{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"In The Mix by Northwest Masonry Institute","title":"9. Building Green with Masonry: Separating facts from Perception with Ben Stapleton","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":763,"description":"Ben Stapleton has spent more than two decades working at the intersection of real estate, sustainability, and innovation. As CEO of USGBC California, he leads one of the country's largest green building organizations, helping train thousands of industry professionals each year while advancing climate resilience, sustainable development, and low-carbon building solutions across the state.\nIn this episode of In The Mix, Ben joins Adam live from the California Masonry Council Design & Expo to discuss the future of resilient construction, rebuilding after natural disasters, and the role masonry can play in creating stronger, more sustainable communities.\nDrawing from his work supporting wildfire recovery efforts across California, Ben shares lessons learned from rebuilding after devastating fires, how communities can better prepare for future disasters, and why building materials must be evaluated through a long-term lens rather than short-term environmental metrics. He also explores the growing importance of embodied carbon, transparency in construction materials, and why the masonry industry has a unique opportunity to tell a stronger sustainability story.\nIn This Episode:How USGBC California is helping communities prepare for and recover from wildfiresLessons learned from rebuilding efforts after major California fire disastersWhy resilience should be a central focus of modern building designThe role masonry plays in durability, wildfire resistance, and long-term sustainabilityCommon misconceptions about embodied carbon and environmental product declarations (EPDs)Why life-cycle thinking matters when evaluating building materialsHow the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics are driving conversations around low-carbon constructionThe importance of transparency, innovation, and data in the future of the building industryWhat the masonry industry can do to better communicate its sustainability advantages\nConnect with Ben:\nWebsite: https://usgbc-ca.org/\nLinkedIn:...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/X1bb4Pa1Lwg4qVX_6duAicnGxz9s7Pi3P-AwJ-_qFL4/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9lOWY0/NDQ2M2MwMmEwN2I1/N2NjZTIwMGQ5OGQ2/ZDI2OC5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}