LEED Fellow Andres Schwarz on Keeping the Sustainability Flame Alive

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Charlie Cichetti
March 12, 2026

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From Buenos Aires to Papua New Guinea, LEED Fellow and Architect Andres Schwarz shows how to turn certifications, commissioning, and culture into long-term, resilient green performance — not just plaques on the wall.

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🌱BREAKING GROUND ON BETTER BUILDING

In this episode, Andres Schwarz rewires how we think about certifications, commissioning, and culture in green building:

[Key Insight #1] Commissioning + Certification Is a Long-Term Performance Engine

  • What's outdated: In many markets, the LEED consultant and commissioning agent are separate, leading to gaps between design intent and real-world performance — and a “set it and forget it” mindset.

  • The innovation: Andres’ team delivers both LEED consulting and commissioning, staying deeply involved with HVAC, lighting, and controls so the building actually works for occupants long after opening day.

  • Impact: Fewer warranty calls, better comfort, and systems that perform for decades instead of just for the ribbon-cutting — turning “green design” into durable, resilient operations.

[Key Insight #2] Stack Rating Systems to Unlock Human-Centric Value

  • What's outdated: Clients often see sustainability as a single certification box to check, missing health, waste, and mobility opportunities.

  • The innovation: Andres guides clients to layer systems — like a Sanofi project that achieved four certifications (LEED, WELL, Fitwel, TRUE Zero Waste), plus tools like Active-Score to elevate mobility and access for everyone, including cleaning staff and security guards.

  • Impact: Stronger ESG stories, healthier and more equitable workplaces, and deeper resource savings across energy, waste, and well-being — value that goes far beyond energy models.

[Key Insight #3] Make Sustainability Affordable, Local, and Built to Last

  • What's outdated: In Latin America, incentives and financing vary by country, and many teams still treat sustainability as a “fad” or expensive add-on.

  • The innovation: Andres combines global tools (LEED, WELL, Fitwel, TRUE, EDGE) with local realities — focusing on resilience in healthcare and schools, hydrogen and energy in industry, micro-grids for residential, and indoor air quality for commercial spaces, while making certifications financially and technically accessible.

  • Impact: Projects that actually happen — platinum-level buildings in rural Argentina, cross-continent work in Chile, France, the U.S., and Papua New Guinea — and a new generation of students who see sustainability as part of their identity, not a side project.

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✅ CONNECT AND CONTINUE

🌿 Access full episode resources: Green Building Matters Podcast 

📄 Read the transcript: HERE

🔗 Connect with Andres Schwarz: