KPF’s Global Director of Sustainability took the stage at the London event, joining industry leaders in a landmark conversation about technology’s role in shaping the future of architecture.
The Archi-Tech Network (ATN) Summit, founded by Oliver Thomas, is a global platform designed for industry leaders to share practical knowledge and experiences navigating technological transformation within architecture. As the first speaker on the second day of the conference, Carlos addressed how technology can support more sustainable projects by de-risking design, facilitating access, and scaling action. His presentation explored the computational performance analysis and evidence-based workflows that KPF’s architects and sustainability experts use to address buildings’ climate impacts. His remarks also reflected KPF’s deep commitment to sustainable practice, anchored by a commitment, shared by many leading architectural firms, to design net-zero carbon buildings by 2030.
Central to his talk was a candid reflection on what’s at stake: “The speed of change that we need to adapt to climate warming is so large that it’s impossible without design technology.” Carlos emphasized that sustainability is increasingly embedded into design workflows from the earliest stages, tying real data to impactful decision-making. He also highlighted the importance of enabling clients to prioritize sustainability goals for their projects: “The tools we use for analysis should not just model reality or design––they should de-risk design. They should move people to action, not just generate options.”
KPF’s presence extended beyond the main stage. Representatives from technology companies D5, xFigura, and Finch all cited KPF as a close collaborator in their presentations. BIM Specialist Grahesh Bhandari and his team won Most Collaborative at the summit’s hackathon for developing a mobile/web app conducting AI-powered analysis of construction worker safety and Associate Principal Michal Scigaj and his team earned an honorable mention for developing an interactive data visualization Grasshopper plugin.
