Hello listeners, and happy start to the summer! Today, we're mixing things up and sharing a conversation we had on ChipChat with Tez and Chip in April, 2026. We talk current events, dad jokes, and our edicts to create Chipchatistan.

Let us know what you think in the comments, and please check out ChipChat wherever you get your podcasts!

Send us Fan Mail

Looking to break into climate, sustainability, or real estate decarbonization? In this episode, Brady Mills shares the certifications, frameworks, books, newsletters, and industry organizations that shaped his two-decade career at the intersection of engineering, climate risk, and commercial real estate.

We pulled together every resource he mentioned, from CRREM and GRESB to communication books and professional certifications, so you can keep learning long after the episode ends.

Resources (groups, certifications, terms, frameworks) mentioned:

• Association of Energy Engineers (AEE)
• Certified Energy manager (CEM)
• Professional Engineer (PE)
• American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
• Title 24 - CA building energy code
• Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor (CRREM)
• Greenhouse Gas Protocol
• Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB)
• Building Performance Standards (BPS)

Books mentioned:

• Nonviolent Communication - Marshall Rosenberg
• How Can I Get Through To You? - Terrence Real

Send us Fan Mail

We are joined by Eric Corey Freed, who has a bio so extensive that we broke it down into bullets! He is:

• An award-winning architect,
  • In 2012, he was named one of the 25 "Best Green Architecture Firms" in the US, and one of the "Top 10 Most Influential Green Architects." In 2017, he was named one of Build's American Architecture Top 25. He’s one of the 2021 Environment + Energy Leaders and in 2024, he was named the Net Zero Trailblazer for Innovation. He holds a prestigious LEED Fellow award from the US Green Building Council.
• An author and global speaker
  • 12 books, including "Green Building & Remodeling for Dummies” and "Circular Economy for Dummies." His new book, “Frictionless: Overcoming the Drags that Shutdown Innovation” will be released in 2026.
  • His work has been featured in: Time, Newsweek, Metropolis, Dwell, Fast Company, Forbes, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal; and on-air in: Fox News, HGTV, The Sundance Channel and PBS.
• Current Principal and Director of Sustainability for CannonDesign
• His past roles include: Founding Principal of organicARCHITECT, a visionary design leader in biophilic and regenerative design, Vice President of the International Living Future Institute, and Chief Community Officer of EcoDistricts.
• He serves on the board of Design Museum Everywhere, whose mission is to “bring the transformative power of design to all.”

Eric shared:

• How mentorship shaped his career
• Why sustainability messaging often fails
• The future of mass timber, AI, synthetic biology, and bio-based materials
• What keeps innovation from happening
• Why climate change is fundamentally a public health issue
• How humor and storytelling help change minds

The conversation also dives into affordable housing, healthcare design, systems thinking, and how to create lasting influence through speaking, teaching, writing, and design.

Organizations & Events Mentioned:

• International Living Future Institute (ILFI)
  • Living Future Conference
• U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
  • Greenbuild Conference
• CannonDesign
• XPRIZE

Innovative Construction + Materials Companies

• Prometheus Materials
• BioTwin
• Glavel

Books

• Green Building and Remodeling For Dummies by Eric Corey Freed
• Circular Economy For Dummies by Eric Corey Freed, coauthor
• Frictionless: Overcoming the Drags That Shut Down Innovation (forthcoming 2026) by Eric Corey Freed
• Cradle to Cradle
• Ecotopia
• The Ministry for the Future

Send us Fan Mail