As the built environment remains one of the largest sources of global greenhouse gas emissions, decarbonization has become an essential component of building performance, long-term asset value, and organizational responsibility. At 1EnergyWorld’s session Decarbonization as an Innovation Strategy, Eric Corey Freed, Principal and Director of Sustainability at CannonDesign, presents a comprehensive framework for integrating climate-responsive design into core business strategy.

Freed’s approach emphasizes the importance of regenerative systems, material circularity, and carbon-smart design as foundational tools for improving operational efficiency and environmental outcomes. By aligning building performance with climate science, his work supports clients in meeting emissions reduction goals, enhancing energy resilience, and optimizing lifecycle costs.

This methodology is based on evidence-based design principles and industry best practices that address both embodied and operational carbon. It provides organizations with a structured path to incorporate sustainability into planning, procurement, and project delivery processes. The objective is to produce buildings that exceed performance benchmarks while supporting broader ESG and policy commitments.

The session underscores the measurable advantages of embedding decarbonization into the early stages of design and decision-making. These strategies have direct implications for environmental impact, regulatory compliance, and stakeholder trust—reinforcing the built environment’s critical role in advancing global climate goals.

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As the solar industry matures, a new challenge is emerging with significant implications for national energy resilience: the responsible end-of-life management of solar infrastructure. At 1EnergyWorld, Adam Saghei, CEO of We Recycle Solar, reframes this issue not as a logistical burden, but as a strategic opportunity to strengthen U.S. supply chains and reinforce the integrity of clean energy systems.

We Recycle Solar operates at the intersection of sustainability and infrastructure, offering a fully certified, closed-loop solution for decommissioning and recycling photovoltaic equipment. The company is the only nationally certified solar-specific recycler, supporting utilities, developers, and institutional asset holders with services that include value recovery, secure disposal, and protection against gray-market redistribution of used equipment.

Saghei underscores that as tens of gigawatts of solar capacity approach end-of-life, the industry cannot afford a fragmented response. Recycling must be built into the infrastructure strategy from the outset. His message is clear: effective solar recycling safeguards environmental outcomes, mitigates liability, and unlocks critical materials for reuse—positioning the sector to scale more sustainably and securely.

In a decarbonizing economy, lifecycle strategy is not a secondary concern. It is a core competency for long-term energy leadership. By transforming solar recycling into an integrated infrastructure service, We Recycle Solar is not only mitigating environmental and regulatory risk—it is preserving material value, protecting brand integrity, and reinforcing the circular economy.

The broader impact is clear: as the clean energy transition accelerates, building resilient, closed-loop systems will be essential to national competitiveness. Solar recycling, done right, is not just good stewardship—it is critical infrastructure for a sustainable and self-reliant energy future.

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