Note: The Richard J. Carroll Memorial Lectureship in Civil Engineering was established at Johns Hopkins University to commemorate one of Baltimore’s leading structural engineers. The lectureship has been endowed by the many friends and admirers of Richard Carroll, who died in 1982. That endowment contributes to the ongoing guest seminars in the Department of Civil and Systems Engineering and provides for these special lectures.

Speaker: Craig Schwitter ’89, Senior Partner, Chair of the Global Board, Buro Happold

Title: Decarbonization in Buildings and Infrastructure: Accelerating the Energy Transition Ahead of Us

Abstract: The destabilizing effects of climate change continue to mount and pressure cities, states, and nations to come to grips with how to transition large-scale economies for a low-carbon future. Buildings and infrastructure occupy a significant portion of the carbon economy through their day-to-day operation, as well as the embodied carbon inherent in new construction. While great strides are being made in decarbonization, the challenge gets larger the more we delay, forcing us to accelerate energy transition. What strategies are working in the built environment? What does a decarbonized building and city infrastructure look like? What are the opportunities ahead to tackle these challenges? Drawing from a portfolio of global building and infrastructure projects, Craig will look at key innovations that are happening today and where these might lead us as we continue to search for the solutions to this generational problem.

Bio: Craig Schwitter is the Senior Partner, Chair of the Global Board, and founder of the first North American Buro Happold office in New York City more than 20 years ago. Focused on creating innovative structures for the built environment, he has led the successful delivery of many iconic projects that have transformed cities throughout the world, including New York City’s High Line.

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