Clear Haze Exchange

Most organizations don't struggle because they lack opportunities to improve their buildings. They struggle because they don't know how to fund, structure, and manage those improvements. In this episode of Clear Haze Exchange , Marcus Hazelwood sits down with Chris Halpin , President of Celtic Energy and one of the nation's leading experts in Energy Savings Performance Contracting (ESPC).  Having...

What if the biggest barrier to achieving Net Zero isn't technology, policy, or even funding? What if it's fragmentation? In this episode of Clear Haze Exchange , Marcus Hazelwood sits down with Sarah Merricks , Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Global Network for Zero (GNFZ) , to discuss why the future of decarbonization depends on building stronger networks supported by transparent, measur...

Most sustainability conversations focus on building owners. But what about tenants? In this episode, Marcus Hazelwood sits down with Jon Lemmond of JLL to discuss how tenants can influence building performance, energy efficiency, and decarbonization outcomes, even when they don't control the building's major systems. From New York City's Local Law 97 to green lease structures, submetering, shared...

Laboratories are some of the most resource-intensive buildings in the world. But many organizations still underestimate the operational, energy, and waste impacts happening inside research environments every day. In this episode of Clear Haze Exchange , Marcus Hazelwood speaks with Ila Summitt , molecular biologist and Sustainability Certification Manager at My Green Lab .  With more than 20 years...

Why do so many buildings begin with strong sustainability goals… yet struggle to deliver long-term performance? In this episode of Clear Haze Exchange , Marcus Hazelwood speaks with Umesh Atre , a sustainability leader with over two decades of experience across LEED, WELL, energy modeling, lifecycle cost analysis, and building performance strategy.  Currently Sustainability Lead at Parkhill, Umesh...

Mass timber is gaining momentum across the built environment—but how much of the conversation is grounded in reality? In this episode of Clear Haze Exchange , Marcus Hazelwood speaks with architect Vaughn Horn about the hidden systems behind mass timber design, decision-making, and performance.  Together, we explore: Why mass timber is gaining traction in higher education and research environments...

The data center boom is accelerating faster than most industries can keep up with. But behind the headlines around AI, cloud growth, and billion-dollar investments, there’s a critical question that often gets overlooked: Who is actually operating these facilities and are we prepared? In this episode of Clear Haze Exchange , host Marcus Hazelwood sits down with Tom Melton, a facilities and operatio...

What really drives workplace performance and sustainability outcomes inside an organization? In this episode of Clear Haze Exchange, Marcus Hazelwood speaks with Amanda Muzzarelli, an advisor in corporate real estate and facility strategy who helps organizations uncover the hidden systems shaping workspace performance, trust, and decision-making. Amanda developed the concepts of invisible architec...

What does sustainable chemistry really mean and why does it matter far beyond the lab? In this episode of Clear Haze Exchange, Marcus Hazelwood speaks with Professor Tom Welton, OBE, Emeritus Professor of Sustainable Chemistry at Imperial College London and the world’s first professor of sustainable chemistry. Professor Welton shares how sustainable chemistry evolved as both a field and a mindset,...

Season 2 kicks off with Dave Ray — sustainability & ESG strategist and longtime leader in Nevada’s green building community. Dave breaks down the gap between sustainability intent and operational follow-through , and why the best “sustainability” strategy often starts with the basics: understanding your data, aligning teams, and treating efficiency like a long-term investment discipline. In th...

Most sustainability strategies don’t fail because of bad technology. They fail because of things leaders can’t see. Season 2 of Clear Haze Exchange explores the hidden systems, decisions, and assumptions that shape building performance, workplace outcomes, and long-term value. This season goes beyond dashboards and checklists to focus on clarity, alignment, leadership, and the invisible forces tha...

If the green building movement wants to grow, it has to start early. In this episode of Clear Haze Exchange , Marcus Hazelwood talks with Julia Pooler , founder of the Carbon Zero Youth Initiative (CZYI) and author of the children’s book “Buildy Green: It Takes a Team, a Better Building Story.” Julia explains why youth outreach isn’t just “future workforce development”, kids can influence decision...

Mechanical engineer turned sustainability leader Kristy Walson (Principal, Branch Pattern ; LEED Fellow ) joins Clear Haze Exchange to break down decarbonization in plain language. We talk operational carbon, embodied carbon, and refrigerants , why energy modeling matters, how to start with utility data , and why lease language can block building upgrades. Kristy also shares lessons from her Rebui...

In this episode of Clear Haze Exchange , Marcus Hazelwood sits down with Greg Kwak, Vice President of Business & Product Development at Diversified Biotech, a Massachusetts-based company leading the charge toward sustainable lab consumables . Greg shares how PlanetSafe, their plant-based alternative to traditional lab plastics, is reshaping research and healthcare through science-driven sustai...

This episode of Clear Haze Exchange is extra special—Marcus sits down with his sister Janelle Ball , founder and CEO of BC Educators and host of That’s Derm Good Podcast . Janelle helps dermatology practices across the country get patients the right treatments faster. She shares how she built her company, how patient access works behind the scenes, and why education and empathy drive real impact....

In this episode of Clear Haze Exchange , host Marcus Hazelwood sits down with Dr. Eric Woodroof , founder of Profitable Green Solutions and creator of multiple industry certifications, including programs under the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE). Dr. Woodroof has trained thousands of Certified Energy Managers (CEMs) around the world—including Marcus himself—and shares decades of insights on...

Labs use 3–10× more energy than offices. Marcus talks with Alison Farmer , Labs2Zero Program Director at I2SL , about the Lab Benchmarking Tool (energy & emissions scores) and the AIM Report —an automated scoping audit to prioritize projects. How labs can cut carbon now, why community matters, and what’s next with analytics and commissioning.  Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:29 Who is Alison & I2S...

On this episode of Clear Haze Exchange , Marcus Hazelwood sits down with architect, author, and environmental advocate Kalpana Sutaria to explore the intersection of design, policy, and climate action. Drawing on her upbringing in India, decades of work in Austin, and her book Cooling Our Environment , Kalpana shares how passive design strategies, community engagement, and thoughtful policy can co...

In this episode, we explore the groundbreaking initiative of turning waste into educational opportunities. Discover how discarded materials are being transformed into sustainable school buildings, providing hope and education to underserved communities. Join us as we delve into the stories of those making a difference and the students whose lives are being changed. -  Intro clip courtesy of Mite O...

In this episode, Marcus Hazelwood sits down with Anastasia Mylona, Technical Director at CIBSE (Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers), to explore how building services engineering is shaping a sustainable future. Anastasia shares her insights on developing UK’s Part O regulations to address overheating in new dwellings, the growing importance of embodied carbon and circular economy...

In this inspiring episode of Clear Haze Exchange , architectural designer and influencer Michael De Luca joins us to share his creative journey into the world of architecture. From his early passion for design to his commitment to sustainability and community impact, Michael offers a thoughtful look into the evolving role of environmental design in shaping urban development. We dive into the power...

Episode 9 of Clear Haze Exchange, host Marcus Hazelwood reflects on the insightful conversations held in Season One.  Starting with Mohamed “Mo” El-Sayed, he and Marcus discuss the importance of effective communication in the field of energy engineering. Mo explains why clear communication is as vital as technical expertise. Another standout guest, Mahesh Ramanujam, current CEO of the Global Netwo...

Energy modeling is a crucial tool for decarbonizing the built environment, from analyzing energy consumption to informing design decisions. In Episode 8 of Clear Haze Exchange, Matthew Hazelwood welcomes Matthew Duffy, Vice President of IESVE Sales North America East at IES Ltd ., to the podcast. With over 15 years of experience in sustainability and energy efficiency consulting, Marcus emphasizes...

Clean Planet Group is on a mission to turn the tide on plastic waste—with a mix of creativity, innovation, and bold action!  In Episode 7 of Clear Haze Exchange, host Marcus Hazelwood welcomes Bertie Stephens, the CEO and board member of Clean Planet Group . Whether it’s sparking young minds through storytelling, transforming unrecyclable plastics into clean energy, or developing futuristic fuels...

In Episode 6 of Clear Haze Exchange, host Marcus Hazelwood is joined by guest Yolanda Owens, Executive Director of Local Matters , who emphasizes that sustainability involves understanding how to utilize the resources we currently have to ensure a viable world for the next generation.  As a Buckeye from Columbus, Ohio, Yolanda brings her unique perspective on sustainability practices to this discu...