#397 Kristen DiStefano on Designing for Future-Ready Sustainability

Author

Charlie Cichetti
September 11, 2025

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What if your master plan was smart enough to beat policy to the punch?

Kristen DiStefano shares bold strategies from Atelier Ten that are shaping the future of zero-carbon communities — before the ink is dry on today’s code.

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🌱BREAKING DOWN TRADITIONAL BUILDING

In this episode, Kristen DiStefano revolutionizes traditional construction approaches:
[Key Insight #1] Building a blackwater-powered future in Mission Rock

  • What's outdated: Water reuse wasn’t even legal when the project began.

  • The innovation: Design a district-wide blackwater treatment and reuse system anyway.

  • Impact: Now required by code, the system will save an estimated 16 million gallons annually.

[Key Insight #2] Rethinking energy at California College of the Arts

  • What's outdated: Maker spaces with kilns, glass furnaces, and labs have huge loads.

  • The innovation: Dual strategy — reduce architectural demand and work directly with studio leaders to tackle equipment use.

  • Impact: Smart controls + future microgrid + PV = a scalable model for low-carbon academic buildings.

[Key Insight #3] Expanding what “zero carbon” really means

  • What's outdated: Too many sustainability frameworks stop at operations.

  • The innovation: Kristen argues for a broader carbon scope: refrigerants, site work, EV infrastructure, and even transportation emissions.

  • Impact: A regenerative, resilient framework that keeps pace with reality—and policy shifts.

♻️ YOUR GREEN BUILD CHALLENGE

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