There are countless different sustainability certifications, rankings and claims used by builders and suppliers – so how do clients and designers know which choices to make for their projects? Karin Miller and Jeff Frost of Brightworks Sustainability, a sustainability consulting firm, join us to talk about the impacts of our design and construction decisions on health and the environment. 

Jeff and Karin together explore issues around waste, recycling, material selection, and what tools and resources have emerged to determine customer impacts and sustainability. They delve into what is at stake, and what an ideal future looks like in terms of sustainability and environmental impacts. 

About Karin Miller

Karin Miller, LEED AP (BD+C, O+M, ND), LFA, WELL AP, Fitwel Ambassador, is a project manager at Brightworks Sustainability, a sustainability consulting firm that helps clients in over 25 industries establish and implement sustainability programs.

Tapping into ten years of experience in Chicago, Portland and New York, Karin Miller supports a full spectrum of sustainability project types, including sustainability strategy, research, certification coordination, materials management and educational curriculum development. Karin’s experience in the full life cycle of project development allows her to guide teams through the integration of sustainability strategies from the master plan phase to the design and construction of individual buildings – and see complex projects through to successful completion. 

In addition to extensive experience managing green building certification programs, she brings a substantial background with healthy and sustainable materials consulting. Her instincts to seek out, observe, listen and learn from multiple perspectives equip her with skills necessary to facilitate discussions amongst stakeholders.

About Jeff Frost

Jeff Frost is a Project Manager at Brightworks Sustainability, a sustainability consulting firm that helps clients in over 25 industries establish and implement sustainability programs. He is recognized as a national subject matter expert on a wide array of material issues affecting the built environment.

Jeff is the co-founder of the mindful MATERIALS collaborative; an industry-led initiative making healthy and sustainable products selection easier for building professionals. He’s an invited member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Material Knowledge Working Group (MKWG); a group of industry professionals shaping the AIA’s approach to materials. Jeff’s a member of the Health Product Declaration Collaborative (HPDC) and is co-chair of the Content Inventory Technical Sub-Group (TSG); tasked with developing the content and structure of the Health Product Declaration (HPD). He joined the USGBC’s MR TAG early in 2018; a group of elected professionals that develop and approve revisions and improvements to LEED.