Better Buildings for Humans, the podcast exploring the intersection of human wellness and the built environment, has entered its third season, powered by Advanced Glazings Ltd. The show has become a trusted platform for architects, designers, builders, and policy leaders seeking insight into how buildings shape health and daily life. Season 3, episode 122 features internationally acclaimed architect Alison Brooks, whose episode went live this morning. Brooks is the only practitioner to have received all three of the Royal Institute of British Architects' highest honors. In the episode, host Joe Menchefski and Brooks discuss housing, beauty, and the cultural power of home, emphasizing deeper windows, thoughtful proportions, and sculptural form to reconnect people to light and sky.
Another recent episode features Thierry Paret, FAIA, Vice President of Architecture and Engineering at the New York City School Construction Authority. Paret oversees renovations and new construction for approximately 1,500 school buildings serving nearly one million students. He discusses design excellence at scale, sustainability in public-sector projects, and the responsibility architects carry when shaping environments for future generations. His international career spans the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East, including leadership roles in New York State, Qatar, and the LEED Platinum KAUST campus.
Rounding out the trio is Yiselle Santos Rivera, architect, educator, and incoming President-Elect of the American Institute of Architects. Santos Rivera explores how architecture intersects with neuroscience, public health, climate resilience, and economic mobility. She makes the case for buildings as tools for healing, justice, and joy, and for a future of architecture rooted in collaboration and community.
Looking ahead, the podcast will expand its focus on emerging research, including partial spectrum light and its potential impacts on circadian health, cognition, and long-term well-being. Episodes will examine how common building technologies, such as certain LED lighting systems and low-emissivity (Low-E) glazing, may unintentionally alter the quality of light occupants experience. The show will also explore the rapidly expanding world of metal buildings, examining their use across commercial, industrial, educational, and civic applications, paired with advanced daylighting strategies like translucent glazing systems such as SoleraWall® by Advanced Glazings Ltd.
New episodes of Better Buildings for Humans are available on all major podcast platforms. The show is hosted by Joe Menchefski and powered by Advanced Glazings Ltd., a global leader in high-performance translucent building materials. For more information, view the original release on NewMediaWire.
