Keynote 2 • Choosing Your Project’s Sustainability Story

Every project wants sustainability excellence—maximizing biodiversity, reducing waste, water, embodied carbon, and energy use, and advancing justice and material health. But when schedules tighten, programs change, and budgets force difficult decisions, how do we keep these values from becoming the first things on the chopping block?

A clear sustainability story defines what matters most to a project and why. By establishing values and priorities early, teams can embed them into the design, distinguish the basis of design from the “nice-to-haves,” and navigate tradeoffs with clarity. This session explores how defining your project’s sustainability story can turn broad ambitions into durable priorities—and help protect what matters most when the pressure is on.