An Interview With Monica Sanders
Sustainability means something different to everyone. You can and should make your own definition of how you will address it — while always making sure you are!
According to the University of Colorado, “Those who are most affected and have the fewest resources to adapt to climate change are also the least responsible for the greenhouse gas emissions — both globally and within the United States.” Promoting climate justice is an incredibly important environmental responsibility that is slowly becoming more and more recognized. In this interview series, we are talking to leaders who are helping to promote sustainability and climate justice. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Rebecca Berry
Rebecca Berry leads Finegold Alexander’s higher education, institutional, and religious practice areas. She is also Finegold Alexander’s Director of Sustainability, heading up its FA Energy department, promoting sustainable design practices, conversations, and reviews firm wide. She earned a BS in Art & Design, a BS in Political Science, and a Master of Architecture, all from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she received the Alpha Rho Chi medal, a national award in recognition of service.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about how you grew up?
Growing up, as a military brat, I spent a lot of my early childhood in West Germany (where I was born). When we were living on US military bases, my family was very interested in travel and exploring. Throughout my childhood, we would travel “Space A” (Space Available — sometimes on military cargo planes) and take trains all over Western Europe as well as in North Africa. As a result, I was exposed to many different cultures and historical sites. In hindsight, it is quite clear to me that these experiences of varying spaces and places inspired my interest in architecture and the built environment. Spending such a large portion of my childhood in a divided Europe also laid bare the implications of different political systems on people’s freedom, voice, and livelihoods. These experiences, combined with splitting my time in the Washington, D.C., area inspired my studies of architecture and political science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Everyone has a cataclysmic moment or marker in their life which propels them to take certain actions, a “why”. What is your why?
For me, I don’t think it’s one event, but rather a series. If I had to select, however, I would say the two largest ‘catalysts’ that inspired my “why” were at two very different scales — one at the scale of dwelling, and one at the scale of policy. In my teenage years, I spent time each summer in Grundy County, Tennessee — one of the most underserved areas in the country. Access to consistent electricity and running water was a challenge for many members of this community. The organization I worked with had numerous roles, from improving people’s homes with the simplest of upgrades such as building porches for gathering and providing summer camp experiences for their children. Expanding on this work, I later built homes with Habitat for Humanity, both here in the United States as well as abroad. At the larger scale of policy, I had the privilege of working with Dr. Nazli Choucri, Professor of Political Science at MIT, a champion of international sustainable development policies. Working for Professor Choucri, I studied resource conflict as it related to sustainable development. Working and researching at these two divergent scales demonstrated the impact sustainable design and development, from the highest policy level to the smallest design interventions, can provide dignity, security, and hope.
You are currently leading an organization that is making a difference for our planet. Can you tell us a bit about what you and your organization are trying to change?
While each of us at the firm has specific responsibilities, the leadership of our organization, Finegold Alexander Architects, operates on a consensus model. The four majority stakeholders share responsibilities when it comes to making big strategic decisions. I think this is really important to emphasize as this is not a traditional model for design firms! This model allows us to draw on multiple viewpoints and experiences, setting the tone for a collaborative culture — which is vital to better design. A major component of doing our part when it comes to design is reducing the carbon footprint of our projects. We’ve taken multiple steps to move forward with this reduction. For decades, our firm has been engaged with adaptive reuse projects — we have long held to the fact that the ‘greenest building in the world is the one that already exists.’
Finegold Alexander has signed the American Institute of Architects (AIA)’s 2030 Commitment — meaning we work to continually reduce the energy use intensity of our projects with the goal of all projects being net zero carbon by 2030. By signing the commitment, and reporting data on our projects we help ensure each project is as sustainable as possible and that we hold ourselves accountable.
Our Green Spec takes a granular look at materiality and human health, eyeing ways our firm can have a positive impact by giving preference to low-carbon approaches as well as products with Environmental Product Declarations.
FA Energy is our new division focused on decarbonizing the built environment through innovative design solutions, where we look beyond singular projects to work with institutions on implementing broader climate goals — generally higher education campuses. Our process involves multiple areas of intervention from building envelope upgrades to the coordination of new systems for decarbonization with existing historic interiors.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?
I recall after the 2008–2009 financial crisis, the term “Black Swan” was tossed around — what would be next that we would not anticipate? When our leadership team took the reins at Finegold Alexander Architects in 2017, we certainly did not anticipate that not long after establishing new practices we would be faced with a global pandemic. I can vividly recall being on a phone call on a drive back from a conference at Yale discussing our readiness to have our staff be at home — presumably for a few weeks. The whole conversation seemed surreal. All too soon, however, it was clear it was very real. Our team had already begun shifting to a flexible work model, and we had technology setups that allowed us to be ahead of the curve during the wave of those first necessary lockdowns. The disruption to our firm culture, the pausing of projects, and the personal challenges of having two children in virtual school sometimes felt insurmountable. Then came the murder of George Floyd, tipping society toward a long-awaited reckoning on race in the United States. It felt as though this was the time, the moment in which to check our assumptions. To be still and to listen. To admit ignorance and then to do the hard work. As a firm and a community, we continue to work to adapt, drop our perceptions, and listen to what is going on around us. It’s hard work, and we may not always get it right — but we are working every day on how we can be in the community and work to create a more diverse and equitable profession.
On a separate note — the changes in our Massachusetts energy codes and the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act have created momentum and impetus for faster and deeper decarbonization. These local and federal initiatives have changed the tenor of conversations both within the firm, as well as with clients. The combination of an increase in funding possibilities coupled with code mandates (long advocated for and hard fought to win!) have changed the landscape for sustainable building. At times, however, I am disappointed to not see a greater societal focus on the opportunities to accelerate efforts to decarbonize. While the IRA does include significant research dollars and critical allocation of funds to upgrade and modernize our energy infrastructure, we seem to have missed a potential opportunity for BIG funding of research and development of decarbonization tools. Architects can greatly reduce the usage of energy in buildings — and in some cases the generation of that energy — but in terms of the larger picture we need new ways of producing energy. We are ready to prepare our buildings for tomorrow’s clean sources of generation. We need the equivalent of a moonshot to revolutionize that generation beyond even our current renewables — we need to find the next energy breakthrough. Is it Hydrolysis? What’s the best approach to energy capacitors at grid scale? What’s the next breakthrough in batteries — what’s beyond Lithium-ion??
None of us can be successful without some help along the way. Did you have mentors or cheerleaders who helped you to succeed? Can you tell us a story about their influence?
My peer network! Our group came together initially in 2013. This was a time in my life when I was feeling completely underwater. My children were one and barely three. Intense project work, caring for an infant and a toddler, and attempting to pivot in my career to higher levels of leadership had left me feeling burnt out and wondering if it was worth being negative on salary vs. childcare costs. I had a reach out from a former President of the Boston Society of Architects (BSA) to attend a speed mentoring event for emerging professionals. I agreed to participate and shared that I was really struggling. This former president and friend introduced me to a group of women architects in similar places. We began holding quarterly meetings, where we leaned on each other to create a safe space for advice, information, and support, collectively supporting each other’s unique journey. One of the women in the peer network is a fellow partner at Finegold Alexander Architects, Regan Shields Ives. Architecture is a historically male-dominated field and there continues to be a drop-off point for women architects. The collision of mid-career and family responsibilities and the traditional “burn the midnight oil at your desk” culture all contribute to women leaving the profession at this critical juncture. A crucial part of advancing gender parody in the industry is establishing community and support systems for people, particularly women and BIPOC architects, including Paid Family and Medical Leave (PMFL). In 2017, four years after the greatest moment of doubt that I had in my career, Regan and I became Principals and co-owners of our firm. I attribute our success and that of those in our network in part to the support we have provided one another. I should add that we do compete for work! But we manage to do so in the spirit of “can’t win them all” and knowing that the big picture matters more than who wins a particular pursuit.
Thank you for that. Let’s now move to the central part of our discussion. Let’s start with a basic definition of terms so that everyone is on the same page. What does climate justice mean to you? How do we operationalize it?
Climate Justice means listening to and empowering the communities most impacted by a changing climate with tools to own and put into action appropriate responses. How we operationalize climate justice is through a two-fold approach. First, we must support grassroots community-based work — listening to and recognizing local knowledge, so we understand community needs. Then we as a larger society must provide the resources and strategic planning in support of those grassroots solutions. The grassroots component is extremely important. No two communities are alike; solutions for coastal Georgia will be entirely different from the necessary solutions in New York City. Deep listening, amplifying, and then championing community voices will allow us to collectively find solutions and pave a path for climate justice that is bottom-up and supported by large-scale funding.
Science is telling us that we have 7–10 years to make critical decisions about climate change. What are three things you or your organization are doing to help?
First, as a firm, we are looking at the bigger picture and focusing on decarbonization and not needing to always be in charge! Our FA Energy group is about working collaboratively to reduce emissions associated with the built environment and prepare our existing building stock for new, non-carbon based energy inputs. The second thing is our participation in the AIA 2030 net zero Commitment. The AIA 2030 Commitment is an actionable climate strategy that defines a set of standards and goals for reaching net zero emissions in the built environment. Through our tracking of our projects and the work of our sustainability team, we are constantly seeking to improve our knowledge and guide our clients to more sustainable solutions. The third, and most personal climate-positive action takes place at my house in New Hampshire. The property is at a relatively high elevation and is essentially a small watershed. I have been working to rid the property of the multiple invasive plant species, while repopulating the area with native species. We don’t use pesticides and work to employ only organic fertilizers in very small amounts. The land feeds a pond that breeds large numbers of frogs and toads. Streams off the property gather into larger brooks that eventually reach the Ammonoosuc and Connecticut rivers. We work to do whatever we can to keep this water clean. I see this work as a learning opportunity for my children to understand the importance of stewardship of the land around us.
Are there three things the community, society, or politicians can do to help you in your mission?
1) The biggest thing politicians can do to help combat climate change is fund basic research, rather than subsidizing industries for their own benefit. Research is at the foundation of every breakthrough and is key to having an effect at the local, state, and federal levels. As architects, we work — again — to create net zero buildings — yet there is a huge amount of carbon already in the atmosphere. In addition to moving to zero emissions, the focus must be on removing and reversing the effects, rather than simply reducing our ongoing emissions. There are groups working on this — what if they were supported by the same venture capital that we apply to entertainment (e.g., gaming apps?)
2) Go big or go home. Growing up in Western Europe in the 1980s — at the height of the Cold War, the United States was a model of science, innovation, and opportunity. Are we now? There’s no reason for us not to be. We have the resources, we have entrepreneurship, and we certainly have the responsibility to lead through big, bold initiatives. Today’s equivalent of “we choose to go to the moon” should be “we choose to remove the carbon from our environment.”
3) As a society, we need to collectively take a step back and listen to the underserved communities around us. Instead of assuming we know what is needed we need to hear from the people on the ground, to acknowledge and understand local knowledge. We have subsidies for things like electric cars, but why can’t we use some of that funding to set up listening sessions to learn about the needs of low-resource communities to achieve further climate and economic development? Or apply that funding towards public transportation for underserved communities?
How would you articulate how a business can become more profitable by being more sustainable and more environmentally conscious? Can you share a story or example?
Sustainability efforts are beneficial for people, the planet, and profit. Period. It’s important to note that addressing climate change is not only essential for society to move forward but can inspire new and expanded business opportunities. Our firm’s FA Energy division, again focused on decarbonizing the built environment, and addressing climate change within our practice, has also opened an entirely new line of business for the firm. We are now expanding to other markets such as low carbon fuel research facilities.
This is the signature question we ask in most of our interviews. What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started promoting sustainability and climate justice” and why?
1 . This applies to many things — but BE FLEXIBLE. You never know where your journey in energy and climate will take you.
2 . That this is a REALLY BIG PROBLEM. You will spend a lot of days asking yourself what you are actually accomplishing. But simply by acknowledging the problem and working on better approaches every day, you are being a part of the solution.
3 . You will need to THINK DIFFERENTLY. Technologies are constantly changing, and you have to be open to looking at new systems and working in very close coordination (at least on the building aspect) with your engineers.
4 . Sustainability means something different to everyone. You can and should make your own definition of how you will address it — while always making sure you are!
5 . The work is inspiring. Sustainable, just solutions are also beautiful. Find others seeking that beauty and work with them.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
This was a really hard question. The world is full of inspiring people, but I am going to say Malala Yousafzai. She stared into the face of evil and triumphed. Her unflinching defense of providing girls with the most basic of human rights is humbling.
How can our readers continue to follow your work online?
Follow us on LinkedIn!
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
About the Interviewer: Monica Sanders JD, LL.M, is the founder of “The Undivide Project”, an organization dedicated to creating climate resilience in underserved communities using good tech and the power of the Internet. She holds faculty roles at the Georgetown University Law Center and the Tulane University Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy. Professor Sanders also serves on several UN agency working groups. As an attorney, Monica has held senior roles in all three branches of government, private industry, and nonprofits. In her previous life, she was a journalist for seven years and the recipient of several awards, including an Emmy. Now the New Orleans native spends her time in solidarity with and championing change for those on the frontlines of climate change and digital divestment. Learn more about how to join her at: www.theundivideproject.org
How Rebecca Berry Of Finegold Alexander Is Helping to Promote Sustainability and Climate Justice was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.