Joyce Coffee to discuss how “government agencies, corporations, philanthropy, and community leaders can collaborate to make resilience hubs a part of current budgets.”
Scaling Building Decarbonization and Regenerative Design through Synergies
Grimshaw Architects is hosing an event at its office at 60 Madison Avenue. Join Vincent Martinez, Shanta Tucker, William Horgan, and Paul Toyne to learn about progress and challenges in advancing decarbonization and regenerative design.
Designing for Future Climate Disruption and Displacement
At an event co-hosted by the Battery Park City Authority and AIANY’s Design for Risk and Reconstruction Committee, Spitzer School of Architecture professor Hillary Brown, Perkins Eastman principal Eric Fang, and Nautilus International president Bonnie Harken will discuss just transition solutions.
Friday, September 26
Climate Threats, Building Loss and Heritage—Decision Makers at a Crossroads
Billie Faircloth joined Cornell AAP after a long stint at KieranTimberlake last year. Faircloth will gather with Robert Freudenberg, Regional Plan Association vice president of energy and environment; and Zakhia Grant of ReAL Edgemere Community Land Trust on September 26. These three will discuss building and infrastructure reconstruction after natural disasters strike.
AIANY Climate Change and Architecture Tour
Wind down Climate Week with another AIANY boat and walking tour at Chelsea Piers. Continuing education credits will be available.
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