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Building Resilience and Community in Central America with Federico Steinvorth

Author

Charlie Cichetti
November 27, 2025

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In this episode, Federico Steinvorth, a newly inducted LEED Fellow from Costa Rica, shares how he’s championing sustainable building practices across Central America through early project integration, renewable energy, and a strong focus on community engagement.

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🌱BREAKING DOWN TRADITIONAL BUILDING

In this episode, Federico revolutionizes traditional construction approaches:

[Key Insight #1] Early integration of sustainability consultants leads to better design outcomes

  • What's outdated: Consultants often brought in late in the design process.

  • The innovation: Engaging early to guide KPIs and sustainable design strategies.

  • Impact: Avoided costly redesigns, better project alignment with corporate sustainability goals.

[Key Insight #2] Leveraging Costa Rica’s 99% renewable energy grid for electrification

  • What's outdated: High energy consumption in industrial and manufacturing projects.

  • The innovation: Aligning electrification and decarbonization efforts with a clean national grid.

  • Impact: Reduced carbon footprint, cost-effective clean energy adoption.

[Key Insight #3] Partnering with communities to define sustainable success

  • What's outdated: Sustainability frameworks don’t always capture local community needs.

  • The innovation: Engaging community teams to integrate social priorities into projects.

  • Impact: Higher impact, long-term community alignment, enhanced project acceptance.

♻️ YOUR GREEN BUILD CHALLENGE

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✅ CONNECT AND CONTINUE

🌿 Access full episode resources: Green Building Matters Podcast 

🗒 Read the transcript: HERE